Late City Edition Thursday 19th January, 2012 “I am not addicted to alcohol or nicotine, but I have an unfortunate love for money” – Hansie Cronje A visit to Hansie Cronje’s resting place REX CLEMENTINE reporting from Bloemfontein Bloemfontein is the home town of once one of South Africa’s favourite cricket sons– Hansie Cronje. Born to an upper middle class family that adhered to strong Christian values, Cronje was educated at the prestigious Grey College, the leading education institute in South Africa where he captained in both rugby and cricket and was the Head Prefect. After being banned for life for match fixing, Cronje began a life outside crick- et with a company called Bell Equipment, who specialized in earth- moving machinery, as a financial manag- er. On a business trip, his scheduled Cronje went onto to tell the commission that his ‘greed, stupidi- ty and the lure for easy Different views of Hansie Cronje’s grave. money’ had destroyed and has produced of his captaincy. His next overseas the Head Prefect at School and he was a him. He also said, ‘I countless number assignment was to be South Africa’s tour good link between the staff and the of rugby players of Sri Lanka. boys,” Mr. Volsteedt recalled. was arrogant enough to have played for Later he made some stunning revela- “At school, Hansie once told me, ‘if I to think I would get South Africa. In tions to the government appointed King ever play at Lord’s, I am going to invite the recent Rugby Commission. In his confession to the you.’ When South Africa toured England away with it’. A born- World Cup in New committee, Cronje said, “I have an unfor- for the first time in 30 years after read- again Christian who Zealand, five play- tunate love for money… I am not addict- mission he in fact invited me to see the ers were from ed to alcohol or nicotine, but I believe Test Match. It was a great feeling. wore a bracelet with Grey College this is very similar to an alcohol prob- Kepler, whom I had coached from the age the initials WWJD - (Jannie du Plussis, lem.” of five, scored a hundred and we won the Bismark du It was revealed that Cronje had paid game.” What Would Jesus Do? Plessis, Francois US$ 15,000 each to Herschel Gibbs and “When I first heard about the match had accepted his Steyn, Ruan Hansie Cronje Henry Williams to underperform. While fixing thing, I couldn’t believe it. He was Pienaar and Gibbs was to score less than 20 runs in such a competitor and I would die con- wrongdoing, but sever- Heinrich Brussow) while when the world of betting mafia by Mohammad an ODI, Williams was to concede more vinced that he never fixed the result of a al others went scot- Springbocks won the World Cup in 2007 Azharrudin. Later during a series in than 50 runs in the same match. Later it match. There would have been things there were five players from the school. India, the Indian police on a phone tap- transpired that although he had only like providing information and other free and today are At the age of 24, Cronje had become ping operation accidently heard the paid US$ 15,000 each to the two players, stuff, but I am convinced that he would heavily involved with the second youngest man to lead South South African captain speaking to he had claimed US$ 50,000 from the book- have never fixed a game. Africa after Murray Bisset (1898). While Indian bookie Sanjeev Chawla to fix cer- ie to pay the two. Thousands of mourners filled the the game in various Mark Taylor never won in India and for tain elements of the game. He went onto to tell the commission Grey College Chapel for Cronje’s funeral capacities such as Steve Waugh India remained ‘the final He categorically denied charges lev- that his “greed, stupidity and the lure while thousands waited outside. The frontier’ that he could never conquer, eled by Indian police and such was his for easy money” had destroyed him. He funeral was telecast live on national tele- coaches, commenta- Cronje marshaled his troops to a series standing as a player, captain and sport- also said, “I was arrogant enough to vision. tors and administra- win in India. Of his 68 Tests for South ing ambassador of post-apartheid South think I would get away with it”. A born- At the funeral, Shaun Pollock, Africa 53 were as captain and he had a Africa only a few doubted him. again Christian who wore a bracelet Cronje’s successor as South Africa cap- tors.’ brighter future ahead of him in the Television presenter Brian