April 7
Delhi police charge Hansie Cronje with fixing the one day matches
played against India in March for money. They also release transcripts
of an aleged conversation between Cronje and an Indian businessman, suggested to
be a bookie, Sanjay Chawla. The transcripts deal with who is playing
and who is not, who is in the `deal', the amount alleged to be paid to Cronje
and his teammates Gibbs, Strydon and Boje. Similar charges are made
against two Indians, Chawla and Delhi based businessman Rajesh Kalra,
who is arrested. Chawla is reported to be in London.
New Delhi additional commissioner KK Paul states categorically that
``from the conversation between Sanjay Chawla and Cronje, it emerges
the one day matches between India and South Africa played recently in
India were fixed in exchange for money.'' Paul adds that ``we will
seek the help of Interpol as a huge international crime has been
committed.''
In Johannesburg, UCBSA chief Ali Bacher comes to Cronje's defence,
saying that he is convinced there was no substance in the reports from
India. ``Cronje is known for his unquestionable integrity and
honesty,'' says Bacher, adding that he has spoken to the captain
immediately he had heard about the allegations from New Delhi. ``He
says it is absolute rubbish. There is nothing at all in it. The UCBSA
is certain that no South African cricketer has ever been involved in
match fixing,'' he says in a statement. He further adds that all the
other players deny emphatically that there is any substance to these
allegations.
Cronje in a statement through the UCBSA states: ``I have been informed
of the developments and I am stunned. The allegations are completely
without substance. I have been privileged to play for South Africa
since 1992 and I want to ensure every South African that I have made a
hundred percent effort to win every match that I have played. It has
been an honour to play for South Africa and I would never do anything
to let my country down.
ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya, in Dhaka for the Asia XI-Rest of the
World XI match being held as part of the Cricket Week celebrations,
reacting to the developments says ``if there is any grey side to it,
we will take care of it. We have our own way of working. We will cross
the bridge when we come to it.''
April 8
The South African government says it will contact the Indian
government to convey the country's concerns about the match fixing
allegations levelled against four South African cricketers. Aziz
Pahad, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs assures Ali Bacher that the
government would seek an explanation for reports that South African
players' telephones were tapped while on the tour of India. The
government also says it will seek an explanation regarding the process
by which the allegations against the four players were made public.
The UCBSA says it is dismayed that the integrity of South African
cricket and its players has been questioned. ``We remain adamant that
our players have never been party to match fixing,'' says Ali Bacher.
South African cricket officials and the media rally behind Cronje with
newspaper reports claiming that he has framed. Graham Ford, coach of
the South African team says Indian police have been `overhasty' in
filing the charges. ``We were never approached by any gambling
syndicate. The whole story is a storm in a teacup. I am sure that when
further details are available, the innocence of Hansie and the others
will be fully proved,'' he says in a statement.
Senior cricket writer Trevor Chesterfield comes to the conclusion that
``the whole thing is a hoax. I heard the tape alleged to be between
Cronje and a bookmaker being played on air. My impression is that both
voices were of Asian origin. The voice that was supposed to be
Hansie's did not have a South African accent. It was definitely not
Hansie's voice.''
Former South African captain Kepler Wessels doubts the allegations but
calls for an independent inquiry into the allegations saying they are
too serious to be just dismissed. ``I would be astonished if it
happened in this instance. But this thing is rife in cricket and the
biggest mistake we could make would be to try and sweep it under the
carpet without an investigation.''
Former South African coach Bob Woolmer says ``I am convinced that
Hansie is not guilty and that he would not even contemplate such
actions. These allegations are absolute garbage. He is not the type of
person to get involved in anything like this.''
Christian spiritual leader pastor Ray McCauley, rising to Cronje's
defence says he is very shocked by the allegation. ``Because I know
Hansie as a person of integrity I cannot believe he would be party to
any such allegation,'' he tells The Citizen newspaper.
Indian Cricket Board secretary dismissed the match allegations as
``rubbish.''. In a TV interview he says ``as far as we are concerned,
there is nothing. As far as we are concerned, everything is okay. This
is not fair. Where is the question (of fixing the match)? This is all
rubbish.'' He also says that he has doubts whether the police would be
able to prove the charges in court. ``Making allegations does not end
the matter. They have to prove the charges.''
Arrested Indian businessman Rajesh Kalra admits to offering the
players 400,000 to 500,000 dollars to fix the matches according to an
interview in a weekly magazine. ``The series was fixed at 400,000 to
500,000 US dollars,'' Kalra tells India Today.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar is of the view that the image of
the game should be saved from such people. ``Take away every run,
wicket and catch from those involved in the match fixing. If found
guilty, none should be spared, past or present.''
Another former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar says ``I do not
understand how they do such a thinb with so much more money in the
game now,'' adding that if proved guilty they should be banned for
life.
Delhi Police name another person involved in the match fixing
controversy. He is Krishan Kumar, a former film actor and is briefly
interrogated by a team of police officers but is admitted to a
hospital in Mumbai complaining of angina. Kumar, a brother of late
music baron Gulshan Kumar is said to have been a regular visitor to
Kalra's home.
April 9
Hansie Cronje denies match fixing allegations at a news conference in
Durban. ``I want to make 100 percent clear that I deny ever receiving
any sum of money during the one day series in India. I want to also
make it absolutely clear that I have never spoken to any member of the
team about throwing a game.'' He says that he belives match fixing has
no place in sport and speaks about the ``hurt'' the allegations have
caused him. ``The only way to clear my name is to speak to the players
and to check my bank accounts.''
Gibbs and Boje also attend the press conference and back Cronje's
story and say neither had received any offers to fix matches.
Ali Bacher tells the media conference that the South African
government and the UCBSA view the allegations ``in a most serious
light. The issues at stake are the lack of protocol used on this most
serious issue and the bugging of phones used by the South African team
while in India.''
