Match-fixing scandal: Tight vigil around SA team

Hyderabad: The day Nicky Boje and Hershelle Gibbs opted out of the India tour it was clear that the one-day series will be played under the shadow of former South Africa captain, the late Hansie Cronje. Cronje had pointed fingers at Boje and Gibbs in the match-fixing scandal. For the first one-day international in Hyderabad today, the vigil around the South African team is extremely tight to guard against any scamsters. "We have the arrangements in place to see that people do not come in contact with the players. We have close proximate security,'' said Mahender Reddy, Commissioner, Cyberabad Police. Security issues ICC Match referee Jeff Crowe will be around at every one-day match venue to ensure the series remains free of any scandal. "The ICC takes security very very seriously as it should and there are issues regarding anti-corruption that it addresses,'' said Crowe. Boje and Gibbs opted out of the tour because the police in India said it will interrogate them if they came here. Boje and Gibbs were in the dock along with Cronje when the match-fixing scandal broke in 2000. "Nicky Boje for his experience and Herschelle Gibbs is right up there in the top five batsmen in the world. He just scored centuries at home in domestic cricket," said Mickey Arthur, coach, South Africa team. We are going to miss him greatly because he is a vital link in our batting department,'' he added. For members of the South African team, freedom of speech is not a luxury on this tour. The players can speak to an outsider only after being cleared by the team manager.