TELFORD VICE, Durban | Wednesday 1.30pm
SOUTH Africans tried to put the fall from grace of national cricket captain Hansie Cronje behind them on Wednesday as they looked forward to the first match of the one-day series against Australia.
“We’ve got a full house and beautiful weather and I think we’re going to have a great game,” said Cassim Docrat, chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal Cricket Union.
But Docrat conceded he was crushed by Cronje’s admission on Tuesday that he had accepted $10000-$15000 from a local South African and an Indian bookmaker based in London, during the triangular home series with Zimbabwe and England in January.
The Indian bookmaker based in London who was named in connection with the scandal on Wednesday denied any involvement.
Sanjeev Chalwa, 32, denied through his lawyer that he had ever met or spoken to Cronje.
South Africa’s newspapers reflected a national sense of betrayal on Wednesday and were peppered with headlines like “Shame,” “Oh, Hansie” and “Hansie stumped.”
Ali Bacher, managing director for the United Cricket Board of South Africa, reflected the country’s angst.
“He deceived me personally and the UCB and the government and people of South Africa. He deceived us all,” he said.
“Until recently he has been an extraordinary ambassador for this country, a role model, but here he has erred and he has erred grievously,” Bacher told national radio.
Indian police charged Cronje and team mates Nicky Boye, Herschelle Gibbs and Pieter Strydom last week with “cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy” during a one-day series in India last month. Cronje has denied involvement in match-fixing.
Shaun Pollock, who has replaced Cronje as captain, has said Gibbs and Boje, who are still in the squad for the series against Australia were obviously affected by the scandal.
Bacher said all of the other players had denied any involvement in match-fixing.
“I believe that to be the case, but we have been let down on this once and I hope to God we are not let down a second time,” said Bacher.
South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said that the government would not extradite Cronje on charges of match-fixing and bribery until the completion of a full investigation by an independent commission of inquiry.
“Foreign Affairs cannot say that if a trial takes place then we’ll extradite him,” Pahad said on Wednesday.
“Until a judicial inquiry carries out an investigation we’ll be left in doubt about the truth and only then can we seriously consider what to do.”
South Africa does not have an extradition treaty with India, but has said it will cooperate with the Indian investigation, although it wants to listen to the alleged taped conversation between Cronje and a bookmaker.
“We’ll continue to talk to the Indians as our relationship with them is very good,” Pahad said, adding he had asked India to work closely with the South African government.