UCBSA President Percy Sonn expresses anger at the ``spurious''
allegations by Indian police against Cronje and says the South African
has no case to answer unless Indian police release the tape
recordings. Diplomatic efforts are on to have the tapes made
available to the UCBSA.
Amid a growing diplomatic flare up, the South African government
stepped in into the row with the Indian High Commissioner summoned to
Pretoria to explain why the players' cellphones and rooms were bugged
during the tour of India.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad tells a Johnnesburg newspaper that
South Africa's High Commissioner to India had listened to excerpts
from the tapes and was convinced the accents are not South African.
The Indian government turns down the High Commissioner's request for a
copy of the tapes. But Pahad insists that the tapes must be handed
over since ``we want to carry out our own inquiry. If there is any
substance to the allegations - and I doubt very much that the
individuals concerned are capable of something like that - we will
take the necessary steps.''
New Delhi police widen inquiry into the match fixing scandal by
sending investigators to three Indian cities and seeking Interpol's
help in tracking down Sanjay Chawla. Teams are sent to Mumbai,
Bangalore and Kochi to collect vital information relating to the case
based on the disclosures made by Rakesh Kalra.
April 10
Indian police say it has new evidence to shore up the match fixing
charges against Hansie Cronje. New Delhi Crime Branch chief Pradeep
Srivastava, describing the additional evidence as ``clinching'', says
``we believe we now have sufficient evidence in the case but it is for
the courts to decide.'' Srivastava says he has proof that Cronje was
in contact with Sanjay Chawla during the five one day internationals
played in India between March 9 and 19.
The CBI says that a request would be forwarded to Interpol soon to
obtain voice samples of South African skipper Hansie Cronje and Sanjay
Chawla to authenticate the taped conversations between the two
allegedly involved in the match fixing scandal.
In Chennai, the BCCI president AC Muthiah says he will react to the
charges of match fixing only after the particulars are made available
by the authorities. The details would be placed before the BCCI
working committee meeting on April 28. He also says that the UCBSA has
not contacted the BCCI over the matter.
Australian captain Steve Waugh, talking to reporters just before the
team leaves Sydney for South Africa, says those found guilty of the
charges should not be allowed to play. ``If you are found guilty you
are not playing the game for the right reason, you are selling the
spectators short and your teammates. There is no room for it in any
sport, so if the charge is serious enough, then they should have to
pay the penalty.''
April 11
South Africa says it is still waiting for a formal response from India
to its request to examine the tapes. ``There has been no response as
yet,'' says an embassy spokesman in New Delhi, a day after the South
African High Commissioner to India Maite Nkoana-Mashabane called at
the foreign ministry to request access to the tapes.
UCBSA announces that Hansie Cronje has withdrawn from the three match
one day series against Australia commencing on April 12. His place
will be taken by Dave Callaghan and Shaun Pollock is the new captain.
The UCBSA sacks Hansie Cronje after he admits having been
``dishonest'' with the board over his activities in India, says Ali
Bacher. The UCBSA chief says he and Percy Sonn had received a call
from Cronje to say that he had been dishonest with the board. ``As a
consequence the UCBSA decided to withdraw Cronje from the South
African team for Wednesday's limited overs match against Australia at
Durban.''
Hansie Cronje acknowledges receiving 10,000 to 15000 dollars during
the one day series in India but denies taking part in match
fixing. Ali Bacher says the South African government will launch an
inquiry into the allegations.
Confusion reigns as Hansie Cronje denies that he had received any
money in the match fixing scandal minutes after Ali Bacher
declares that Cronje had acknowledged receiving money. Bacher
tells a press conference in Durban that Cronje had been paid
between 10,000 and 15,000 dollars during a triangular series in
South Africa for ``providing information and forecast but not
match fixing.'' However Cronje in a statement issued through
Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour in Cape Town says ``I never
received any financial rewards.''
Bacher says Cronje's contract with the UCBSA has been suspended
and he will not receive a slary at the end of April.
Cronje's version, relayed through Balfour is that earlier in the
year he was contacted by a South African during the series with
England and Zimbabwe which was about three weeks before the tour
of India. ``While I was in India I was again contacted. I
mentioned names of players but in fact I never spoke to a single
player about throwing a match. I never received any financial
rewards. I wish to emphasise that the allegations of match fixing
by myself are devoid of all truth.''
New Delhi Police Commissioner Ajay Raj Sharma says Cronje's
sacking is ``a vindication of our stand.'' Senior police
officials say they are ``widening the investigation'' into the
match fixing case.
New Delhi Joint Police Commissioner KK Paul says that Rajesh
Kalra has named more people in the scandal. ``Some more names
have cropped up during the investigation and through Kalra's
interrogation but these names do not relate to members of the
Indian team,'' he says.
South African fast bowling great Allan Donald says that Hansie
Cronje was set up. ``By the looks of it he was set up but at the
end of the day it does not matter. If you accept money you are
leaving yoursle open,'' adding that Cronje had shown poor
judgement.
Sanjay Chawla, one of the main accused in the scandal, denies he
was involved or had met or spoken to Hansie Cronje. A statement
by his lawyer in London says he would not like to meet the press
and that he would not make further comments until the matter had
blown over.
April 12
Wisden editor Mathew Engel says the current betting scandal could
be linked to the lack of official action over the infamous bet of
Rodney Marsh and Dennis Lillee in 1981. ``If you go right back to
the beginning of this, in 1981 when Lillee and Marsh bet against
their own side in a Test match, nothing was done against them,''
he points out. ``That set the standard of inaction and
complacency on the part of cricket's administrators - that the
whole thing did not matter. I found it shameful then and I find
it shameful now.''
ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya says it will order a full scale
inquiry into the match fixing scandal. ``I promise the ICC will
get to the bottom of the matter,'' he says.
Jagmohan Dalmiya says cricket will survive the scandal. ``Cricket
does not stop because some black sheep are there. It is a great
game. But if there are some black sheep what one has to do is
weed them out.''
Jagmohan Dalmiya says the UCBSA's findings will be forwarded to
the ICC's code of conduct commission, headed by Lord Huge
Griffiths of England for review. ``We have said before and now
reiterate in the clearest possible manner that any attempt to
interfere with the fair conduct of sport is totally unacceptable
to the ICC. Those who seek to tarnish the image of cricket in
this manner must be brought to justice.''
A Crime Branch team is in Bombay investigating possible links
between the Cronje case and the Dubai based Bombay underworld don
Dawood Ibrahim, who is wanted in India for more than 100 crimes.
``We expect some arrests to take place in Bombay,'' says a top
police officer.
South African High Commissioner to India Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
says that Pretoria is willing to co-operate in any way with the
Indian police.
Dennis Rogers, chairman of the Australian Cricket Board says in
Durban that the South African inquiry into the Hansie Cronje
affair should be conducted urgently in terms of a recent ICC
ruling. Rogers, Australia's representative on the ICC, says the
world body has the power to review and if necessary override any
action the UCBSA might take.
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan warns that the game of cricket
would face further disgrace if an extensive inquiry was not
launched into match fixing practices. ``A worldwide inquiry has
to be the only solution otherwise the game might lose the respect
it has earned in 100 years. This new episode reveals that match
fixing is common in all teams while previously they were happy
throwing much on Pakistan and India alone.''
President Thabo Mbeki's government in Cape Town urges South
Africans not to treat the match fixing scandal as a ``national
crisis'' nor to fall into a collective depression. ``It must be
dealt with by the sporting community, it is not a national
political crisis at all,'' says chief government spokesman Joel
Netschitenzhe.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad tells reporters that the
cabinet is keen to set up a judicial commission of inquiry into
the scandal as soon as possible. ``It is the government's
intention that we don't delay this matter longer than is
necessary. It is impacting on very many aspects of South Africa's
image abroad.''
The controversial fifth Test between South Africa and England in
January will form part of the inquiry into match fixing
allegations against Hansie Cronje, an official says in Cape Town.
The Test at Genturion Park in which both teams agreed to forfeit
an innings after three days of rain was won by England by two
wickets with five balls to spare. UCBSA communications director
Brownwyn Wilkinson said Cronje's role in the Test would be probed
by the judicial commission, which is expected to be set up in the
next few days. ``UCBSA president Percy Sonn has confirmed that
the last day of the Centurion Park Test would be covered in the
inquiry as well as any other major points of suspicion,'' says
Wilkinson. It was at Cronje's suggestion that both captains
forfeited an innings to make it possible to avoid a draw.
AC Muthiah, president, Board of Control for Cricket in India says
that any Indian cricketer found guilty of betting or match fixing
will face a ban for life.
Jagmohan Dalmiya, President, ICC requests that the BCCI president
AC Muthiah meet him at Calcutta on April 18 in order to exchange
views and to ascertain the actions contemplated by the Indian
Board in the match fixing episode.
Former president of the BCCI IS Bindra says the Indian Cricket
Board hushed up information that three Indian Test players were
betting against their own team. Bindra says three players were
reported to the BCCI over the last few years but no action was
taken. ``Between 1996 and 2000, the BCCI was told repeatedly that
three players were indulging in betting but the matter was
glossed over,'' Bindra says in a TV programme to be telecast on
Saturday. ``Two tour managers and one coach had also mentioned in
their reports that some players were taking part in unlawful
activities. Every Indian Board member knows the identity of the
players. It is no secret,'' he says.
Former BCCI president IS Bindra says the Indian Cricket Board
should ask the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the
whole gamut of allegations about match fixing in some of the off
shore tournaments India is participating in. ``Till an
independent inquiry clears these venues of all the charges, India
must stop playing there,'' he says in a newspaper interview.
April 13
Australian match referee Barry Jarman says he does not believe
the controversial fifth Test between South Africa and England
in January was fixed. It was for the first time in Test history, spanning 123 years and 1483 matches, that even a single innings
had been forefeited, but Jarman told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio that there had been nothing to suggest any malpractice.
South Africans vote overwhelmingly in a newspaper poll to allow
Hansie Cronje to play again as details of the bribery scandal
that led to his downfall begin to emerge. In a poll published in
The Star, 94 percent of the 7220 respondents vote to allow Cronje
to play for South Africa again against six percent who say `no'.
The Star names a mysterious South African go between as Hamid
`Banjo' Cassim, a Johannesburg businessman and friend of Cronje
with links to Indian cricketers Mohd Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar.
The Star says that Cassim is the linkman between Cronje and the
London based Indian businessman Sanjiv Chawla.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesman Ronnie Mameopa says that
if the Indian government request extradition, president Thabo
Mbeki would ask Justice Minister Penuell Maduna to establish a magisterial inquiry to determine whether the charges are ``of
an extraditable nature''. South Africa and India have no
extradition treaty.
Mbeki, currently attending a G-77 summit in Havana, says South
Africa should not leave any stone unturned in a judicial
commission inquiry being set up. Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz
Pahad tells reporters after a cabinet meeting that the government
would co-operate fully with Indian authorities.
The Beeld newspaper reports that Cronje had received 8200 dollars, which it says Cronje's brother Hans had counted at Bacher's request. Bacher had earlier told journalists on April 11 that Cronje had received somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 dollars.
A Reserve Bank official tells the Citizen newspaper that Cronje
could be fined up to 250,000 rand (38000 dollars) for being
in possession of foreign currency.
