Cronje to challenge life ban in court

Lawyers for sacked cricket captain Hansie Cronje have lodged a court application to overturn a life ban imposed by the United Cricket Board of South Africa for fixing matches, it was reported on Sunday. The UCBSA responded that it would defend the ban in court.

Cronje's attorney Leslie Sackstein said from Bloemfontein that a 100-page document had been filed with the Pretoria High Court seeking to declare the ban unlawful, the SAPA news agency reported.

"We've always held the view that what they (the UCB) did was unlawful," Sackstein said.

UCBSA spokeswoman Bronwyn Wilkinson said: "The general council of the UCB have instructed their legal team to oppose the action."

The board announced its intention in October to ban Cronje from all aspects of game after firing him in April when he admitted to taking money from gamblers.

The ban was made official in November after Cronje failed to respond.

Cronje's lawyers have insisted that the former captain told the truth to the King Commission, established in the wake of his admissions to probe corruption in cricket, and does not deserve a life ban, which would deprive him of a means to earn a living.

Mail Cricket Editor