The judge in Chris Cairns's London perjury trial has told the former New Zealand cricketer his job in the witness box is not to give a speech, but to answer questions.
Facing his second day in the witness box at the Southwark Crown Court trial on Wednesday, Cairns faced a tough cross examination from prosecutor Sasha Wass QC.
"If you're telling the truth about all of this, would you agree that you've been the most unfortunate individual?" Ms Wass said as she opened her cross examination.
"You have been accused not once of match fixing, not twice, but on three separate occasions."
As the heated examination continued, Ms Wass asked for a yes or no answer, but Cairns did not comply.
"Are you trying to make this cross examination last for weeks and weeks," Ms Wass asked Cairns.
"May I suggest you just answer the questions rather than arguing."
As the struggle over evidence continued, Justice Nigel Sweeney eventually intervened.
"Mr Cairns, the ground rules are very clear, council asks questions," the judge said.
"Your obligation is to answer the question. Not to give a speech, but to answer the question.
"It's very important that you direct your answer to the question, and it is an answer."
The cross examination was in stark contrast to the first portion of Cairns's evidence, when the New Zealander answered his defence lawyer's questions with largely one-word, direct replies.
Asked whether he had match fixed, had contemplated match fixing, had tried to recruit Brendon McCullum to match fix, had ordered Lou Vincent to underperform, had threatened Vincent with a bat when he failed to follow instructions, Cairns reply each time was a simple "No".
Cairns faces a charge of perjury and a charge of perverting the course of justice in relation to a 2012 libel case in which he stated that he never, ever cheated.
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