Hansie Cronje repeats his denial of any involvement in fixing
or manipulating match results. ``I always played to win,'' he
says reading a prepared statement to reporters in Bloemfontein,
the capital of Free State province. He says speculation and
criticism against other members of the South African team is
wrong and unjustified. ``I know of no member of any side that
I have led who has done anything reprehensible or wrong,'' a
composed Cronje says.
World Cup hero Lance Klusener, the latest figure to be linked to the
scandal, denies reports that he had informed Indian police about
Cronje's alleged wrongdoings. Klusener was reportedly seen to have had
a bust up with Cronje in a hotel foyer in India and is alleged to have
then ``shopped'' his captain to the Indian authorities. But Klusener
dismisses it by saying that he was never involved in any argument or
dispute with the captain in any hotel foyer. ``The first time I heard
about the allegations against Hansie was when we arived back here in
South Africa,'' says Klusener.
Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board calls
for an urgent meeting between the leading Test playing countries to
discuss the match fixing controversy. He reveals that he has already
sent a fax to the ICC suggesting such a conference. Speaking at a
function in London, he calls for any player found guilty of breaching
the code of donduct to be banned for life.
The Indian government asks the BCCI for a report on the recent bad
performances of the Indian team. Sports Minister SS Dhindsa says that
he cannot rule out match fixing as a cause for this. Dhindsa says he
has asked BCCI secretary JY Lele to submit a report on India's recent
poor performances and the Board's further course of action regarding
the issue. The report is expected to be submitted within a week and is
to be discussed at a meeting convened by Dhindsa on April 27. The
meeting, among others, will be attended by Indian coach Kapil Dev,
Sourav Ganguly, Lele and AC Muthiah.
Indian players Sachin Tendulkar and Mohd Azharuddin deny any links
with Hameed Cassim. Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Azhar says
``yes, I know him. But so do all the other Indian players. He used to
bring Indian food for us in South AFrica. But that does not mean I
have any links with him''. Speaking in Mumbai, Tendulkar says Cassim
used to organise Indian food for the team, especially the
vegetarians. That's all my relationship with him.''
Former Indian captains MAK Pataudi and Bishen Bedi urge that the CBI
take over the match fixing case.
England captain Nasser Hussain says that only half the story of the
scandal in South African cricket has come to light. Expressing shock
at Hansie Cronje admitting that he had taken money, Hussain says it is
very easy for the captain of a cricket team to influence the result of
a match. ``As a captain it is very easy to fix things. You are in
charge of the game and and tactically all the decisions are yours.''
South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs, originally named in the
match fixing scandal, says he is relieved to have been cleared of any
wrongdoing by Hansie Cronje. The sacked South African captain earlier
said that no other member of the side had done anything wrong.
Hansie Cronje hints that his South African career is over. In a
statement read out in his lawyer's office in Bloemfontein, he says ``I
am truly proud to have been associated with this side and wish Shaun
and the rest of the team nothing but success in the future. All I will
say is that I was not involved in fixing or manipulating the results
of cricket matches. I always played to win. I know of no member of any
side that I have led who has done anything reprehensible or wrong. I
find myself in an awful predicament brought about by my own
foolishness and naivety.''
Former South African coach Bob Woolmer claims that the team was
offered 250,000 dollars to fix a match during South Africa's 1996 tour
of India. According to a report in the Daily Sport newspaper in
London, Woolmer said that the entire squad got together and vowed not
to get involved with those trying to get in touch with them.
New Delhi police say that actor Kishan Kumar not only financed the
activities of Sanjeev Chawla but was a partner in his
dealings. Stating that the police have enough evidence to proceed
against the actor, a senior Crime Branch officer says that besides the
financial transactions, police had also come to know of his links with
others involved.
April 14
Former South African captain Clive Rice says that he believes
cricket in South Africa would be tainted by the Hansie Cronje
scandal for years to come - just as the infamous 1932-33
Bodyline series between England and Australia had affected the
sport for decades.
The South African team rallies behind Hansie Cronje with his
successor Shaun Pollock declaring that the entire team was with
him. Pollock dedicates the victory against Australia in the first
one day tie in Durban to his disgraced predecessor.
Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed says
in Melbourne that the Hansie Cronje scandal has strengthened the
ACB's resolve to eliminate scams ``which pose a real threat to
the integrity of the game''. Speed says the challenge for
cricketers and administrators is to ensure that ``this cancer
does not take hold''.
April 15
South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs breaks his silence
and denies any part in match rigging or betting allegations
involving Hansie Cronje. Gibbs tells the Cape Argus newspaper
he was stunned when he was implicated in the Indian betting
scandal. ``I felt bad but I knew I was innocent. Nothing would
ever make me do something so irresponsible. Nobody approached us.
When we were told about it we were terribly shocked.'' Gibbs was
implicated by transcripts of alleged conversations between Cronje
and Sanjay Chawla.
UCBSA communications manager Bronwyn Wilkinson says Ali Bacher has
had telephonic discussions with the Indian Cricket Board in order
to reaffirm the close ties between the two countries. It is the
first time that Bacher has been in contact with Indian Board
officials since the match fixing scandal broke. ``India were
instrumental in helping South Africa return to international
cricket after the isolation years and Dr Bacher wants to ensure
that the ties between the two countries remain strong,''
Wilkinson tells a South African news agency.
Federal revenue officials arrest Kishan Kumar on charges that he
was one of the conduits between arrested bookmaker Rajesh Kalra
and his business associate in London, Sanjay Chawla. Kishan Kumar,
who was arrested in a hospital where he is undergoing treatment
for reported cardiac problems has not been moved from his bed
because of his poor health, according to doctors. His arrest is
the second since April 7, the day the match fixing scandal
broke. Police detectives say that Kishan Kumar's arrest is also
part of an ongoing probe aimed at unearthing links between
bookmakers and India's underworld in match fixing.
