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Cairns trial: Ponting captaincy queried

Ricky Ponting has appeared as a witness at Chris Cairns's perjury trial in London.

Ricky Ponting
The Ricky Ponting-coached Mumbai Indians have beaten Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in the IPL (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Ricky Ponting has had to field questions about his captaincy of Australia during their 2005 Ashes loss as he appeared as a witness in the Chris Cairns trial in London.

The former Australian skipper provided evidence to the Southwark Crown Court trial via video link on Tuesday, largely to describe his recollection of a conversation with Brendon McCullum in 2008.

Black Caps captain McCullum gave evidence last week that he was with Ponting in a bar in India when he had a call from Cairns about a "business proposition".

He said he later met Cairns, who asked him to become involved in match fixing.

Ponting told the court he remembered McCullum receiving a brief phone call, then telling him: "That was Cairnsy, and he just made me a business proposition."

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"As soon as I heard it was about business, I wasn't interested anymore," Ponting said.

"Brendon's business and personal life were none of my business. I was never going to ask him about business propositions."

In more general questions from the defence, Cairns's lawyer Orlando Pownall QC said cricket was a game affected by many factors.

"Cricket is like any other sport in that decisions can be made that may later be criticised by pundits, fans and perhaps other teammates," Mr Pownall said.

"Whether you bat first, who's chosen to be part of the team, these are examples of decision made that may, depending on the outcome, come under scrutiny."

Mr Pownall referred to the Test between Australia and England at Edgbaston in August 2005 when the hosts triumphed by two runs after Ponting chose to field first.

"No doubt you thought, at that time, that was the right decision to take. Perhaps now you wish you had chosen differently?" he asked.

Ponting disagreed, saying: "No, not at all."

When Mr Pownall suggested the team would have won had Ponting's decision been different, Ponting replied: "May have won would maybe be more accurate."

Mr Pownall also noted that both Ponting and McCullum liked to gamble on horse races, noting that Ponting's nickname, Punter, stemmed from his betting.

Cairns faces a charge of perjury in relation to a 2012 libel trial in which he stated that he had never, ever cheated at cricket.

He and co-defendant barrister Andrew Fitch-Holland also face a charge of perverting the course of justice for allegedly trying to get Lou Vincent to provide a false statement for the libel case.


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