Former New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent has spent two days on the witness stand in Chris Cairns' perjury trial in London.

After opening as an all-action Twenty20, the Chris Cairns perjury trial in London turned into something more akin to an intriguing cricket test on Wednesday morning (NZ time).

Orlando Pownall, QC, spent a long day bowling questions at the trial's opening witness Lou Vincent, who played most with a straight bat.

Like a nagging spin bowler, Pownall came at confessed match fixer Vincent relentlessly, for nearly five hours.

KEVIN NORQUAY/FAIRFAX NZ Former Black Cap Chris Cairns arrives at Southwark District Court in London to hear day two of evidence against him.

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He probed away about bookies, meetings, gambling accounts, batting and scores, asking Vincent for details the banned cricketer struggled to recall.

He tried a range of attacks; sometimes he was charming, often incredulous.

He showed Vincent a video of him batting and him asked about payments for match fixing.

Mostly Vincent padded Pownall away as he looked for gaps in his evidence, using many variations on the same answer.

"I can't recall the details, sorry."

"I wouldn't have a clue, sorry."

"I don't remember."

"I don't recall the details."

Pownall said the lack of response was Vincent "hedging his bets". He accused him of lying.

"Your lies have been not only extensive, but in some cases quite clever when you've side stepped the question."

Once, Vincent refused to answer a question pertaining to money laundering, as was his legal right.

"I don't wish to answer questions about money, money laundering, and pick ups," he said.

He has no immunity from prosecution, so has the right not to answer questions that would incriminate him.

When Pownall asked Vincent about why he had omitted to say why he had slept with a prostitute given as a "present" in 2008 by an Indian bookie, there was a flash of emotion.

Vincent said he had failed to tell the full story to protect his then wife Elly Riley and their daughters.

"My relationship with my ex-wife isn't a healthy one, we've got two young girls, I've inflicted a lot of damage."

Vincent stopped talking.

"Can I help you?" Pownall asked to fill the silence.

"No, you can't," Vincent fired back, asking Mr Justice Sweeney to step in.

"I would like to think I wouldn't be asked more about that, your lordship," Vincent said.

The judge called an end to proceedings for the day an hour early, after Vincent again became upset.

"That's enough for you today," he told Vincent, who indicated he was prepared to carry on.

Vincent left the witness stand with tears welling in his eyes, the second consecutive day court had been adjourned to allow him to recover.

He had managed a smile earlier in the day, when his bowling was discussed and it was pointed out he had taken one test wicket.

Vincent beamed, and said it was that of outstanding South African all rounder Jacques Kallis, who he'd given a send off.

Kallis has a test batting average of more than 50.

"Short and wide, he should have left it, he went for it and he knicked it."

Cairns, 45, is accused of lying under oath when he said he'd "never" cheated at cricket.

In his evidence, Vincent alleges the former New Zealand captain introduced him to match fixing at the Indian Cricket League in 2008.

Cairns instructed him to under perform in select matches, scoring 10 to 15 runs in 20 balls then getting out, he says.

Cairns has said he had never instructed Vincent or anyone else to under perform at cricket.

Perjury is a criminal charge carrying a maximum of seven years' jail. Cairns has denied all charges.

ALSO IN COURT

* Vincent said Cairns told him to drop catches in fixed matches, and that when fixing was discussed in a hotel room he would turn up the TV so potential eavesdroppers could not hear.

* Two years after helping fix matches for Cairns, Kiwi fast bowler Daryl Tuffey was furious he still hadn't been paid, Vincent said. Tuffey and Vincent played under the captaincy of Cairns at the Chandigarh Lions in 2008.

* Asked why he carried on month after month without being paid, Vincent said "I was used by Cairns. He used and abused me, spat me out and went running and hiding."