Delhi police Crime Branch sources say that evidence to be produced
in court soon would be ``clinching''. Saying that it is not for
Hansie Cronje to absolve anyone, the sources say ``we will
produce clinching evidence in court to back up our FIR.'' The
players initially named along with Cronje were Herschelle Gibbs,
Nicky Bose and Pieter Strydom but Cronje had since said they were
not part of any of the conspiracies.
Delhi police say they are likely to press for the prosecution to
begin in the middle of next week. ``Things are falling into
place,'' says a Federal revenue official without elaborating.
Detectives say they possess 14 audio tapes containing conversations
between Chawla and Cronje during his stay in India.
In Calcutta, more than 1000 young cricketers stage a rally to protest
against match fixing, according to witnesses. ``Hansie, your confession
has made us sad. Cricket is our passion, betting is bad,'' said a banner
with reference to Cronje's admission.
Indian Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa says steps will be
taken to clear the web of controversial dealings after consultations
with experts. He says the Ministry would also consider if betting
could be made legal in cricket like in some other sports but only
after getting the views of experts. Dhindsa says the Indian
Government would soon initiate stern steps to cleanse the game.
April 16
Indian law enforcers say they have tightened their case in the match
fixing scandal involving Hansie Cronje by getting more evidence in the
home of arrested bookmaker Sanjiv Chawla. Revenue officials from the
Enforcement Directorate say they raided the home of Chawla in New
Delhi's posh Greater Kailash district late Saturday and recovered a
diary with names, addresses and telephone numbers of cricket bookies.
Enforcement Directorate special prosecutor Subash Bansal tells VK
Khanna, a magistrate in New Delhi's metropolitan court that one of the
bookmakers listed in the diary is being investigated.
Chawla denies the diary belongs to him and accuses Indian authorities
of `mentally torturing' him.
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee says the government has no
plans to legalise betting on cricket matches. ``I have read some
reports on cricket betting. The government has no proposal to legalise
betting. We are all for eliminating this menace,'' Vajpayee tells the
national executive meeting of the BJP in New Delhi.
South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs breaks his silence and
denies any part in match rigging or betting allegations involving
Hansie Cronje. Gibbs tells the Cape Argus newspaper he was stunned
when he was implicated in the Indian betting scandal. ``I felt bad but
I knew I was innocent. Nothing would ever make me do something so
irresponsible. Nobody approached us. When we were told about it we
were terribly shocked.'' Gibbs was implicated by transcripts of
alleged conversations between Cronje and Sanjay Chawla.
UCBSA communications manager Bronwyn Wilkinson says Ali Bacher has had
telephonic discussions with the Indian Cricket Board in order to
reaffirm the close ties between the two countries. It is the first
time that Bacher has been in contact with Indian Board officials since
the match fixing scandal broke. ``India were instrumental in helping
South Africa return to international cricket after the isolation years
and Dr Bacher wants to ensure that the ties between the two countries
remain strong,'' Wilkinson tells a South African news agency.
Federal revenue officials arrest Kishan Kumar on charges that he was
one of the conduits between arrested bookmaker Rajesh Kalra and his
business associate in London, Sanjay Chawla. Kishan Kumar, who was
arrested in a hospital where he is undergoing treatment for reported
cardiac problems has not been moved from his bed because of his poor
health, according to doctors. His arrest is the second since April 7,
the day the match fixing scandal broke. Police detectives say that
Kishan Kumar's arrest is also part of an ongoing probe aimed at
unearthing links between bookmakers and India's underworld in match
fixing.
Delhi police Crime Branch sources say that evidence to be produced in
court soon would be ``clinching''. Saying that it is not for Hansie
Cronje to absolve anyone, the sources say ``we will produce clinching
evidence in court to back up our FIR.'' The players initially named
along with Cronje were Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Bose and Pieter Strydom
but Cronje had since said they were not part of any of the
conspiracies.
Delhi police say they are likely to press for the prosecution to begin
in the middle of next week. ``Things are falling into place,'' says a
Federal revenue official without elaborating.
Detectives say they possess 14 audio tapes containing conversations
between Chawla and Cronje during his stay in India.
In Calcutta, more than 1000 young cricketers stage a rally to protest
against match fixing, according to witnesses. ``Hansie, your
confession has made us sad. Cricket is our passion, betting is bad,''
said a banner with reference to Cronje's admission.
Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal denies that Sharjah is the hub of
betting and match fixing.
After his house is raided by Enforcement Directorate officials,
Rajesh Kalra alleges that he is being framed. ``I am innocent. I
am not a bookie. They are mentally torturing me and have forced
me to sign certain documents,'' he says.
Enforcement Directorate special prosecutor Subash Bansal however
says that they have some vital information about many bookies and
punters and also about illegal foreign exchange transactions
after questioning Kalra and examining a seized diary which has
names, addresses and telephone numbers of nine cricket bookies.
Intelligence sources say that another suspect in the match fixing
scandal is Anees Ibrahim, the brother of Dubai based Mumbai
underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim. Intelligence sources also
confirm that they have identified three more bookies in Mumbai
who are allegedly engaged in match fixing.
Indian Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa says he has asked
for the Chandrachud Committee report on match fixing to go
through it personally and maybe even decide soon on making it
public. He says the Lok Sabha has received a call attention
motion on the match fixing scandal and will discuss the issue
threadbare in Parliament on April 17.
April 17
Sadha Govender Kwazulu, a cricket official of Indian origin and
the Natal cricket development programme chairman, alleges he has
been slapped and kicked by whites shouting at him that `Charros'
- South African slang for Indians - brought Hansie Cronje down.''
