The Hansie Cronje scandal may have been sparked by a tipoff from champion South African allrounder Lance Klusener, who reportedly told Indian police about his captain's link to illegal bookmakers.
Klusener - player of the tournament in the World Cup last year - argued with Cronje in the lobby of a New Delhi hotel, after which he contacted the police, according to the Gulf News, published in Dubai.
The paper quoted a police officer saying that Cronje's mobile phone was tapped as a result of the Klusener tip. However, Klusener said he knew "nothing of this entire issue."
"I have never had an argument with anyone. This is ridiculous. It's absolutely crazy. I did not know there was something on the go."
A transcript of an alleged conversation between Cronje and a bookmaker appears to exon-erate Klusener. When the bookmaker asked if Klusener was part of the deal, Cronje replied, "No, no. Impossible. Impossible."
Full transcript of the "Cronje" tape.
Cricket: Klusener dobbed in Cronje
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