Cricket: Doig on attack over length of players' ban

By RICHARD BOOCK

A furore is brewing over South Africa's lenient treatment of disgraced cricketers Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams.

The pair were yesterday fined and banned from international cricket until the end of the year for accepting $US15,000 ($35,000) bribes to underperform in a one-day match against India.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Chris Doig has already described the penalties as inadequate, and believes the International Cricket Council's new Code of Conduct Commission could be justified in calling for additional sanctions.

"I'm surprised and disappointed," Doig said of the six-month bans, which have been applied retrospectively and will end on December 31.

"We're not privy to all the details, but the message which came out of the recent ICC meeting was quite unequivocal - to provide a penalty which would act as a deterrent against future offences.

"The ICC agreement seemed to be that if any member countries uncovered a guilty party, the penalty would be designed to carry a clear message for everyone involved in the game."

Doig questioned whether the United Cricket Board (UCB) of South Africa had managed that during the latest turn of events, and he refused to accept that Gibbs' and Williams' cases were clouded by mitigating circumstances.

In the one-day international in Nagpur, Gibbs agreed to score fewer than 20 runs but went on to smack 73 off 53 balls, saying that once out on the pitch he had "forgotten" to go through with the deal.

Paceman William reneged on the arrangement as well, pulling up injured after just 11 balls.

"I would have thought that conspiracy to commit an offence was an extremely serious matter," said Doig. "Both players acknowledged they were prepared to enter into an inappropriate arrangement, and I just wonder whether the penalty was sufficient."

A third player, Pieter Strydom, was acquitted of conspiring to bet on the outcome of the Centurion Park test against England in January.

Gibbs was ordered to pay a R60,000 ($20,000) fine by October 31, while Williams was fined R10,000 ($3300). Both are allowed to play domestic cricket for their provinces.

The sanctions marked the most recent chapter in a scandal which erupted earlier this year when Indian police recorded phone conversations between former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje and a bookmaker.

Cronje, who later admitted taking payments in exchange for match information, will hear what formal penalties he faces at the end of a Government-appointed inquiry.

UCB disciplinary committee member Michael Kuper told reporters yesterday that the sentences were designed to balance the interests of the players with those of the game. The panel took into account the influence Cronje held over the younger players, the fact that they did not deliver the promised under-performance, and that they were never paid.

While Strydom's exoneration was expected, Gibbs and Williams were looking at anything from a slap on the wrist to a life ban from the game.

"We have given proper consideration to the rules of the ICC, but felt that the imposition of a life ban would go beyond what is fair and proper under these circumstances," said Kuper. "They've been publicly exposed, and they've publicly apologised. It was a betrayal of the honour and spirit of the game, and the stain on their reputations may well be ineradicable."

UCB managing director Ali Bacher said the mitigating factors were important.

"The ultimate findings were unanimous by three top legal experts in South Africa, so who are we to dispute this?"

Bacher said he spoke to the two players, who did not attend Monday's announcement.

"Henry Williams said he found the sentence fair and also said it was a very stressful period in his life and that he was looking forward to starting afresh." Gibbs said in a statement that he was grateful both to be allowed to continue to play cricket at a provincial level and to press for reselection in the national side.

"I am obviously bitterly disappointed," he said.

"Since April, my life has been in complete turmoil.

"The past four months have been the worst of my life.

"I've had an opportunity to reflect on my actions in Nagpur and have come to appreciate fully my stupidity.

"I can but once again apologise to the South African public in general and in particular to my team-mates, the United Cricket Board and its managing director, Dr Ali Bacher.

"I have learned my lesson and I hope sincerely that my experience will serve as a reminder to anyone who finds himself in a similar situation."

If Gibbs and Williams pay their fines they could be eligible for selection for the Proteas' tour to the West Indies next year.

But they will miss this summer's series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Williams, however, could square off against New Zealand as early as November, when his Boland province plays the tourists in a three-day match at Paarl.

South Africa captain Shaun Pollock said: "As a team, we accept what the UCB have come up with and we respect the judgment of the disciplinary committee."