Thomas, who with the initials WWJD - What Would tain, spoke of his predecessor’s love for sport before he threw it all away. had interviewed Hansie on a few occa- Jesus Do? had accepted his wrongdoing, jokes. He recalled being told to field next The Sri Lankan fans would remem- sions during his tours to Sri Lanka, but several others went scot-free and to a certain sponsor’s advertisement, flight was grounded due to a storm and ber Cronje for his scant respect in play- called the allegations, ‘wild imaginations today are heavily involved with the game only to discover the sponsor had boards like in his playing days he took a gamble ing Muttiah Muralitharan. Once in a of Indian police’ during his weekly tele- in various capacities as coaches, com- scattered all round the ground. by asking the pilot of a cargo plane for a Test Match at Centurion he reached the vision show. He also added, ‘the Hansie I mentators and administrators. Officials of Cricket South Africa, ride. That journey proved to be fateful as third fastest half-century in Tests by know is a God fearing man and would do Mr. J.A. Volsteedt was Cronje’s and who had been critical of Cronje’s betray- the flight crashed on the Cradock peak smashing Muralitharan for 4,6,6,6 in suc- no such thing.’ Keppler Wessels’ first cricket coach an al, had been told that they would not be killing all three on board. Cronje was 32. cessive balls. Cronje also had extended The boss of Cricket South Africa Dr. currently is the Principal of Grey welcome at the funeral. But Cronje’s His resting place is his old school, an invitation for Muralitharan to play a Ali Bacher had backed Cronje’s ‘unques- College, a position he has held for 20 wife said he would not have agreed with Grey College and tourists visit the place season of Currie Cup (South Africa’s tionable integrity’. years now. such a thing. The divisions were forgot- daily. domestic tournament) for his provincial But four days later Cronje phoned Dr. He spoke to The Island on Hansie ten as South Africa, a nation rebuilding Grey College, an exclusive boarding team; Orange Free State. Bacher at 3 in the morning to confess his Cronje. “Hansie was a wonderful student on forgiveness and reconciliation, school, has a history of over 150 years Cronje was introduced to the ugly involvement. Soon Cronje was stripped and a wonderful leader of men. He was mourned a true leader of men. I am not quitting – Dilshan Colombo Dist. match media conference whether he has through nine innings with a top score of 31 bitterly disappointed with the way the series Kabaddi C’ship REX CLEMENTINE thought about stepping down from captaincy. while Kumar Sangakkara, who scored a has gone,” Dilshan added. reporting from Bloemfontein “Not really.I have to finish this series first. I match winning hundred in Durban, has not “I didn’t see the rain coming. It came out on Feb. 11 As Sri Lanka suffered their eighth succes- have been appointed up to this series and it’s been able to produce the high scores that he of blues and as soon as it started drizzling I up to the selectors to decide. I am comfort- usually does. Between the two of Angelo brought on Lasith to take a wicket, but we The Colombo District sive series loss (four in Tests and four in Kabaddi Championship, held ODIs) under Tillekeratne Dilshan, questions able with leading the side,” he told journal- Mathews and T.M. Dilshan they have man- had to abandon the game after just one under the supervision of the were asked about his future as Sri Lanka’s ists after Sri Lanka lost by four runs to con- aged two half-centuries on tour. more over.” Colombo District Kabaddi captain. Taking over from Kumar cede a 3-0 series lead. Jayawardene has gone through an “We are doing everything that we could. Sangakkara after the ICC Cricket World Cup “No one went onto get a big score. After extended barren period having failed to But nothing seems to be going right for us. Association, will be held on in April, Dilshan has led the team to Test 30s and 40s everyone got out. Someone score a half-century in Sri Lanka’s last three But given the way we lost the first game, we Feb. 11. and ODI series losses against England, should bat until the 45th over,” Dilshan said away Test tours. In fact he has not scored a have done quite well in East London and The tournament is organ- Australia, Pakistan and now South Africa. explaining why Sri Lanka had lost the 50 in his last 22 innings away from home.