Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns went on the front foot over ongoing match-fixing allegations on Sunday, and attacked former teammates and high-profile officials, including the legendary Richard Hadlee.
Cairns demanded his accusers produce details of what he is alleged to have done, and expressed disappointment that the New Zealand Cricket board, of which Hadlee is a member, had apparently abandoned him.
Cairns is one of three former New Zealand players, along with Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent, tied to an International Cricket Council (ICC) match-fixing investigation.
But 10 weeks after the ICC confirmed the probe, Cairns said no one had approached him.
“Surely there should be some onus on the ICC or other governing bodies to come forward and present some reliable evidence to justify the investigation,” he said.
“The current rumour and speculation, which has been widely reported around the world, is doing untold damage.”
Cairns said he had heard English police were now in New Zealand as part of the investigation and the ICC had contacted his ex-wife, Carin, in South Africa.
“The impact of this on my career and the professional opportunities in front of me is very serious …,” he said.
“While this dark cloud hangs over me, my ability to work and provide for my family is almost non-existent.”
Cairns said he was aware many of the rumours emanated from former teammates and challenged them to “say it to the people you should be saying it to or to me. I’m yet to hear any of those players come out and say (it).
“The thing that really irks me with New Zealand Cricket is that from day one I’ve had the door shut in my face … How would Sir Richard (Hadlee) feel having his family name, the Hadlee name, drawn through the mud as I’ve had it?”
Cairns also questioned whether other board members, Martin Snedden, a lawyer, and successful businessman Geoff Allott, would accept the way he had been treated.
Cairns, 43, is one of only 12 players in Test cricket history to have taken 200 wickets and scored 3000 runs.
In March 2012 he won STG90,000 ($165,000) in a libel action against former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi in London for a tweet that alleged he was involved in match-fixing.
He said no decision had been made about legal action over the ICC probe as he remained in the dark about what he was being investigated for.