OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 8.50am
CRICKET chief Ali Bacher said on Wednesday Hansie Cronje’s involvement in the match-fixing controversy was part of a more serious global problem.
The day after Cronje was sacked as South Africa’s captain for taking between $10000 and $15000 from a bookmaker for information and forecasting on one-day matches, Bacher told public radio the scandal was not limited to his country or Cronje.
”The South African captain has been caught out, sadly and tragically for himself, his family and his country, but there is a broader issue,” said Bacher, who is managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA).
Cronje apologised in a statement on Tuesday for his involvement with bookmakers, but said: ”I have never thrown a match and I never will.”
Bacher said South African players earned well and did not need to supplement their salaries, adding that a top player would earn R750000 to R900000 ($114000 to $150000) a year from the cricket authority alone.
He said every member of the national team had been asked on Tuesday to declare that he was not involved in match-fixing or gambling on matches.
”I don’t think it’s money. The problem seems to arise, emerge in the (Indian) sub-continent… that’s where the origin is by all accounts. That’s where gambling takes place on cricket matches. It’s a huge industry,” Bacher said.
”The information that I get is that millions of dollars change hands on a single match. That is the origin. It’s also become evident that down the years match-fixing has taken place.
”It’s almost a global issue this…We will deal with it in South Africa, but I have no doubt that it’s been an issue that has taken place for a long period of time in the (Indian) sub-continent and it would appear that the authorities for whatever reason have not been able to cope with this particular problem.” — Reuters