Cronje, Wessel Johannes

▪ 2003

“Hansie” 

      South African cricketer (b. Sept. 25, 1969, Bloemfontein, S.Af.—d. June 1, 2002, Outeniqua Mountains, near George, S.Af.), was his country's most successful cricket captain and a national icon, admired by his players, respected by opponents, and idolized by South African fans, but his professional career was ultimately overshadowed—and his reputation destroyed—by a bookmaking scandal in 2000. Cronje made his first-class debut for Orange Free State in 1987–88 and played his maiden Test match in 1991–92 against India. He became the official captain of South Africa's national side in 1994–95 and led his country to an impressive record of 27 wins, 15 draws, and only 11 losses in 53 Test matches, as well as 99 victories in 138 one-day internationals. As a player, Cronje scored 12,103 first-class runs (average 43.69) and 32 hundreds, including 3,714 runs (average 36.41) and six hundreds in 68 Tests, and took 116 first-class wickets (average 34.43), including 43 Test wickets (average 29.95), as a medium-pace bowler. In April 2000, police in India released the transcript of a telephone conversation between Cronje and an Indian bookmaker under investigation for match fixing. Cronje initially denied any involvement, but in June, after negotiating a deal to avoid prosecution, he testified that he had accepted at least $130,000 in bribes from bookmakers over a four-year period and that he had approached at least two other players about underperforming in a match against India. He consistently denied that he had thrown any matches. In October 2000 the United Cricket Board of South Africa banned him from the sport for life; he lost his appeal in late 2001. Cronje was killed when the small cargo plane in which he was traveling crashed in the mountains.

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