Tags:
Journalism of Courage
DURBAN, APRIL 11: The worst kept secret of world cricket is finally out. In a dramatic turn to the match-fixing controversy, South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje was today suspended for the one-day series with Australia which begins Wednesday after he admitted to the United Cricket Board of South Africa UCB chief Ali Bacher that he had received between 10,000 and 15,000 during a triangular series in South Africa in January and February.
But he continued to deny taking part in any match-fixing in India, Bacher told a press conference here. He had been given the amount for 8220;providing information and forecast but not match-fixing,8221; Bacher said.
But minutes after Bacher addressed the Press, Cronje issued a statement through Balfour in Cape Town saying 8220;I never received any financial rewards,8221; causing confusion.
Bacher, who said Cronje had not deposited the money in a bank, admitted that his contract with the UCB had been suspended and that he would not receive a salary at the end of April.
Balfour, however, speaking alongside a downcast Cronje at Cape Town8217;s Park Hospital, where the minister was undergoing tests, said Cronje had confirmed that he 8220;played along with the contact a South African and lied to him about trying to influence matches8221;.
Cronje8217;s version, relayed through Balfour, was: 8220;Earlier this year I was contacted by a South African during the series with England and Zimbabwe which was about three weeks before the tour to India. While I was in India I was again contacted.
8220;I mentioned names of players, but in fact I never spoke to a single player about throwing a match. I never received any financial rewards8230;I wish to emphasise that the allegations of match-fixing by myself are devoid of all truth.8221;
Cronje 8212; who Balfour said was feeling 8220;very, very down, feeling remorse8221; 8212; did not answer any questions on the minister8217;s advice.
Vice-captain Shaun Pollock was named to replace Cronje as skipper for the series against Australia.
Cronje added that Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom were innocent of any wrongdoing, Bacher said. So, Gibbs and Boje were included in the squad due to play Australia in the one-day match in Durban on Wednesday.
Earlier, Cronje had arrived in Cape Town with his priest, Pastor Ray McCauley, leader of the charismatic Rhemer Church, after making a 8220;full confession8221; to him on the match-fixing allegations. A spokesman for the Church said Pastor McCauley had flown from Durban to Cape Town with Cronje.
Meanwhile, South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad was holding talks with Balfour in Cape Town. Earlier, Cronje was expected to directly go to Pretoria to meet Pahad after admitting to Bacher and board president Percy Sonn that he had not been 8220;entirely honest8221; about his denials in the match-fixing scandal.
The South African team is understood to have been shaken by the developments with new skipper Pollock saying they would have to re-focus on the match tomorrow. 8220;We have to do a job,8221; he said. 8220;We are all shocked but what can we do? We have to go out there and play the game to the best of our ability. We hope the people will be behind us,8221; he said.
8220;The South African media now have spit on their faces,8221; said a Durban journalist Gary Govindsamy, reacting to the media8217;s rejection of the allegations made by Delhi Police earlier.
8220;When it is the white man, the media will go out of its way to protect the person. Now they have to eat humble pie,8221; the journalist said.
