India vs South Africa flashback: When Cronjegate rocked world cricket and changed the game forever

The South African cricket team is currently in India for a tour of three T20s and three Tests. The T20 series has been shared 1-1 and the teams are now preparing for the Test series which gets underway on October 2.

Over the years, India and South Africa have featured in some very close and entertaining contests. Almost 19 years ago, a strong Proteas side visited Indian shores and created history by registering their maiden Test series win in India 2-0. The intensely contested one-day series was won by India 3-2 under new captain Sourav Ganguly.

The tour, however, is remembered for all the wrong reasons. What transpired a few days after the series ended changed world cricket forever. A recap.

Cronje caught on tape

On April 7, 2000, a Delhi Police Crime Branch officer named Ishwar Singh Redhu revealed that his team had stumbled upon a recording which had a conversation between then South African captain Hansie Cronje and Sanjay Chawla, who was a big name in the Indian betting market. The crime branch alleged that the recording referred to ODI matches played in India during that tour that were to be fixed by Cronje for the bookies, with help from his teammates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje, and Pieter Strydom.

Cronje first denies, then admits

The allegations coming completely out of the blue sent shock-waves through the entire cricketing fraternity. Cronje was known to be a leader of great integrity and, until the scandal broke out, was viewed as a wonderful ambassador of the game. Which is why when, on April 8, a day after the controversy, he proclaimed innocence, Cronje found many backers.

However, a couple of days later, only April 11, he confessed to Ali Bacher, managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, that he hadn't be entirely honest. While he denied match-fixing, Cronje admitted that he had accepted between $10,000 to $15,000 from a bookmaker for 'forecasting' results during the one-day series in India.

Gibbs testifies

Herschelle Gibbs

The King Commission was formed to look into the shocking allegations and began its hearing on June 7. Only June 8, 2000 Gibbs claimed that his captain Cronje had offered him $15,000 if he scored less than 20 runs in the 5th ODI at Nagpur. He also alleged that Cronje had offered $15,000 to Henry Williams to concede over 50 runs in the game.

However, on-field, something quite the opposite happened. Gibbs blazed his way to 74 off 53 balls while Williams ended up injuring his shoulder in the very second over and couldn’t bowl any further. Off-spinner Derek Crookes, who opened the bowling in the innings, admitted he was taken by surprise by the captain’s move.

Azhar’s name crops up

Mohammad Azharuddin

On June 15, 2000 Cronje, after admitting that he had taken about $100,000 in bribes from bookies since 1996, told the King Commission that it was former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin who had introduced him to bookie Mukesh Gupta, who offered Cronje money to throw the Kanpur Test during South Africa’s tour of India in 1996. Azhar rubbished all the claims. On June 23, 2000 as the cross-examination continued, Cronje broke down and made the statement that his "great passion of the game and for team-mates'' was matched by "an unfortunate love of money".

2000 Centurion Test controversy

The 2000 Centurion Test was unique as England forfeited their first innings and South Africa their second to ensure a result was possible in the rain-marred contest. England went on to win by two wickets and Cronje garnered generous reviews for his decision. As it turned out, the disgraced cricketer was to later admit that he did so as a bookmaker promised he would give $150,000 to a charity of his choice if he managed to produce a result.

Ban and suspension

Ngonde Balfour, Hansie Cronje, and Azia Pahad.

On August 28, 2000, Gibbs and Williams were suspended from international cricket for six months. Gibbs was also fined R60,000 and Williams R10,000. Strydom was let off due to lack of evidence against him.

On 11 October 2000, Cronje was banned from playing and coaching cricket for life. Cronje challenged the ban, but unsuccessfully. On June 1, 2002, the former South African captain died tragically in an aeroplane crash near his home in Western Cape province.

Impact in India

Ajay Jadeja.

On December 5, 2000, BCCI banned Azhar and Ajay Sharma for life and suspended Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar for five years for their alleged role in match-fixing. Unlike in the Cronje case, there were no details of specific matches. A 1994 ODI against West Indies at Kanpur when Prabhakar (102 not out) and Nayan Mongia (4 not out from 21 balls) batted very slowly is the only game that came into some focus. The bans on Azhar, Jadeja and Sharma were later lifted.

Delhi Police finally files chargesheet

13 years after the scandal that rocked world cricket broke out, Delhi Police filed the chargesheet on July 22, 2013. Apart from the late Cronje, bookie Rajesh Kalra and Sanjeev Chawla and Krishan Kumar (brother of T-series owner Gulshan Kumar) were named in the chargesheet.

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