Derek Crookes

Derek Crookes was one of a number of spinners South Africa tried during the 1990s as they attempted to fill the one major hole in their team. He was a quickish offspinner who was well-suited to the one-day game with his sparky batting and lively fielding providing a useful all-round package. His international chance arrived during a one-day tournament in Pakistan during 1994-95, but he failed to take a wicket in his first five matches. He finally broke his wicket-taking duck in Kenya and chipped in with useful scalps without ever threatening to run through a team - a common story among South Africa spinners - and was never offered a chance in the Test side. His penultimate overseas tour was the infamous trip to India in 1999-00 where the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal hit the news. During the King Commission hearing it emerged that Cronje had agreed with bookmakers that Crookes would open the bowling. He did so in Nagpur, in the fifth one-day international, and conceded 69 runs off 10 overs, later admitting his astonishment at being asked. Crookes retired from first-class cricket in 2005-06 but his name came up again after Herschelle Gibbs was interviewed by Indian police before the 2006 Champions Trophy.
Andrew McGlashan October 2006