035: The Match Fixing Scandal Of 2000
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The Match Fixing Scandal of 2000
Summary
1996 - Mohd. Azharuddin introduced Hansie Cronje to Mukesh Gupta - a bookie.
1996 Kanpur test - final day fixing - $30,000 - Mukesh Gupta Scorecard
$50,000 for team information, weather forecats and pitch report
Fixed matches: 1999-2000 Ind vs SA ODI Series - Results
Hansie Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje, Henry Williams, and Pieter Strydom said to be involved in fixing the matches
5th ODI - Gibbs asked to score less than 50 and Williams asked to give more than 50 runs - $15,000 (Cronje - $140,000) Scorecard
Gibbs scored 74 and Williams gets injured in his second over
How did it begin?
As per The New York Times, “The scandal began in India in 1997 when (Manoj) Prabhakar wrote, in a signed article in a Delhi-based magazine, that he was offered 2.5 million rupees ($53,000/Rs.25,00,000) by a teammate to underperform in a match against Pakistan in 1994.” Further Reading
Timeline
April 7, 2000 - Delhi police charge Cronje with fixing after transcripts of his conversation with a bookie, Sanjay Chawla.
April 9 - Cronje denies the allegations
April 11 - SA board sacks Cronje for giving forecast information for $10,000 to $15,000
April 12 - Centurion test (Eng vs SA) investigated Scorecard Further Reading
April 20 - Umpires Cyril Mitchley and Rudi Koertzen approached and they say they were approached to influence games for money at different points in their career
April 28 - Indian government submits the case to the CBI
The King Commission set up by South Africa to investigate into the matter.
June 7 - The King Commission gets a lead on a match against Pakistan in 1994-95, where Cronje was paid $250,000 to throw away an ODI.
June 8 - Gibbs confesses, breaking the foundation of Cronje’s claims.
June 9 - Nicky Boje shocked and rubbishes the claim - Henry Williams confesses - Peter Strydom confesses to being approached to play badly in a Test in February
June 10 - Cronje offered immunity for full disclosure
June 13 - Kallis corroborates with Boucher and Klusener about Cronje offering three players money for fixing the second test in Mumbai
June 15 - Cronje confesses to taking around $100,000 from bookers since 1996 and that he was introduced to them by Azharuddin. Azar rubbishes the allegation.
June 23 - Cronje breaks down and confesses everything during the three-day cross-examination held by the King Commission. He said, “My great passion for the game and for my team-mates’ was matched by an unfortunate love of money”.
June 26 - Cronje begs for forgiveness
July 20 - Income tax raid on Indian coach and former players Kapil Dev, former players Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Nayan Mongia and Nikhil Chopra.
August 28 - Gibbs and Williams banned for 6 months. Strydom acquitted of conspiring in the Centurion match.
September 12 - Kapil Dev resigns as Indian coach
October 11 - Life ban for Cronje
October 31 - Mukesh Gupta names Brian Lara, Dean Jones, Alec Stewart, Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Martin Crowe and Saleem Malik to be involved in match-fixing. But investigation leads to no solid evidence.
November 27 - Nayan Mongia found not guilty. Azhar found guilty of match-fixing. Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Sharma and former Indian team physio Ali Irani are found guilty of having links with the bookies.
December 5 - Azhar, Sharma banned for life. Jadeja banned for 5 years (overturned in 2003). Prabhakar and Irani banned from having official positions with the cricket team.
October 12, 2006 - Gibbs questioned by Delhi police. He says Derek Crookes is involved in the scandal as well. Crookes denies the allegations as he is already cleared by The King Commission.
July 22, 2013 - Delhi police finally files the FIR for the case.
Allegedly fixed matches:
4th Match, Wills World Series at Kanpur, Oct 30, 1994 - Scorecard Video
3rd Final, Silver Jubilee Independence Cup at Dhaka, Jan 18, 1998 - Scorecard Video
Further Reading
How the match-fixing drama unfolded