SACKED South African cricket skipper Hansie Cronje on Tuesday apologised for taking money from a bookmaker but denied he fixed matches in India. There also appears to be some confusion as to whether Cronje in fact received any money, as his statement in Cape Town contradicts one made by UCB chief Ali Bacher in Durban, which revealed that Cronje had received “between $10000 and $15000” during a triangular one-day series against Zimbabwe and England in South Africa. In a statement read by Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour at a press conference in Cape Town, Cronje, who was present but silent, acknowledged that he had conversations with bookmakers during and before a tour to India but took no money there. “I mentioned names of players, but in fact I never spoke to a single player about throwing a match. I never received any financial rewards,” the statement said. “Allegations of match-fixing by myself are devoid of all truth.” Cronje has been dropped as captain for the upcoming series with Australia. Cronje and team mates Nicky Boje, Herschelle Gibbs and Pieter Strydom were charged by Indian police on Friday with “cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy related to match-fixing and betting.” South Africa lost 3-2 to India last month in the one-day series under suspicion.