Officials say the incident occurred at the first one day match
between Australia and South Africa on Wednesday night at
Kingsmead. Govender says he was attacked after a function where
100 former players and officials of the former black National
Cricket Board and white Natal Cricket Association had assembled.
Reports quoting The Sunday Times in London say that Scotland Yard
is in touch with Indian police over the investigations in the
match fixing racket.
Media reports from London say that England captain Nasser Hussain
will be asked to give his testimony to the judicial inquiry
following new allegations against Cronje on the rain hit fifth
and final Test between the two countries in January. Hussain has
maintained that there was nothing improper about the
circumstances that led to England's thrilling victory after both
sides had forfeited an innings.
Former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India Raj
Singh Dungarpur rejects criticism by his predecessor IS Bindra
that the BCCI has not taken action against incidents of match
fixing and says that no action was taken as no such incidents
were reported during his tenure from 1996 to 1999.
Indian Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, in a
front page article in the Hindustan Times, says that Australia's
leniency in dealing with players who were paid to advise
bookmakers helped to encourage match fixing in international
cricket. ``The system came very close to unearthing the truth
when Australians Mark Waugh and Shane Warne admitted they advised
bookies about the weather and pitch conditions and received
payments for it,'' wrote Jaitley. ``The Australian Board was
either too naive and swallowed their explanation or perhaps
accepted it because it did not want to lose two of its greatest
players. The leniency shown only encouraged the misdemeanour,''
said Jaitley, who is also the president of the Delhi and District
Cricket Association.
A 1996 team meeting at which South African players were allegedly
offered 250,000 dollars to lose a game against India will be
investigated by the UCBSA according to Ali Bacher. Several
players who were on that tour have confirmed an offer was
conveyed to the team by the captain Hansie Cronje. ``I will be
asking each and everyone of our contracted players who were on
the 1996-97 tour to tell me exactly what happened,'' says Bacher.
April 18
The England and Wales Cricket Board says it will pass on
information to police and continue their own investigations into
match fixing after interviewing England all rounder Chris Lewis
about comments attributed to him in a Sunday newspaper. While the
ECB does not give precise details as to what was said behind the
closed door meeting, they give the strongest possible indication
that Lewis had indeed named the names of alleged England
wrongdoers in a meeting that lasts several hours. The ECB says in
a statement that ``he has put all information in his possession
into the hands of the board. As a result the board is passing
this information to the police.''
An inquiry at Britain's police headquarters at Scotland Yard into
allegations made by Chris Lewis and New Zealand captain Stephen
Fleming continues after the pair claim that they were offered
cash to fix the outcome of an international between the two
countries last summer.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India decides to make the
Justice Chandrachud committee report on match fixing and betting
public. The BCCI will request the Sports Ministry to table the
report in Parliament. It also welcomes a fresh probe by police or
any other investigating agency. The BCCI also decides to
implement a six point code of conduct for the players. The code
of conduct is broadly based on the suggestions made by the ICC
code of conduct commission headed by Lord Hugh Griffith. These
decisions are taken following a meeting in Calcutta convened by
ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya.
Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower says he is not surprised by
allegations of match fixing in cricket. He says he has long
suspected `shenanigans' in some competitions. Speaking to
reporters in Grenada Flower says, ``There have been instances I
thought the opposition did not quite look themselves. I think
there are some shenanigans going on but they are obviously
investigating it quite closely at the moment and it is going to
be exciting to see what happens.''
Prominent Black journalist Mathatha Tseudu condemns the racial
based reactions that the match fixing scandal is evoking in South
Africa and wonders if the anti India reaction of the Whites would
have been the same had the charges been made by Scotland yard.
Australian leg spinner Shane Warne, speaking at a press
conference on joining English county Hampshire, says anyone found
guilty of match fixing should be barred from cricket. He calls
upon Hansie Cronje to make a full admission concerning the match
fixing allegations levelled against him.
April 19
Indian politicians call for a federal probe into the match fixing
allegations. India's main opposition Congress party urges an
investigation into charges of foreign exchange violations and
criminal links between bookies and drug barons. The party calls
for a federal probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into
the scandal saying it has global implications. ``This is only a
tip of the iceberg,'' says Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi quoting
remarks by Ali Bacher describing the Indian sub continent as a
``hotbed of match fixing and betting.''
Former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India IS
Bindra says that cheating is rampant in international cricket and
calls Hansie Cronje a `hero' whose confession could save the
game. ``Virtually every match in international cricket is fixed
in one form or another. Match fixing is as old as the game
itself,'' Bindra tells a press conference in New Delhi.``Hansie
is small fish. There are still many sharks out there,'' he says.
The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India AC
Muthiah, in response to Bindra's allegations says ``Bindra has
been saying that he is willing to give evidence. But his
willingness is not enough. He has to present himself to the Delhi
police to submit whatever proof he has.''
Indian coach and former captain Kapil Dev tells a TV channel that
Indian Test players should stop playing cricket till the mess is
cleared. ``You have to clean up,'' he says adding he suspects
that even Indian players could be engaged in match fixing. ``I
have no doubt anymore that something is going on.'' He adds that
if it is proved any player had indulged in match fixing since Dev
took over as coach in the last six months, ``I will resign as
coach.'' He also adds that the pressure on the players will be
great. ``Every time you score a zero or drop a catch, people will
doubt you. It will be difficult to convince them. '' he says.
Former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar disputes Justice
Chandrachud's statement that he declined to reveal the names of
Indian players involved in match fixing and said he was ready to
identify them if the government provides him with legal support.
