King Commission pursuing diplomatic channels to get tapes

DURBAN, JUNE 30. The King Commission, enquiring into match- fixing allegations in South African cricket, is pursuing the matter of obtaining tapes containing the conversation of sacked skipper Hansie Cronje and Indian bookmaker Sanjay Chawla through diplomatic channels to expedite the probe.

The commission's prosecutor, Ms. Sharmila Batohi, said the commission would be greatly assisted in its work if the tapes could be obtained from the New Delhi police. ``We are pursuing the matter through diplomatic channels and hope that we would be able to receive them so that we can complete our work,'' she said.

The King Commission, which was due to deliver its interim report to the South African President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, today, has been given time till August 11. President Mbeki extended the period taking into consideration the volume of work involved in the preparation of report.

Meanwhile newspaper reports said the commission should find out whether Cronje gave away the fifth test to England on a platter this year because he took the bait of a 500,000-rand donation to a charity organisation of his choice. His teammates, the reports said, were against the very friendly winning target of 249 runs in 76 overs set for the English team on a slow batting track.

The commission should also find out whether the Managing Director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), Dr. Ali Bacher, knew about the 1996 team-meeting where the South African cricketers considered a serious offer from a Mumbai bookmaker to fix a match against India.

The reports also questioned the credibility of Hameed Cassim's evidence that he was merely a go-between for Cronje and Chawla.

The commission should also find out whether any other South African cricketer was involved in match-fixing since Cronje had told the Johannesburg bookmaker, Marlon Aronstam, that he had Boje, Strydom and Gibbs in his pocket and would therefore be able to fix matches, the reports suggested.

- PTI

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Section  : International
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