STILL SAINTLY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS David Wilson on the Questionable Charms of Hansie Cronje

DAVID WILSON THE NIGHTWATCHMAN STILL SAINTLY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS David Wilson on the questionable charms of Hansie Cronje Equipped with a theatrical streak, 7 April 2000, in a bombshell move, Hansie Cronje could recite reams of Delhi police charged Cronje with Hamlet by heart and seemed to embody fixing the results of South Africa’s the Hamlet line that reads: “One may one-day internationals against India smile, and smile, and be a villain.” the previous month. On 11 April, he was sacked as captain and promptly Twenty years ago, the last time deserted by his sponsors. He had the World Cup was held in the UK, tarnished his country and the game. Cronje committed his first striking transgression when he donned an “The damage done to South African earpiece to hear tips from coach sport is already immense, and the Bob Woolmer during his side’s match serious inquiry into the sordid against India, in leafy Hove of all places. details has not even begun. Many South Africans will have woken up Only one month later, just before the this morning feeling an intensely epic 1999 World Cup semi-final against personal hurt,” wrote Mike Selvey in Australia, Cronje was unabashed by the Guardian. Circling back, Selvey the incident, according to an Electronic said that across South Africa, banners Telegraph report. What’s more, he said professing love for Hansie would he was glad all-rounder Lance Klusener be unfurled. had got his first batting failure out the way – a generous remark, as the In a June 2000 Observer article, earpiece incident sank of the radar. analysts John Arlidge and David Shapshak took a similar angle. On But two decades on, it is clear the the one hand, they framed Cronje as episode presaged his downfall. On greedy and calculating. On the other, THENIGHTWATCHMAN.NET 50 DAVID WILSON THE NIGHTWATCHMAN they forecast that his legend would this day, because to acknowledge his A high-achiever from the get-go, Cronje “God”, at least to South African kids. last – even strengthen. wrongs for what they are would be to served as head boy and the captain of Marketer Jadon Ortlepp was struck admit that whites are as capable of his school’s cricket and rugby teams. He by Cronje’s good side when he met “Whatever the truth behind the corruption as blacks. represented that former independent him in the mid-1990s at Newlands downfall of an Afrikaner legend, he Boer sovereign republic, Orange Free training ground in Cape Town, after is, in the eyes of much of the South “And that doesn’t sit well with people State Province, in cricket and rugby at winning a school contest to train with African public, a hero,” they wrote. who want to blame all of South schools level. He earned a Bachelor of the South African team for the day. “The more he is flogged, the more he Africa’s current problems on ANC Commerce degree from the University Cronje taught Ortlepp and his fellow is loved.” [African National Congress] misrule. of the Free State. ten- and 11-year-olds how to field. Apartheid? What could that possibly Nelson Mandela gave Cronje a thwack, have to do with anything?” In January 1988, aged 18, he made his “I remember distinctly him saying not saying he had made a serious mistake. first-class debut for Orange Free State to worry if the ball bounced and hit Yet, as Selvey, Arlidge and Shapshak Christopher Shen, an organisational against Transvaal at Johannesburg. our body, as we would be taking a hit sensed at the time, the crook remains psychologist and leadership expert, The following season, he was a regular, for our country,” Ortlepp told Wisden. widely loved in South Africa and Asia explains Cronje’s enduring appeal in gracing all eight Currie Cup matches “I very much enjoyed meeting him, long after his death in a plane crash in terms of hero worship tinged with a and part of the Benson and Hedges and he was a good teacher and very 2002 at the age of 32. desperate wish to see someone beat Series winning team, scoring 73 as an pleasant and charismatic.” the system. opener in the final. At 21 he was awarded How is this so? It seems indefensible that the captaincy of Orange Free State. Cronje had a great reputation. Cronje sold out for 30 pieces of silver. “When people do not feel a great Outwardly honest and humble, he sense of control over their lives, they In 1991–92, his second year helming gave everything and came across as a “Cronje needs to be drawn in context,” like to relinquish their control to more the young Free State, his side finished top-notch, inspirational captain able to South African cricket