Cricket hit by fresh match-fixing allegations over New Zealand players

The cricketing world has been rocked by fresh revelations over alleged fixing by former New Zealand internationals, following the leak of player statements made to a corruption inquiry.

The scandal has prompted ex-Black Caps star Chris Cairns to identify himself as "Player X" -- the prominent former international accused in the statements of pressuring others to fix in matches -- while rejecting the specific allegations against him and vowing to clear his name.

"I have not denied I am Player X," he wrote in a series of tweets Tuesday. "It's the allegations I reject... Thanks for all the support out there and to all those who understand that there are bigger forces at play here."

The International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has previously confirmed it was conducting an investigation into Cairns and fellow former New Zealand internationals Lou Vincent and Daryl Tuffey.

Cairns has challenged match-fixing allegations in the courts in the past, and won. In 2012, he sued Indian cricket official and businessman Lalit Modi in a British court, after Modi had tweeted allegations of match-fixing relating to Cairns' stint with the Chandigarh Lions in the short-lived Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Cairns captained the side in 2007 and 2008, playing alongside Vincent in 2008. Modi, who ran the rival Indian Premier League competition, lost his appeal against the court's decision in October 2012, with damages increased to £90,000 ($147,459).

In the latest revelations, Vincent is reported to have told ACSU investigators he fixed in at least 12 games around the world, beginning with his time with the Chandigarh Lions. He then reportedly continued to fix in the English county competition, and the Twenty20 Champions League, using tactics such as changing the color of his bat handle to show that a fix was occurring.