Sonn’s Hansie shock

Report by Herald Correspondent

Johannesburg – STILL reeling from the selection row, South African cricket faced another bombshell yesterday when UCB chief Percy Sonn declared he is prepared to forgive disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje and allow him to play a role in the nation’s cricket.

However, the International Cricket Council threw cold water on any hope of Cronje returning to cricket in the foreseeable future.

ICC chief executive officer Malcom Gray said the mood in the ICC was that the life ban on Cronje should remain.

Sonn’s comments came as a surprise to his board’s chief executive officer, Gerald Majola, who said yesterday he was “confused” by the statements. Sonn sparked controversy earlier in the week when he intervened in the selection of the Proteas side, insisting that coloured all-rounder Justin Ontong be included in the team currently involved in the third Test against Australia in Sydney.

Speaking yesterday at the Test in Sydney, Sonn said: “Who are we to damn people forever?”

Sonn, who once said Cronje was not fit to play beach cricket, said:

“Our board is not God in terms of determining what rehabilitation is sufficient. Hansie deserves to enjoy all the freedom of South African society. He is a child of the UCB.

“We will look at it but I am sure there is a place for Hansie in South African cricket and South African society in general. He is showing signs of remorse by doing some good work for an underprivileged sporting club.”

Cronje could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

In reaction, Majola said: “I have been hearing these things on the radio, but I am confused. As far as I am concerned, the status quo on both issues still remains. The last contact the UCB had on the Cronje issue was when his life ban was upheld in court and, as far as I am concerned, that is still the UCB’s position.”

He added: “There has been no suggestion of a return for Hansie and no new discussions.” On Sonn’s views, he said: “I should think that it could be his personal opinion and is not the UCB stance at all.” Majola reserved his personal view on whether Cronje should be allowed to play a role in South African cricket again.

Cronje is serving a life ban imposed 17 months ago by the UCB and endorsed by the game’s governing body, the ICC, after admitting to taking money to fix matches involving South Africa. A recent appeal by Cronje to overturn the ban was rejected in court last year.

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In Cape Town, UCB vice- president Robbie Kurz said Cronje could play a part in the future of South African cricket, but not yet. Kurz was keen to explain the wider context of Sonn’s remarks.

“I haven’t spoken with Percy but we’ve said all along that given time, rehabilitation and remorse there’s every opportunity that he (Cronje) can play a part in the future of South African cricket, although obviously he will never play again.

“It does not, however, mean that his return is in any way imminent. There are certainly no recommendations on the table at present,” Kurz said.

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EP Cricket Board president and UCB council member Ronnie Pillay said he had not heard the remarks ascribed to Sonn first-hand, writes Trevor Neethling.

“If Mr Sonn wants to raise this matter then he must do so and the board must decide on the merits of the argument.”

He said he was under the impression, however, that the UCB ban and South Africa’s official stance on the matter was supported by the ICC.

“So I am not so sure South Africa can now take (another) decision on the matter, especially with the ICCs attitude on match-fixing.”

Geoff Dakin, past president of the UCB, said Sonn’s statement was an about-turn on what he understood the official attitude to Cronje was.

“Despite this I am delighted to learn of this turnaround because I think that Cronje received very harsh treatment for his actions when one realises that so many other cricketers have been involved in similar activities.

“Certain cricketers have been punished. In my mind some have got away scot free when they should have been brought to book. I think particularly of the pathetic punishment meted out to Mark Waugh and Shane Warne when they were found guilty of disclosing certain information.

“Cronje has taken a severe rap, to be made an example of to those who misbehaved. This was grossly unfair. However, I will always regret in my mind what he did to his own team- mates, Gibbs and Williams.”

Meanwhile the furore sur- rounding Sonn’s decision to force the inclusion of Ontong in the national team continued yesterday with the sports ministry re-entering the fray.

Graham Abrahams, Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour’s spokesman, launched a scathing attack on former in- ternational players Clive Rice, Ray Jennings and Pat Symcox, saying they had made their money from apartheid cricket, but were not making any contribution to the game now.

Jennings coaches the East- erns cricket team, while Rice, now coaching in England, was a national selector before being ousted two years ago. Symcox played for SA until the late 1990s and now acts as a consultant for various provinces.

Symcox noted: “I never played for the Springboks or in the apartheid era. I played for the Proteas only after 1994.’’

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