Hansie Cronje Dead in Plane Crash

Sat, Jun 1, '02

Hansie Cronje was killed when a plane in which he was a passenger crashed into a mountain in the far south of the country, sports ministry spokesman Graham Abrahams said.

"We have heard the news, we are still trying to recover," he told the SAPA news agency. "It's a shock."

The agency quoted Cronje's cousin Frans Cronje as saying that the plane, which had taken off from the central city of Bloemfontein, crashed into the rugged Outeniqua range near the town of George.

He said the weather was bad as the plane tried to land at George around 6.45 am and that the pilot had apparently decided to go round again.

There was no immediate word on the other occupants of the plane, which SAPA described as a cargo plane.

It reported before Abrahams' announcement that the crew of rescue helicopters had seen three people lying on the ground at the site, but had been unable to immediately confirm if they were alive or dead.

Cronje, who was captain of the national team, was forced out of the side after the match-fixing scandal broke in 2000.

He received a life ban from the United Cricket Board of South Africa after admitting before a commission of inquiry that he accepted $100,000 from Indian bookmakers and offered other players money to underperform.

South African captain Shaun Pollock left the field of Warwickshire?s County Championship match against Hampshire in shock after hearing that Cronje had been killed, his wife Trish told SAPA.

She said her husband was so devastated that he could not finish the game. "He needs a few hours to recover," she said.

Ian Botham told Sky Sports: "It's very bad news. But people will forget the good things he did and he'll be remembered for the wrong reasons. It's very sad - this will be a tough time for his family."

SOURCE: WISDEN ONLINE.