The Daily Dose

In the shadow of Hansie

Victim or sinner, one South African captain will never be forgotten in his country

Sriram Veera
13-May-2009
Cronje: forever asterisked  •  AFP

Cronje: forever asterisked  •  AFP

Hansie Cronje won't be forgotten in South Africa. Some have forgiven him, some haven't. The wound, despite his death, is still raw.
At Centurion I met John White, a cricket tragic, at the sprits-bar. He religiously watches domestic games, international matches and the IPL. Not just the big stars, he also appreciates the batting of Sunny Sohal, a name unknown even in India before this tournament. White seems a genuine cricket lover, not someone who follows the game out of jingoism.
Talk moved from domestic players to the legends of South Africa. He named all of them, except one. Cronje? "He is a legend at cheating our nation"
White explains his anger. "You know, we were shocked when his name was mentioned. Not him, no way. I was so confident he couldn't be involved. Herschelle Gibbs wasn't a surprise - not that I suspected him of anything, but when his name was dragged in, there wasn't any shock or sadness."
So it's not just patriotic rage but a feeling tinged with sorrow that Cronje was involved. But why? Why is Cronje made out to be a priest and then hanged for his mistake? "Because he acted as one," White says. "He stood for everything South African for us. He was, to use the word, a perfect Christian. He presented that image. He used to lead prayers for the team members. He seemed to be a perfect, god-fearing kid. He always played to win. He was a legend to youth all around our country.
"It turns out all that was a facade. He didn't play to win always. There were games in Pakistan and India that he threw. He even tempted others to follow him. It's sick. I can't take this betrayal. Don't portray the image that you are a nice, pious man and do this. Gibbs never had that kind of image, and so I wasn't shocked or sad. But this man, this seemingly perfect Christian, betrayed us."
I didn't say anything but the mind went back to a conversation with Lance Klusener last October. Klusener said his first reaction, like that of White, was denial. Though he knew something must be wrong, he couldn't believe Cronje could be involved so seriously. After all these years it was not for him to judge Cronje, he said.
"It's a very very sad story. Every single person has his or her own temptations. It's just unfortunate that his was so public, you know. Each person lives with the temptations. Suddenly there is a spotlight on him on international TV. It's unfortunate. If you said that you haven't ever succumbed to a temptation - whatever be it - you are not probably telling the truth."
Klusener said he never got around to talking with Cronje about it. Before they could, Cronje met with a fatal accident. "He wasn't ready to talk about it initially and he was getting ready to talk when it happened. That's just the sad thing - that we didn't get to have a chat after that."
Klusener never got over his captain's death. "He was a dear friend of mine. We didn't have anything to patch up. I just wanted to talk again."
Cronje is still a touchy subject that gets varied reactions in South Africa. But he is never going to be remembered as just a cricketer here. An asterisk will be permanently attached to him. For some it's a mistake that they have forgotten, for others he committed a sin for which there is no forgiveness.

Sriram Veera is a staff writer at Cricinfo