• Former New Zealand opener gives evidence at Southwark Crown Court • Vincent claims he underperformed in four games in 2008

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The former New Zealand opener Lou Vincent has admitted he was involved in match-fixing but claims he was acting under “direct orders” from his captain, a court has heard.

Vincent, 36, said his former leader and “role model” Chris Cairns convinced him to take part in fixing while they were both playing for the Chandigarh Lions in India.

He described Cairns as “the main player” for the New Zealand national side when he started playing for them in around 2001.

“I was a young player who watched Chris Cairns play for New Zealand years before making the team,” he added.

“He was the biggest icon player for me growing up and watching New Zealand play.”

Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court in London where Cairns is on trial for perjury, Vincent said: “I was under direct orders from Chris Cairns to get involved in fixing.”

Vincent said he had a “meltdown” when he was dropped from the team in 2007. He told the jury he suffered from depression and mental health issues and began taking cannabis.

“It was my heart and my life, [being dropped] hurt my heart,” he added. “I was mentally unstable and went to get professional help.”

In 2008 Vincent signed up to play with the Chandigarh Lions, captained by Cairns. He said he turned down an offer of cash and a prostitute from an Indian man to get involved in fixing but when he told Cairns what had happened Cairns replied: “You work for me now.”

“Immediately I went to Chris Cairns and told him what had happened,” Vincent said. “The deal, the room, the woman and being offered the money and how I went to report what had just happened. Chris was obviously interested, then there was a pause for a short period of time. And then he turned to me, looked at me and said ’you did the right thing’ and ’that’s good cover, right you’re working for me now’.”

Cairns allegedly agreed to pay Vincent $50,000 (£32,500) per game to underperform. Vincent told the jury he deliberately underperformed in four games in 2008.

In 2010 Cairns was accused by the chairman of the Indian Premier League, Lalit Modi, on Twitter of match-fixing while he was playing for the Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League two years earlier.

Cairns brought a libel action against Modi and successfully sued him for £90,000. But he had been involved in match-fixing and lied about it under oath, the court was told.

His co-accused Andrew Fitch-Holland, a barrister and his “lead adviser”, allegedly approached Vincent to get him to lie in the libel case, the court heard.

Cairns, 45, from Auckland, is charged with perjury and perverting the course of justice, while Fitch-Holland, from Burton Road, Manchester, is accused of perverting the course of justice. They both deny the charges.