NEWS
COLUMNS
MATCH REPORT
INTERVIEWS
GALLERY
SCHEDULES

The Rediff Cricket Interview / Hansie Cronje

'If I had scored one run we would have won the World Cup'

How was it when you were having a rough time with your batting, when you were leading the side? What were the thoughts that were going through your mind? Have you ever thought of quitting?

I have never ever put my own game in front of a team goal, which is to win every single game and to try and be number one in the world. That is my goal as a captain. Whether I score 100 runs or no runs doesn't really matter; I just have to try and make sure that the team performs as well as it can; if I can make a contribution, whether it be with bat or ball or captaincy.

Do think that the ICC needs to take a look at the scheduling of matches? You don't think it is too much?

I think the scheduling is under the individual boards, not really the ICC. In South Africa, the players do get involved in the decision making about tours and we enjoy playing the amount of one-day matches we play. I would say we are doing between 10 to 12 Test matches a year and between 25 and 30 one-day internationals a year. There may be one or two cases, but I feel that in the ten years we have been back in international cricket I don't think it is.

You made a statement sometime ago that you were going to coach Glamorgan? What has happened to that? What was the reason?

I was going to. I agreed with them the terms, but there was too much in the winter and from the Australian point of view, the Sri Lankan tour, and once again Australia in Singapore... So there are too many commitments.

Has it got anything to do with your differences with the Board or something?

The deal was done before the differences with the selectors.

What is your take on Ray White lashing out at Rushdi Magiet?

Well look, it is two sides of the story. You have to look at both sides, and in South Africa there has been quite a bit of racial tension in the last ten years and you are going to have the odd racial incident. But at the end of the day it is two sides of the story.

You are a very religious person ...

Yes, I am a Christian. In 1992 I was involved in an accident where a little child was killed. That time was a very emotional time for me and that's when I dedicated my life to Jesus Christ.

Where did this happen?

In Durban.

Where do you look at from here?

I think that obviously for South Africa I look and try to get South Africa at the top of the ladder in Test cricket and in one-day cricket.

What are your thoughts for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa?

Look, I think it is always difficult for the home side to win because there is so much expectation. But we definitely are going to use the advantage to play at home and South Africa has just got to make sure that they are prepared for that.

A lot has been spoken about the World Cup '99, what kind of effect did it have on the team?

It is never going to go away as much as any one says it does. It is never going to go away because we came so close to getting into the World Cup final and what every player wants to do in one-day cricket is to go to the World Cup final. It was very disappointing losing that semi-final. But what was great was that every single player looked at himself and said where did I make a mistake, rather than pointing fingers at anyone else. And that was great about the World Cup. It taught us a lot about ourselves and I think you've got to stand up from here and make the most of it.

If you got to put your finger on one thing that went wrong in the World Cup, what would you put it on?

In the World Cup semi-final I scored a duck. If I had scored one run we would have won the World Cup.

What was the emotion or what was going through your mind about the run out?

That is exactly the emotion that went through my mind. If only I had scored one run we would have won.

Who is your role model as a captain?

I looked up at Clive Lloyd as a captain, and as a player I looked up at Viv Richards. But also there were some players in South Africa. People like Clive Rice, Dave Richards, Graham Pollock; those were a great players.

What is the reason that there is a dearth of spinners in South Africa? What would you attribute that to?

I would attribute that to two things. One is our tracks in South Africa are not conducive to spin and the other thing is our one-day competition. Play with two new balls and it is only 45 overs. So by the end of the 45 overs the ball is only 22 overs old.

Something is being done about that?

No, nothing is being done about it.

If you were to suggest what would you do?

I would go back to 50 overs, one white ball, same rules as international cricket and also I would allow my tracks to be more spinner friendly.

If there is one change you want to make in international cricket what suggestion would it be?

Keep the white ball white. It doesn't stay white for long enough. There is too much changing of white balls. If somebody can get up an idea to keep the white ball white then it will be great.

PART I:

'Whether it be cricket or rugby or soccer or any other sport, we want to be number one in the world'

Interviews