Cricket: South Africa hands Cronje life ban

1:00 PM

The disgraced former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje has been banned for life by his country's cricket board.

The United Cricket Board passed the ban on Cronje, who admitted receiving money from bookmakers in exchange for information on matches.

The ban extends to all the UCB's related cricket activities as well as that of their affiliates, a board statement said.

Cronje was axed as national captain in April, after Indian officials said they had tape recordings of his conversations with an Indian bookmaker during the team's tour of the subcontinent earlier this year.

After initially denied any wrongdoing, Cronje admitted to the King Commission in June that he received tens of thousands of US dollars from gamblers and bookmakers on five occasions between 1996 and 2000.

He also confessed that he offered team-mates money in exchange for underperforming in Test matches.

The board said it took into account the evidence Cronje presented to the public inquiry and his public declaration that he has severed all ties with cricket falling under the board's jurisdiction.

The commission will resume hearings into the matter next month and is likely to make recommendations to the government by early December.

- INDEPENDENT