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Cronje's June 22 testimony

MR CRONJE: The last time that I spoke to Mr Aronstam was on a bus trip travelling towards the Mumbai hotel, after the second test match, and I never spoke to Mr Aronstam during the One-day series in India. I think part of the reason of that might be the fact that most of the time, our cellphones didn't have reception during the one day series and I don't think that I ever spoke to him until our return to South Africa.

MS BATOHI: Yes, but that may well be the case, however Mr Aronstam seems to think now that the reason why you had actually cooled off was because you had Sanjay now whose money obviously, who was offering a lot more money than he could possibly give you.

MR CRONJE: I don't think that is the case, I cannot speak for Mr Aronstam, but that certainly wasn't the case from my side.

MS BATOHI: Just one thing before I move on, during the discussions between you and Mr Aronstam, is it correct that he used the codename Anthony in his dealings with you?

MR CRONJE: He phoned me during the first test match in Mumbai and said whenever he speaks to me, he is not going to mention his own name on the telephone.

MS BATOHI: Do you know why that was the case, why was that necessary?

MR CRONJE: I don't think that he was comfortable speaking on the telephone in the hotel.

MS BATOHI: At a later stage, during subsequent telephonic discussions between you and Mr Aronstam, did you in fact change codenames, both of you?

MR CRONJE: I have always called Mr Aronstam Boet or Boetie.

MS BATOHI: Well, that is what he would say that after the storm, after the 7th of April, when he contacted you, if you will bear with me, after the 7th of April, that it was then that you had said that if you contact each other, that you must use those names, so that basically people won't realise that the two of you were in contact with each other, is that correct?

MR CRONJE: I was nervous about who I talked to afterwards and yes, I said to him that I would call him Boet.

MS BATOHI: Mr Cronjé, I just want to clarify this, as far as that Centurion match is concerned, was it on your part a genuine attempt to entertain the public and to save that match or did you declare also knowing that it is what Mr Aronstam had suggested and wanted and that at the end of the day, you were going to get something for that?

MR CRONJE: I genuinely believed that it was the right move for cricket, but as I have said to you before, the fact that I had even spoken to Mr Aronstam and even entertained the thought in my mind, was wrong.

MS BATOHI: You see because your decision on that day, surprised a lot of people, including your teammates and it seemed totally out of character, can you comment on that?

MR CRONJE: I think that at the time Mr Aronstam had convinced me that my public image was very low, and that I needed to do something about it. I think that some of my teammates were also surprised about the decision in New Zealand in 1995 during the centenary test match.

MS BATOHI: I just want to put to you what Allan Donald writes in his autobiography, "White Lightning" and I want your comment on it, dealing with this particular issue. He says - "I know that some of the players were very, very surprised. I know Nasser didn't want to chase 270 (that was your original offer I believe), that was too steep, but to leave them 240 in 72 overs, for me was just ridiculous. I thought at the time that 2-0 was better than 201. I cannot think of any other captain who would have done that. It just seemed very odd." Can you comment on that?

MR CRONJE: Yes, Mr Donald reserves the right to write whatever he wants and anybody who chases more than 90 runs in a session in test cricket, has done really well. You will see that in test cricket not a lot of people score more than 90 runs a session, and if you leave somebody too steep a target, they won't go for it anyway, and in other words you won't have an opportunity to take wickets. In order to take wickets in cricket you've got to leave somebody the opportunity to in fact get there, and by them playing a little bit more positively, a little bit more freely, you will have the opportunity of bowling them out. Our bonus system with the United Cricket Board is also based on the fact that you get paid for wins, and part of my decision to declare had to do with the fact that if in fact we can get a win, we have the opportunity to win, we can get an extra incentive bonus from the United Cricket Board. The Wisdon Cricket Ratings also work in a way that if in fact you win a match, your points are more and the Australians had won six matches out of six, and I was pretty keen on chasing that.

MS BATOHI: You also put the number of test match wins if I correctly recall, at risk, is that correct?

MR CRONJE: You always put that at risk when you go on the field and play and when you made a declaration, you live by the sword as a captain. Whatever decision you make, you live by it.

MS BATOHI: Is it correct that if, no, I withdraw that ...

MR CRONJE: You see, Ms Batohi, I am not trying to come up for myself, but in Port Elizabeth, when I didn't declare, there was a lot of criticism and a lot of attack from public and from media, when I didn't declare. And at the time when Mr Aronstam approached me, I was really down, I really wanted to have a bit of sympathy and his approach was a very good one to me, and it gave me a genuine opportunity to give something back to the public and to improve my image. It also fell in very nicely with the meeting we had earlier that afternoon with the United Cricket Board's Managing Director, Dr Bacher, where he wanted to find out from Nasser Hussain and myself, whether in fact we could turn the game into a One-day international or not.

MS BATOHI: Mr Cullinan, if I have it correctly, after this match, announced his retirement from One-day internationals, is that correct?

MR CRONJE: You are hundred percent correct, Mr Cullinan had a press conference on the evening of the third day where he announced his retirement. So in other words the decision had not been made at the time.

MS BATOHI: Were you surprised by this announcement?

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