The Hindu : They still miss Hansie Cronje

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 10, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

They still miss Hansie Cronje

By Our Special Correspondent

Hansie Cronje, even before his tragic death in an air crash, had a lot of supporters in South Africa despite being caught in cricket's biggest bribery and match-fixing scandal. — Photo: N. Sridharan

BLOEMFONTIEN FEB. 9. They still talk fondly of his contribution to South African cricket. In Hansie Cronje, the team had a great leader, a gutsy batsman, a fantastic mate... until he forgot his role to lead by example.

Spare a thought for Cronje. He was groomed by the cricket administration to lead the country one day, a glowing example of the Development Programme. He was seen as the perfect ambassador to narrow the racial gap in cricket in South Africa. He worked on the lines expected, made a place for himself and then met with disgrace.

His friends were shocked. So was his family. Because Hansie was not the kind to cheat with the game he loved so dearly. Some of his teammates cannot believe even now. But it does not matter really. The man confessed his misdeeds and met with tragic death at 32. Life happened to be fast, and too short for him.

One can recall a smiling Hansie outside the Goodyear Park. We met first in 1992. And met many times later. He grew into a competitive cricketer, never compromising with his job. South Africa grew as a team under his leadership, making great strides as a team known to be consistent in its performance.

So, returning to the Goodyear Park, one could not but remember Hansie, who hailed from this town. A visit to his home was among the highpoints of that visit 10 years ago. But it was so different this time.

Hansie's family has stopped speaking to the media. It keeps to itself even though watching cricket remains a hobby for his parents. As Louise Klopper, who managed Hansie's media commitments, said "it's hard on them after what happened to Hansie. But they watch cricket. They haven't stopped watching cricket but they'll not be speaking to the media during the World Cup.''

Louise did not like to say much beyond "it's sad. It's very sad what happened to him.'' True, as the West Indies captain Carl Hooper said the other day, Hansie was admired by the opponents for his competitive zeal and it was sad that he was not at this World Cup when it was being held in his country. "I've the greatest respect for Hansie,'' Hooper said on the eve of the World Cup. He probably spoke for many others in other teams.

The Goodyear Park here is being decked up for the World Cup. The Newlands in faraway Cape Town is the focus of the cricketing world. In the run up to the World Cup, one came across reports that attempts were made to remember Hansie with the team planning to dedicate the World Cup to their late captain. His friends believe they could still do that with a win in the Cup.

His family misses Hansie. His mates miss him certainly. The Goodyear Park, with many staffers and volunteers, too misses its most famous cricketer. But cricket has forgotten the man who confessed to his sins. Hansie and match-fixing were linked so cruelly. It was so ironic that a man who won many a battle for South Africa succumbed to the evil of match-fixing. Hansie will be remembered for making that confession that sullied the name of the game, not to speak of himself. But then, as they say, he was not the only one. There are many still around. Only they will not confess.

There will be a few moist eyes, when the World Cup is being held in South Africa, in memory of the departed cricketer who mostly played to win and, sometimes, to lose too.

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