International Cricket Council to probe after Brendon McCullum's statements made public

Former all rounder Chris Cairns and skipper Brendon McCullum

Earlier this week, all the excerpts of confidential statements from former New Zealand International Lou Vincent regarding his co-operation with the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption United Security Unit (ACSU), and skipper Brendon McCullum were published in newspapers in England.

According to Reuters, the ICC will now investigate the matter so as to find the source of the leak and will take necessary actions if required.

"We are taking all steps available to us to urgently investigate how certain information in the form of statements has come to find its way into the media," ICC chief executive Dave Richardson was quoted as saying by NDTV. "Of course, we recognise that this is a deeply concerning development for the stakeholders in the fight against corruption in the sport of cricket, and we wish to emphasise that Brendon McCullum is not under investigation in this matter."

While speaking to Radio New Zealand, Richardson said: "This is an investigation that crosses three or four jurisdictions and involves liaison with other stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, players who have been interviewed.”

"Of course we are devastated with these leaks, but it is premature to say exactly where that leak came from and whether anyone involved in the ACSU was involved. But certainly if we are able to find out where the leak came from that person will be removed from the situation," he added.

McCullum had previously told investigators that one of the star players in the team had approached him twice in 2008 with an offer to fix matches for an amount said to be around $200,000 per match.

Following that, several websites including the New Zealand Herald identified former all-rounder Chris Cairns as Player X, who is said to have been named in the testimony to the ICC's anti-corruption unit ACSU, by Vincent and McCullum.

“I believe it is being alleged that I am that player,” Cairns said. “It is well known that the ICC ACSU anti-corruption security unit has been investigating allegations of corruption and my name has been linked by others to these allegations. I am being asked whether I am Player X. These allegations against me are a complete lie.”

Cairns is not denying to be player X:

Please change headline @ESPNcricinfo...not rejecting I am Player X...please read the quotes in your story, it's the allegations I reject...

— Chris Cairns (@chriscairns168) May 20, 2014

When asked whether Cairns has read the statesments, he said: “They decline to do so but seem happy to leak information to the media which they deny to me.”

He continued, “As for Lou Vincent he appears to have confessed to match fixing in respect of games played in numerous countries around the world, most of which I have had no connection to. He is in a desperate position. He faces potential prosecution and in trying to negotiate a plea bargain he appears to be willing to falsely accuse me of wrongdoing.

“As for Brendon McCullum I have no understanding why he would say the things he is alleged to have said. To be clear, I have never approached Brendon, or anyone else, about match fixing or any other improper activity. I am doing everything I can to get to the bottom of these allegations.”