Cricket-Cairns cleared by UK court after perjury trial "Hell"

LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns was cleared by a London court on Monday of perjury and perverting the course of justice relating to a libel case three years ago. Cairns was accused of falsely claiming he had never cheated at cricket during a libel action he brought against Lalit Modi, the former boss of the Indian Premier League. The British court ruled in Cairns' favour and ordered Modi to pay damages. Cairns, who played 62 test matches and more than 200 one-day internationals, was charged last September by British police. But he was acquitted of the offences by a jury at Southwark Crown Court. "It's been Hell for the last five or so years, and in particular the last couple of years," he said outside court. "I think I've been through the mill and come out the other side and (I'm) just a very happy man." (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)