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Journalism of Courage
JOHANNESBURG, AUGUST 10: Judge Edwin King, head of a commission of inquiry into the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal, is expected to recommend suspended life bans for two players who admitted agreeing to help throw matches, according to a report on Thursday.
King is due to deliver an interim report on his findings so far to President Thabo Mbeki on Friday.
Opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs and bowler Henry Williams have told the Commission that Cronje had offered them money to underperform in matches against India this year.
The Johannesburg Star newspaper said on Thursday it is anticipated in cricketing circles that King will recommend a life ban for Gibbs and Williams, but will suggest that this be suspended for the rest of their cricketing careers.
If Gibbs is cleared to play again, he could be back in the South African team as early as next week, when the Proteas are due to play Australia in a One-Day series.
The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) said they will convene a disciplinary hearing soon after the interim report.The UCBSA are expected to take their cue from Judge King’s recommendations when deciding what action to take against Gibbs and Williams, the report said.
The Commission in June conducted 10 days of hearings, spread over more than three weeks, before King retired to compile his interim report. It is due to resume its sittings in October.
Former South African wicketkeeper Dave Richardson, who is also an attorney acting for Gibbs and Williams, has said the two players should be pardoned in the same way that Australian Mark Waugh and Shane Warne had been allowed to continue their cricketing careers.
He said he hoped Judge King would not go more than recommending that the two players receive suspended sentences.
‘‘Then it’s up to the cricket board to rule on the matter. They are determined to stamp out this sort of thing and the fact is Gibbs and Williams were dishonest, so we’re expecting some sort of a firm ruling, but not that which would end their careers,’’ said Richardson.
Meanwhile, a report from Durban says that Gibbs has lost 700,000 rand (approx Rs 45 lakh) in sponsorships and other fees since his withdrawal from the National team, his father Hermann disclosed this in an interview to a Durban-based newspaper.
Gibbs (Sr) said two companies had cancelled a lucrative 12-month sponsorship that would have netted the the 26-year-old cricketer 400,000 rand (approx Rs 27 lakh). Another 300,000 rand (Rs 21 lakh) was to be given as bonuses and fees for public engagements. ‘‘Herschelle has been so agonised that he has been unable to watch Proteas play in Sri Lanka,’’ he said.
