South Africa’s steady and sometimes spectacular development as a cricketing nation has been admirable, but the legacy of disgraced captain Hansie Cronje, still casts a shadow.

The last six months have not been cricket. Well, they have been cricket—but not as a gentleman would like to witness it. In November 2011 a trio of hopelessly misguided Pakistani cricketers were packed off to the clink after London’s Southwark Crown court found them guilty of ‘spot-fixing’.

Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir—whose guilt had been written across their conspicuously sheepish faces ever since they sent the game spiralling into the mire, during a test match against England at Lords in 2010—will wonder why they, literally, threw everything away.

t had already been a disastrous tour for the visitors when the two fast bowlers, Amir and Asif—urged on by their captain, Butt—proceeded to bowl no-balls of such mind-boggling obviousness, it was almost laughable.

As the game reeled from this embarrassment another young bowler from Essex, Mervyn Westfield, was in the dock after inexplicably giving into the whims of an Asian betting syndicate. Another life ruined.

What makes these cases especially inexplicable, is how the players in question—even within the often baffling nuances of cricket—are so blatent. In the final analysis, these cases were not difficult to prove. During the passage of play in which the players cheat when, one presumes, a certain amount of subtly is required these talented sportmen go from devastatingly accurate professionals to elderly clergyman heaving their ancient limbs across the village green.
It’s all so depressing familiar to cricket fans. We’ve been here before and, as history will witness, these things always, always end badly.

In the beginning

While South African rugby’s Springbok-guided missile has blazed a euphoric trail and often dominant rise since throwing away the shackles of apartheid, the country’s cricketers have swayed between awe-inspiring brilliance and inexplicable stupidity.

Back in 1994 a young, smart and raven-headed batsmen emerged from the ruins of South African cricket to lead his team into a brave new era in which they would, once again, be permitted to perform on the international stage, pitting their wits against the best test cricket teams in the world (and England).

Inspirational, well-educated and mature beyond his years Hansie Cronje was the perfect poster-boy for this brave new generation of South African cricket. Indeed, in 1994 it was impossible—preposterous even to consider—that only a few years later he would be throwing matches in exchange for as little as an item of clothing.

Hansie solo

Seventeen years ago, when South Africa tentatively took their first steps back onto the international stage Hansie was there to guide them—and what a shining fluorescent torch he was too. The English crowd, in front of whom South Africa would play their first comeback test, are ever-respectful of a talented overseas visitor and, in Hansie, they saw a player who, over a balmy summer they could warm to, even if his sweater did have a green trim.

They had applauded many a conqueror of their team before (god knows, there’s been a few), but this time each individual clap contained just that little more resonance. Hansie was a fine cricketer, but that was not the only reason for the extra frisson in the English ovation. It was also a recognition that here was cavalier, not only leading a test XI, but also the hopes—even the future prosperity—of an entire nation. It was one of the biggest responsibilities in the history of sport and yet Cronje carried it with charm, grace and dignity.

“Hansie was thoroughly professional, kind, firm, generous, hard-working and his team would have walked up Table Mountain for him,” said his former international manager Bob Woolmer (who also died in the midst of a gambling conspiracy).

“The England fans had applauded many a conqueror of their team before, but for Hansie each individual clap contained just that little more resonance”

The crash

Yet, behind the charm Cronje was slipping into the murky world of gambling—spread betting to be more precise. We may never know how many times he accepted bribes in exchange for deliberately changing the course of a game or throwing matches, but the most notable occasions were against India in 1996 and England in 1999.

From supplying team selection details, he started to meddle with the outcome of ‘events’ within games and, as he became increasingly submissive to the syndicates the once-proud captain started to manipulate players with in the team. These included Herschelle Gibbs*, Henry Williams, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom.

*Hansie, if you’re listening, please don’t waste too much time feeling guilty about leading Herschelle Gibbs astray, he is quite capable of being an idiot without your help.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the Cronje affair was his compliance with the requirements of his gambling associates. Although the financial rewards were often extravagant, equally there were times when his fee would be as little as a leather jacket—and a woman’s leather jacket at that.

After an emotional confession, the drama unfolded in a courtroom and a broken Cronje had to be helped out of the dock by his brother, captured by the world’s cameras. The tragedy was made complete when Cronje died in a plane crash in 2002. Not even the sight of that wreckage—not just the plane, but the man—has been enough to persuade players that their fortune lies, not in corruption, but in honest sportsmanship.

Although, exposure can change attitudes, it cannot rid the world completely of fraudulent activity in even the most sacred past times. We have to accept that what we are witnessing is an incurable curiosity that inhabits the darkest aspects of the human condition.

Cronje was unquestionably greedy; clearly in the grip of an inveterate and curious addiction, which went way beyond financial recompense. He was a national hero and an inspiration to millions and yet it was the chance—the thrill if you will—of gambling with his own reputation and legacy that appeared so oddly and devastatingly irresistible.

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