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Symcox's June 7 testimony

COMMISSIONER: I think, Mr Gauntlett, I'm going to call on you, and go down in the direction away from you.

CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR GAUNTLETT: Thank you, Mr COMMISSIONER. Mr Symcox you've described quite graphically the state of mind of the team as it faced the prospect of playing that benefit match, and that as I think you indicated, they were most disenchanted with the fact that the game was going ahead in the circumstances you've described. That applied generally to the players, did it? Was it a sort of general state of mind, nobody was particularly keen on the game?

MR SYMCOX: Definitely not.

MR GAUNTLETT: Yes. No, but I mean, it's important that there were not a couple who were doing press-ups at the prospect and really pushing for the game.

MR SYMCOX: No, definitely not. No, I don't remember one single person wanting to play that as One-day Test.

MR GAUNTLETT: So that state of mind then, we can take it had nothing to do with the fact that very different reactions followed to the offers which you've described. In other words, it's not that there were those, who like Fanie de Villiers, were physically sick, which influenced them, and there were others who were particularly fit. Everybody didn't want to play that game.

MR SYMCOX: That's how I remember it.

MR GAUNTLETT: And that general state of mind then, had nothing to do with the reactions to the offer which followed. Is that right?

MR SYMCOX: That's correct.

MR GAUNTLETT: Mr Symcox, I think you answered the COMMISSIONER that you took the proposal conveyed by Cronje in the way you've described as being a serious proposal. Is that right?

MR SYMCOX: Yes.

MR GAUNTLETT: And secondly, I take it from you answer, that it was considered very seriously by you and a number of other team mates.

MR SYMCOX: Yes.

MR GAUNTLETT: From which I would think it would follow that in circumstances, you and others would seriously respond to the serious offer by seriously taking it. Is that right?

MR SYMCOX: Sorry, repeat that again. It sounds hell of a complicated.

MR GAUNTLETT: No, it's not that hard. It's this. It's a serious offer, and you took it seriously. As far as you're concerned, Mr Symcox, had the mood gone the other way in the room? Had a few other spoken out? Could that offer have been accepted?

MR SYMCOX: I don't believe so.

MR GAUNTLETT: You don't? Do you believe that there was no prospect of that offer being accepted that day? The first time it was conveyed to you?

MR SYMCOX: Just say it again, please. My mind ...(intervention)

MR GAUNTLETT: Yes. Do you believe that there was no prospect of the offer being accepted at the team meeting you've described?

MR SYMCOX: I would have been very surprised if that team, that day took such an offer, because there was a lot of resentment to it in that room.

MR GAUNTLETT: You see, because this ...(intervention)

MR SYMCOX: And had - sorry, thanks. And had they in any way - if there were people that were serious, yes, listen first and then thought they would go further with it, it would never have even got to that point.

MR GAUNTLETT: Well, could you just then explain to the COMMISSIONER what you mean by the statement, in paragraph 5.7 of your written statement, where you conclude by saying:

"We did take it seriously at the time."

Just in your own words, would you tell the COMMISSIONER what does it mean to take a serious offer seriously at the time?

MR SYMCOX: Well, when you get called to - asked to go to a meeting, and it's - an offer is put to you, no matter what it is, you take it seriously up front, and you listen, and you digest it. I think that it taking it seriously. And then if it gets rejected out of hand after that, then that's where it is. It's rejected. But that doesn't mean to say you haven't taken it seriously.

MR GAUNTLETT: I see. So the short point though, and I think you've answered that already to the COMMISSIONER, is that certainly your own state of mind was not one of outright rejection.

MR SYMCOX: Not initially. You'd like - it's nice to hear what was going on.

MR GAUNTLETT: I'm sorry? What is nice ...(intervention)

MR SYMCOX: Not initially. Initially, I wanted to hear - we all wanted to hear.

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