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SA cricket administration in state of seige

In South Africa, especially among the cricket administration, a state of seige persists.

Determined that no adverse comment, or conflicting statement, leak out, the SA administration has according to informed sources begun monitoring the telephones of players and administrators alike.

All officials attached to the South African cricket administration have been prohibited from talking to the media about the match-fixing controversy.

When we tried to contact various senior officials, it took on the dimensions of a spy story. 'Don't call me on this phone, it's tapped,' I was told by a very senior official, who gave me an alternate number to call.

Meanwhile, at 2000 IST, the entire South African cricket administration was closeted in emergency conference, with the likes of Dr Ali Bacher, team manager Ghoolam Rajah, and Rushdi Magiet, convenor of selectors, participating.

The consensus coming out of the meeting, thus far, is of solidarity and complete confidence in Cronje's integrity.

A senior official who attended the meeting told Rediff, "I think the story is untrue. They have too much pride to let money affect them. If this is true, however, then they are in lots of trouble."

Another senior official, again echoing the official line, said, "I am hundred percent sure that they don't do these things, and if they have then they are big trouble. Our code of conduct is so important, and Hansie is a gentleman. But they are innocent until they are proven guilty. But I will be surprised if they are found guilty."

Meanwhile, the controversy has reportedly sparked widespread anger among the SA public, with demands that South Africa snap ties -- and not just cricketing ties, either -- with India flooding into newspaper offices and radio stations.