Ricky Ponting denies having knowledge of Cairns' 'spot-fixing' interaction with Brendon McCullum

Ponting denied having knowledge of the spot-fixing approach made by Cairns on McCullum

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting admitted to being present when Brendon McCullum was approached by Chris Cairns via a phone call to lure the current New Zealand skipper into ‘spot-fixing’ but denied having an idea as to what the conversation was about, ESPNCricinfo reports.

McCullum had last week revealed Ponting’s presence when providing the details of the spot-fixing approach made by his former national teammate in 2008. Ponting and McCullum, who had been signed up by the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, were staying together at a hotel in Kolkata preparing for the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) when the latter received a phone call from Cairns who said he had a "business proposition" to discuss.

McCullum went on to reveal that Cairns was actually referring to the idea of ‘spot-fixing’, but Ponting claimed that though he was present with McCullum, he did not have an idea at that time about the details of the conversation McCullum had with Cairns, initially via phone and then, in person.

"I was staying with Brendon in the team hotel in Kolkata in 2008 on the eve of the first IPL tournament," Ponting recalled. "We were just sitting, sharing a drink when he received a phone call - his phone rang. It was a very brief phone conversation, probably less than five minutes. He put the phone down, hung up and said it was Cairnsy and he 'just made me a business proposition'."

Ponting added that he stayed on for some more time after the phone conversation he did not probe McCullum further on the matter as it was not a subject he was interested in.

"We stayed together for a short time. I didn't ask any more questions ... As soon as I heard it was about business, I wasn't interested anymore," Ponting said.

When asked by Orlando Pownall QC, for the defence, whether he understood terms like "spot-fixing" and "spread betting", Ponting replied: "Right now I would; in 2008, maybe not as much."

McCullum’s agent reveals conversation regarding Chris Cairns

Leanne McGoldrick, a players’ agent, who was managing McCullum at the time, revealed that the player had told her about the conversation he had with Cairns.

"He said he'd had an occasion in England - in a bar or cafe, I can't remember which - with Chris, and Chris had asked him whether he knew how to spot-fix," McGoldrick said. "I was completely shocked ... I couldn't believe what he was saying."

McCullum had said last week that he regretted not reporting Cairns’ approach earlier and McGoldrick claimed that she had advised her former client to report the matter at the earliest, but unfortunately, he didn’t pay heed.