April 20
Ali Bacher claims that two matches at last year's World Cup were
fixed, one international team was throwing and manipulating
matches and an umpire was under suspicion. He tells Australian
newspapers from his home in Johannesburg that his information
comes from current and former international players and
administrators. ``I am as confident as I can be without having
all available evidence for you that it has been a common practice
in world cricket,'' says Bacher. He says all details will be
supplied to the South African judiciary inquiry into the Hansie
Cronje scandal. Bacher says the World Cup match between Pakistan
and Bangladesh which Pakistan lost raised the most concern. He
indicates that Pakistan were suspected of throwing matches and
says that Pakistani umpire Javed Akhtar is also under suspicion
for the way he handled South Africa's 1998 tour of England when
he gave nine lbws in the last Test.
Ali Bacher, a member of the International Cricket Council since
1991, says the game's governing body has failed to deal with
match fixing. ``I don't have bank accounts or anything like that
to prove it but match fixing has been the scourge of the game. As
the latest crisis in South Africa has shown, it is a global
problem. No one country can point the finger at anyone else.''
Former Australian coach Geoff Marsh says he has complete faith in
the ethics of his World champion team after the World Cup became
drawn into the match fixing scandal. Marsh guided Australia to
their World Cup triumph in England last year but the tournament
has been tarnished by the gambling scourge which has rocked the
game with South African cricket boss Ali Bacher saying he was
told two matches were fixed at the tournament.
Ali Bacher denies reports in Australian newspapers that allege he
claimed matches at last year's World Cup were fixed. He confirms
that two ex players had mentioned it to him and that he believes
match fixing to be a common practice in world cricket. The
reports, carried in several Australian newspapers, allege that
Bacher, quoting a former international player as a source,
believes that two of the 1999 World Cup matches were fixed.
Bronwyn Wilkinson of the UCBSA says that Bacher denies naming
specific teams or matches but adds that Bacher stands by his
reported comments on match fixing.
The Indian government pledges to use the full force of the law in
investigating match fixing allegations even as it release a three
year old report that gave a clean chit to Indian players. The
government will leave no stone unturned to get to the botom of
any charges whether through a probe by the CBI or any other
investigative agency, Sports Minister SS Dhindsa tells
Parliament. Dhindsa stresses that for the moment the government
is unaware of any specific complaints against a particular Indian
cricketer of Cricket Board official.
Dhindsa tables in Parliament the Chandrachud report into
allegations by Manoj Prabhakar that some of his teammates had
fixed matches. According to the report, Chandrachud labels
Prabhakar's allegations as `imaginary and unrealistic'. While
finding no evidence of match fixing by Indian players and
officials, the report says illegal betting on matches does take
place in India.
Dhindsa says the government is `seriously alarmed' by the recent
revelations regarding match fixing in cricket especially in the
context of the recently concluded series between India and South
Africa. ``People having specific information regarding
malpractices should come forward with information and they shall
be provided adequate protection,'' says Dhindsa.
Two top South African umpires disclose that they were offered
money to influence results of matches at different points in
their career. While umpire Cyril Mitchley says he was offered
$50,000 to ensure Pakistan did not lose the last of a three Test
home series against Australia - which the host nation won 1-0 -
in 1996, umpire Rudi Koertzen does not reveal the amount but says
he was approached with an offer during a limited overs match
btween India and West Indies in last year's tri nation one day
series in Singapore which also involved Zimbabwe.
Reacting to the statements, Ali Bacher says both players and
umpires should be investigated during the ICC meeting to be held
in London on May 2 and 3 to disucss the match fixing issue.
The `Gulf News' reports that a leading Pakistani jeweller in
Dubai did gift Mohd Azharuddin, captain of the Indian team for
the Coca Cola Trophy in November 1998 a Mercedez Benz car during
a lucky draw he conducted for the firm. Azhar had reacted to a
report in `Outlook' magazine which reported that he was given a
Mercedez Benz in Dubai by saying the editor should have known
that a car, unlike a toy, cannot be brought into India without
government and public knowledge.
Australian captain Steve Waugh admits that match fixing and
betting allegations have tarnished the image of the game
worldwide and it is now up to cricketers and administrators to
clean up the mess by being honest. ``A lot of unfortunate things
have been happening and cricket is no longer a gentlaman's game.
If somebody has done something wrong, he will pay the price at
some stage,'' Waugh tells a press conference in Calcutta.
Reacting to the allegations which have rocked international
cricket, Waugh said commissions have been set up everywhere to
try and find out what is happening. ``People doing wrong things
will be held responsible for tarnishing the image of the game. It
is necessary to clean up the game. We have to get to the bottom
of it,'' said Waugh.
April 21
The Indian government rules out framing of any new law for the
crime of match fixing and said existing laws in the Indian Penal
Code (IPC) takes care of it. ``Match fixing is cheating and there
is section 420 of the IPC under which the punishment can be up to
seven years imprisonment,'' says Union Law Minister Ram
Jethmalani in a TV programme.
The UCBSA rules out any boycott or suspension of visits to India
in the wake of the Hansie Cronje episode. ``South Africa is not
boycotting cricket in Indian by any means,'' UCBSA communications
manager Bronwyn Wilkinson says in Johannesburg. As to whether
Ali Bacher would defend Cronje who has admitted to being
`dishonest' at the ICC meeting at Lord's on May 2 and 3,
Wilkinson replies `I should not imagine so.'
Indian police say they are in no hurry to launch the formal
prosecution of Hansie Cronje and the Indian bookmakers for match
fixing. Delhi Police Crime Branch chief Pradeep Srivastava says
formal legal proceedings against those charged in the match
fixing case would begin this summer. ``It will be two to three
months before we start the prosecutions,'' says Srivastava who
broke the news of the scandal with his shock announcement on
April 7. ``Right now we are going to the High Court on April 25
against the anticipatory bails being sought,'' the crime branch
chief says of bookmakers Rajesh Kalra and former film actor
Kishan Kumar, arrested in the case. The Indian judiciary permits
a suspect to obtain bail from a court in advance to avoid
detention by the police.
ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya regrets that cricketers' interest
are not being kept paramount and that it has become the latest
fashion to approach the media whenever anyone has anything to
say. Dalmiya is ruffled by Ali Bacher's claims that two matches
at last year's World Cup were fixed. ``Bacher said a few days ago
that all betting and match fixing problems originated from the
sub continent. He took back his words within 24 hours,'' says
Dalmiya. ``So I am waiting for another retraction on the World
Cup match fixing charge,'' Dalmiya says in a panel discussion
broadcast on television. ``Otherwise he will have to explain why
he went public with his allegation.'' Dalmiya says instead of
speaking in public, all those who had revelations regarding match
fixing should go to the investigating agencies of their
respective countries.
Dalmiya takes umbrage at remarks made by Australian captain Steve
Waugh in Calcutta on Thursday that cricket had ceased to be a
game played by gentlemen. ``Cricket is still a gentleman's game
whatever some people might think. In fact cricket has done what
even the United Nations has not been able to do,'' he said,
citing the joint hosting of the 1996 World Cup by India and
Pakistan despite political tensions between the South Asian
rivals.
Saber Hoosain Chowdhury, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket
Board (BCB) expresses disbelief at Ali Bacher's suggestion that a
Bangladesh-Pakistan match in last year's World Cup may have been
fixed. ``We showed our mettle in every department of that game
and beat Pakistan,'' he tells The Independent newspaper. ``Such
an allegation will demoralise our cricket.'' Chowdhury adds that
the BCB will lodge an official protest if anyone makes any
specific allegation against Bangladesh.
April 22
Javed Akhtar, Pakistan's former Test player and a former ICC
panel umpire says he is contemplating legal action recent
articles in the Australian press that have cast aspersions on his
integrity. Akhtar who made his Test debut for Pakistan against
England in 1962 and his Test umpiring debut in 1980, states that
he is consultation with his legal advisor and will follow his
solicitor's suggestions.'' Akhtar, who was Pakistan's nominee to
the ICC panel of umpires in 1998-99 and officiated the matches at
Johannesburg and Leeds in 1998, termed the recent allegations
against him as ``absurd, rubbish and totally devoid of truth.
Never ever in my umpring career have financial or other
temptations affected my decisions.''
An Indian court denies bail to Rajesh Kalra, arrested in the
Hansie Cronje scandal. Rejecting the bail petition of Kalra,
magistrate KS Mohi says ``if the accused is released on bail, the
investigation will be hampered since the main accused is yet to
be arrested.''
Federal Revenue detectives grill Kishan Kumar in prison for
information on how funds were moved from India to overseas
accounts, reportedly held by the four named players in the match
fixing case. ``We have received enough documents from the police
which would establish that foreign currency laws have been
flouted in these transactions,'' federal detectives say.
Former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India IS
Bindra tells a press conference in Mohali that he has been
receiving death threats from outside India for his recent
statements on match fixing. ``It was no coincidence that just
before the start of the New Delhi press conference called by me
on April 19, that I and my wife separately received threats aimed
at my children. The people behind match fixing are a handful of
cricket administrators and others with vested commercial
interests,'' he said reiterating his earlier allegations. Bindra
also attacks Dalmiya and challenges him to hold a public debate
on the raging controversy. ``The ICC president should have
replied to the issues of betting, match fixing, manipulation of
players and privatisation of cricket in the garb of
globalisation,'' says Bindra.
Indian Home Minister LK Advani warns of a `comprehensive' inquiry
by the CBI into the match fixing charges. ``The government is
keen to see that any individual who has indulged in serious
misdeeds like these and brought shame to the game and respective
countries is severely dealt with. Whatever necessary will be done
including a probe by the CBI or any other agency. But it all
depends on the Delhi police submitting its comprehensive inquiry
report,'' he tells a news agency.
The South African police agree to assist their Indian
counterparts in investigating the match fixing scandal, 15 days
after the Delhi police case rocks the game the world over. But a
police spokesman tells reporters in Pretoria that they have not
been given copies of the tapes said to be conversations between
Hansie Cronje and an Indian bookie.
The South African government announces that the judicial inquiry
into the match fixing allegations will be instituted soon and the
name of the judge to head the panel will be named ``within the
next few days.'' We are contacting the person and ironing out the
details,'' a Sports Ministry spokesman Brian Abrahams says.
Ali Bacher refuses to bow to ICC calls for him to retract
allegations of match fixing at last year's World Cup. ``There
will be an opportunity in London behind closed doors on Tuesday
week for an honest and open discussion on the issue,'' Bacher
says in reference to the emergency ICC meeting on May 2 and 3 to
discuss match fixing.
April 23
Ali Bacher says he will wait until an ICC meeting in London next
week before unmasking the teams he claims were involved in match
fixing during last year's World Cup.
Afrikaans language Sunday newspaper `Rapport' says Bacher has
during the week taken steps to ensure that the Hansie Cronje
match fixing incident never again occurs in South African
cricket. It says each senior player was called in turn to
Bacher's office and made to sign a contract which compels them to
advise cricketing authorites of any approaches made to them by
bookmakers. Bacher says he wants to ``root out the cancer'' of
bribery and match fixing. ``This is a massive international
sports crisis. It could be the biggest sports crisis in
decades,'' Bacher tells the newspaper. He says over the years
there have been ``too many allegations, too many innuendos about
irregularities in the game. We must nip it in the bud. In the
long term it will not be good for the sport.'' Asked if he
believed more South African players or officials are involved, he
says ``I don't know . All that I can say is that we have already
been let down once. I hope with all my heart it will never happen
again. The players assured me that they were not involved.''