/ 10 June 2000

‘HANSIE NEVER APPROACHED ME’ — BOJE

PROTEAS offspinner Nicky Boje says he has “no idea” why he is mentioned in the tapes in possession of New Delhi police — which upon their release in April triggered off one of cricket’s worst match-fixing scandals. Boje told the King Commission probing alleged match-fixing in cricket on Friday that disgraced former Proteas skipper Hansie Cronje has never approached him with offers of cash in return for throwing a match. Boje said that he could not say why his name is mentioned on the tapes. “The only person that can say anything about it is Hansie himself,” Boje explained. The Commission heard, however, that Cronje called Boje last week to find out if he had travelled to Cape Town for the hearings. In the wake of the scandal Boje insisted that he was shocked about the allegations “I thought it was a joke…then saw it was a serious thing. I was shocked and very surprised.” Boje said Cronje, whose parents are friendly with the Boje family, remains a very close personal friend. “Everyone’s human and makes mistakes, I’m also a Christian and I forgive him.”