INDIA SOUTH AFRICA MATCH

FIXING SCANDAL 2000

 History of Scam
In 1996, he was introduced to Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta – known as 'John' – by Mohammad
Azharuddin (the former India captain who was banned for life by his board in 2000). It was the start of a
long and lucrative relationship – Cronje received bribes totaling about £65,000.
During a Test in Kanpur in 1996, Gupta asked Cronje to persuade his team to throw the match. Cronje
says he spoke to no one and "received money for doing nothing".
In the infamous Centurion Test against England in 2000, he received £5,000 and a leather jacket for
contriving a win for Nasser Hussain's tourists when a weather-affected draw looked certain.
Later that year, in India, he asked Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener to throw a Test.
They thought he was joking, and refused.
He then asked Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams to under-perform in a one-day international at
Nagpur. Gibbs was told to score fewer than 20, while Williams agreed to concede more than 50. Even
though they were not paid after Gibbs hit 74 and Williams bowled 1.5 overs due to injury, they received
six-month bans.
After New Delhi police unearthed the scandal, Cronje lost the captaincy. He confessed at the King
Commission in 2000, and died in a plane crash in 2002.
 ABOUT THE SCAM

April 7, 2000 Delhi police charge Hansie Cronje with fixing South Africa's ODIs
against India in March for money. They also release transcripts of an alleged
conversation between Cronje and an Indian businessman, suggested to be a bookie,
Sanjay Chawla. The conversation is about who is playing and who is not, who is in on
the "deal", the amount alleged to be paid to Cronje and his team-mates Herschelle
Gibbs, Pieter Strydom and Nicky Boje. Cronje denies any involvement in the matter,
and the South African board, former players and media rally behind him.

Cronje's denial

April 9, 2000 South Africa's captain continues to stand his ground, saying at a press
conference: "I want to make it 100% clear that I deny ever receiving any sum of
money during the one-day international series in India. I want to also make it
absolutely clear I have never spoken to any member of the team about throwing a
game."
Cronje confesses

April 11, 2000 The South African board sacks Cronje after he calls the board's
managing director, Ali Bacher, at 3am and admits he "had been dishonest" over his
activities in India. Cronje acknowledges receiving $10,000 to 15,000 for "providing
information and forecast but not match-fixing" during the one-day series in India.

Dodgy Test investigated

April 12, 2000 The South African board says the controversial fifth Test between
South Africa and England in Centurion in January, during which both sides forfeited
an innings at Cronje's suggestion, will be investigated as part of the inquiry into
match-fixing allegations.
 Indian government steps in

April 28, 2000 The Indian government orders the Central Bureau of Investigation to
probe the match-fixing allegations and to find out whether any Indian cricketer or
official was involved.

The King Commission enquiry

June 7, 2000 Former South African cricketer Pat Symcox testifies before the King
Commission, which is inquiring into the Cronje scandal, that he had been approached
by Cronje about "throwing" a match against Pakistan during the 1994-95 season. He
also confirms that during a team meeting in Mumbai in 1996, Cronje had conveyed an
offer of $250,000 dollars to lose a one-dayer.

A damning confession

June 8, 2000 Herschelle Gibbs effectively seals Cronje's fate, confessing he had
accepted an offer from his former captain to make less than 20 runs in a one-day
match in India earlier in the year in exchange for $15,000.

More South Africans testify

June 9, 2000 Nicky Boje, one of those named in the match-fixing case by the Delhi
police, tells the King Commission he was shocked to hear his name linked to the
scandal and said Cronje had never approached him with an offer to play badly. Seam
bowler Henry Williams testifies that he had been offered $15,000 by Cronje to bowl
expensively in a one-day international in India earlier in the year. Pieter Strydom
reveals that he had been offered money by Cronje before the first Test against India in
Mumbai in February.
 Cronje offered immunity

June 10, 2000 after three days of damaging revelations during the King Commission
hearings; Cronje is offered immunity from criminal prosecution in South Africa if he
makes a full disclosure about his role in match-fixing.

Kallis' testimony

June 13, 2000 Jacques Kallis corroborates evidence by Mark Boucher and Lance
Klusener that Cronje had made an offer to the three players in a hotel room before the
second Test against India in Bangalore in March 2000.

Cronje accuses Azhar

June 15, 2000 Cronje confesses to taking about $100,000 in bribes from gamblers
since 1996, but he claims that he had never thrown or fixed a match. He also
announces his retirement from cricket. Cronje tells the King Commission that former
India captain Mohammad Azharuddin had introduced him to a bookie who offered
him money to throw a 1996 Test match during South Africa's tour of India.
Azharuddin calls the allegation "rubbish".
Cronje breaks down

June 23, 2000 Cronje is led away in tears after his three-day cross examination by the
King Commission ends in Cape Town. He gives evidence clearly and admits that he
accepted money from bookmakers and says his "great passion of the game and for my
team-mates'' was matched by "an unfortunate love of money".

Paul Condon heads ICC investigation

June 26, 2000 Cronje begs forgiveness for his involvement in illicit gambling deals
after the first round of hearings of the King Commission closes.
A former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Condon, is appointed
director of the ICC's anti-corruption investigation.

Two South African players banned

August 28, 2000 The UCBSA bans Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams from
international cricket until December 31, 2000, for their role in the match-fixing
scandal. Pieter Strydom is acquitted of conspiring to bet on the outcome of the
Centurion Test against England in January.

Life ban for Cronje

October 11, 2000 The UCBSA imposes a life ban on Cronje. The ban, which was
widely expected, extends to all the UCBSA's related cricket activities as well as that of
its affiliates.
Cronje dies

June 1, 2002 Cronje dies aged 32 when the light cargo plane in which he was
travelling in crashed into mountains near the coastal town of George in bad weather.
Four years later, an inquest into his death reveals that the crash was caused due to pilot
negligence.

Boje skips India tour

November 3, 2004 Nicky Boje pulls out of a two-Test tour of India after being told he
might be detained by Indian police over their match-fixing investigations.

Gibbs questioned

October 12, 2006 The Delhi police question Herschelle Gibbs for over two hours
about the South Africa tour of India in 2000. Gibbs allegedly names Derek Crookes,
the former South Africa spinner, as being involved in match-fixing. Crookes denies
the allegation, saying he was cleared by the King Commission.

Crookes declares innocence

October 13, 2006 Derek Crookes expresses shock at being linked to the fixing
allegations after being cleared by the King Commission. Offers to cooperate with the
Delhi police.

Boje questioned by Delhi police

December 11, 2007 Nicky Boje, playing in India (for the Indian Cricket League) for
the first time since 2000, is questioned by Delhi police. He denies any role in match-
fixing.
Cronje barred from Hall of Fame
March 17, 2008 Cronje will not be posthumously inducted into South Africa's
Sports Hall of Fame.
Cronje named in charge sheet

July 22, 2013 more than 13 years after the scandal broke, Cronje is the only cricketer
named in the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police relating to the match-fixing case of
2000. The charge sheet includes several bookies.
 WHERE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE FAILED

 Unethical practise by players of South Africa team.

 Breach of trust of cricket fans
 Against the rules of BCCI and ICC
 Gone against the law
 People will now be always suspicious of the originality of the game
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 http://www.espncricinfo.com
 https://www.telegraph.co.uk