Ponting present when Cairns approached McCullum

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was present when New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum received a “business proposition” from ex-Black Caps star Chris Cairns, he told a London court on Tuesday.

Appearing at Cairns’ perjury trial via video link from Australia, Ponting, 40, said that he had been in a hotel room with McCullum in India in 2008 when the New Zealander received a phone-call from Cairns.

Ponting said that when McCullum told him it was a “business” matter, he “didn’t ask any more questions”.

McCullum had previously told the court that Cairns’ proposition concerned spot-fixing.

Former all-rounder Cairns, one of New Zealand’s greatest ever players, denies one charge of perjury and one charge of perverting the court of justice.

Ponting told Southwark Crown Court: “I was staying with Brendon in the (Kolkata Knight Riders) team hotel in Calcutta in 2008 on the eve of the first IPL (Indian Premier League) tournament.

“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: “I didn’t ask any more questions. 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 any more.”