Match fixing is raising its ugly face once again as South Arica Cricket is bracing itself for its biggest match-fixing scandal since the Hansie Cronje affair. The match-fixing investigation stems from last year’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge in which the Titans beat the Dolphins in the final.
According to reports in a leading daily, several top players may be banned for up to 20 years – or more following the ongoing investigation into the match-fixing scandal that rocked South African cricket earlier this year. The reports have not included the names yet but it does tell that those involved in spot-fixing will be facing an extended ban for 20 years. At least one former Proteas player faces a lifetime ban.
Earlier this year in January, news of big South African players being involved in match-fixing scandal broke out. Gulam Bodi, who plied his trade for Lions, Titans, Dolphins, has already confessed his involvement in the match-fixing scandal and was slapped with a lengthy 20-year ban.
Gulam Bodi’s international representation was limited to two ODIs and one T20 for South Africa. The tainted batsman made his ODI debut in 2007 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, scoring 51 and 32 in the series, while his only appearance in T20 came later that year in Port Elizabeth against the West Indies. He had a forgettable debut of his T20 career as he could score only eight.
Two high-profile names involved in this scandal were batsman Alviro Petersen and bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe . They publicly admitted that they were being investigated.
According to reports in Sunday Times, the investigations of these two players are complete now. When contacted on Sunday, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said they were unable to comment on the matter as the investigation was still ongoing.
The competition has struggled to attract crowds and does not have the financial power to attract big-name overseas players, with Kevin Pietersen being its only notable star. Match fixing scandal was the last thing CSA officials would have wanted. The latest scandal will surely tarnish the image of this tournament.