writer Telford powerful individuals or entities, such runners-up in the Castle Bowl and won bring out the best in his players. Plus, Vice tells the Nightwatchman. as the government, God, or leaders.” the limited-overs Nissan Shield. Castle he was a spectacular hitter. During Cup and one-day doubles followed the first one-day international against He explains that a few years before In South Africa, those who do not trust in the next two seasons. Later years Australia in Johannesburg in 1994, Cronje’s fall, white South Africans the government may relinquish control brought more one-day trophies – Cronje thumped Shane Warne all over – and Afrikaners like Cronje in to sports leaders, come what may. seven titles in five seasons. the ground. particular – had seen their place in the “They almost prefer a leader who is world dissolve in South Africa’s first attempting to manipulate the system,” He went on to play 68 Tests and score During the Hyderabad Titan Cup democratic elections. says Shen. 3,714 runs at 36.41, also taking 43 in 1996 Cronje called back Sourav wickets at 29.95 with his right-arm Ganguly after a collision which “They couldn’t countenance that • • • medium-pace bowling that bewitched caused his run-out. But his downfall reality,” Vice continues, adding that Sachin Tendulkar. began that very same year, when he when you refuse to accept your The product of a privileged met the Indian bookmaker Mukesh country is now shared and run by the background, Wessel Jahannes Cronje In the early 1990s Cronje experienced Gupta. The meeting kick-started a people you brutally subjugated and was born on 25 September 1969. His a trauma: a fatal collision with a little lasting, bountiful dialogue, with Cronje considered beneath you, overlooking well-to-do family, which came from girl who dashed in front of his car as obtaining bribes amounting to about a mere cricketer’s corruption and Afrikaner stock, was godly and sporty. he headed to Empangeni in Zululand £65,000. At the end of the third day’s keeping him on his pedestal is easy. Hansie’s father, Ewie, served as an for a provincial game. He became play of the Kanpur Test in December of-spinning all-rounder for Orange a born-again Christian and would 1996, Gupta asked Cronje to convince “Indeed, some people seem to think, Free State Province in the 1960s. remain so, even using Satan to excuse his team to throw the match for bizarrely, that the taking down of Hansie was educated at a top-tier his later wickedness. $30,000 in cash. Cronje claimed he Cronje as a cultural icon was part boy’s school that would later pardon spoke to no one and received money of the plan to blacken whiteness. his wrongdoing – Grey College, in his According to South Africa pace for doing nothing, simply because his Cronje remains a hero to many to native Bloemfontein. bowler Dale Steyn, Cronje was side happened to lose the match. THENIGHTWATCHMAN.NET ISSUE 28 i WINTER 2019 52 53 DAVID WILSON THE NIGHTWATCHMAN However, as was later proven, Cronje “In a moment of stupidity and at Bell Equipment, Bokkie Kotze, At his funeral, Cronje was framed as did receive something for his part in weakness I allowed Satan and the remembered him fondly, citing his a fine athlete and a generous, loving the notorious Centurion Test against world to dictate terms to me. The sparkle. Kotze also recalled fielding man with deep religious convictions. England in January 2000, specifically moment I took my eyes of Jesus, my up to ten calls a day from citizens £5,000 and a leather jacket for rigging whole world turned dark,” he said in a praising his company for giving Cronje “For the past two years I wanted to tell a win for Nasser Hussain’s struggling seven-page statement faxed to team a second chance. the world. I wanted to shout it out. I tourists when a weather-hit draw chaplain Ray McCauley, who then wanted to explain to people that even looked assured. gave Cronje spiritual counselling many Cronje’s image would have been though Hansie made a mistake he was times every day and defended him. burnished by his reported willingness still the same Hansie: a kind and loving At the time, Cronje’s willingness to to drive for hours to coach in black husband, a genuine friend and an engineer a result appeared to be a “We are all capable of falling from townships. What’s more, it is said that honourable man,” said his wife, Bertha sporting gesture. “Our fans loved it and grace,” McCauley said. “However, he received no money for this work. Cronje, choking back tears. “Over the everyone was right behind Hansie,” the Bible teaches that once we seek last couple of days I have come to the Hussain recalled.

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