Hansie Cronje - A Memory of a Hero

Hi All

I thought I would start this blog with something that I am pretty sure most people will remember and is only a quick flash back. I take you back to 26th February 1992, when Wessel Johannes Cronje (or otherwise known as Hansie Cronje) made his debut to international cricket against Australia. From there he went on to play international cricket for South Africa till March 2000. During this time Hansie played 162 consecutive ODI matches for South Africa which was a South African Record.

Hansie was one of the greats of South African Cricket, he captained the South African team and he was a fantastic all rounder. Unfortunately he was had up for match fixing, which came to light in the year 2000. Where after there were court cases and high commissions that in the end, in October 2000, banned Hansie from ever playing cricket or coaching cricket for life.

In Short Hansie's cricket life was over, on 1 June 2002 Hansie was involved in a plane crash the Outeniqua Mountains where he and the two pilots died. Since then there was inquiries into the plane crash and the match fixing. The whole case and basically the whole memory of Hansie Cronje has gone quite since 2007.

To me I remember Hansie as a hero of South African cricket and a player to remember. The match fixing was a downer on his whole career and memory but I still don't think you can take away from the cricketer he was. Why not leave some comments on the memories you have of Hansie Cronje. What matches specifically do you remember or was there a specific incident in his life that you remember?