Cricket: Cronje's appeal threatens anti-graft drive

PRETORIA - Cricket's campaign against match-fixing will face its toughest test yet when Hansie Cronje goes to court next week to challenge his life ban.

Cronje was banished from all forms of organised cricket after admitting to the King commission in June last year that he had colluded with the game's gambling underworld and had accepted about $US130,000 ($319,567) in cash.

Next Thursday, Cronje and the United Cricket Board which banned him will square up in the High Court at Pretoria as the former South African captain takes on his former employers in an attempt to have his ban overturned.

Cronje's case will be argued in court by senior counsel Mike Maritz, who has earned a reputation for fiery cross-examination.

Cronje has expressed a desire to return to the game in a non-playing capacity, possibly in a coaching or media role.

But the UCB is determined to keep him away from all cricket played under its auspices, which involves international, provincial, club and school competitions.

All that is left for Cronje under the ban is private coaching.

He is unlikely to be granted media accreditation by the UCB, which will limit but not preclude his opportunities to report and commentate on cricket.

Cronje's lawyers are expected to argue that the ban places unfair economic restraints on him and that he could still be of use to the game.

Another significant argument will probably be that the UCB took action against Cronje without granting him a hearing.

But some say granting Cronje restitution so soon after his fall from grace - the scandal broke in April last year - could send a signal to corrupt cricketers and cricket's corrupters alike that the coast is clear and they can resume their activities.

Match-fixing has been investigated in every test-playing country, apart from England, but the South African inquiry has been hailed as the most thorough bid yet to come to terms with the extent of the problem.

The cricket world watched in shock and amazement as Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams told the King commission of their roles in the betting scandal.

Gibbs and Williams were fined and banned for six months each after a UCB hearing, and Cronje was banned for life.

The commission shed light on an illegal industry said to be worth millions of dollars a year, and led to the International Cricket Council forming an anti-corruption unit headed by former London police chief Sir Paul Condon.

That in itself represented a significant shift from the soft-handed approach cricket's authorities had taken towards match-fixing, which had been known of for decades but not dealt with.

The work would be undone if Cronje's ban were lifted, critics say. It would also bring the UCB into direct opposition with the ICC, which also banned Cronje, and could, in theory, lead to South Africa's exclusion from international cricket.

Meanwhile, Cronje, who is not expected to attend the court proceedings, is ensconced in his luxury home on Fancourt golf estate in George.

He kept a low profile for a year after tumbling into disgrace, but during that time reportedly earned 10 million rand ($2.82 million) from interviews.

Recently, he has made public appearances and delivered speeches at private functions and business breakfasts in what has been seen as a charm offensive before the case.

He has expressed his regret, admitted he erred and said he wants to get on with his life.

- REUTERS

Sir Paul Condon's report into match-fixing