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Change Your Life! |
Former SAF coach fears match-fixing scandal runs deep |
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May 11, 2000 LONDON, MAY 10 (AP) - Former South Africa cricket coach Bob Woolmer says he feels "betrayed" by former captain Hansie Cronje and fears that match-fixing may run deeper in the sport than he had imagined. Woolmer initially defended Cronje when he was accused of match-fixing by Indian police last month. But Woolmer's attitude changed after Cronje admitted receiving money and was dropped as team captain. "The judicial investigation into alleged corruption among South Africa's cricketers, due to start next week, should soon expose the truth, but as the former national coach I am worried that there is a lot more to the Hansie Cronje scanal than meets the eye," Woolmer said Wednesday in a column in the Daily Telegraph. "Having defended Hansie vehemently for the first part of this radidly unwinding scandal, I now feel betrayed, and my suspicions have hardened." Woolmer said the evidence points to "an overwhelming damnation of South Africa's No. 1 son." Woolmer recalled an incident during South Africa's 1996 tour of India, when the players held a team meeting to discuss whether to fix a match. "When I heard the subject, I nearly went mad," he said. "I could not believe they were serious about the possibility of accepting money to influence the one-day international against India. They decided against the idea, but only after some debate." Cronje has admitted that a bookmaker paid him dlrs 8,200 for information on an England-Zimbabwe match, part of a one-day triangular series in South Africa in March. He has denied match fixing. Cronje's admission came after police in India filed charges against him and teammates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Pieter Strydom for allegedly fixing a one-day series last month that India won 3-2. Woolmer said he had heard from "more than one reliable source" that one of the players implicated by Indian police has had discussions about the scandal with Ali Bacher, managing director of the South Africa cricket board. "If the unnamed individual did collaborate, then there would be more egg on my face," Woolmer said. "Dr. Bacher denied yesterday, though, that the meeting amounted to any admission of guilt." Woolmer said he thought he knew Cronje better than most people during his five-year stint as national coach. "Now I have to look back and wonder whether he started flirting with betting and match fixing during my tenure," he said. "I desperately hope not. I believe it would be the end of any respect I have had for him." |