When former South African captain Hansie Cronje (pronounced Cron-yeah, with the emphasis on the second syllable) admitted to match-fixing allegations in 2000, the United Cricket Board of South Africa had no option but to ban him for life.

Born in Bloemfontein on September 25, 1969 and educated at Grey College, he advanced through the ranks to captain the SA Nuffield team in 1987, and thereafter Free State and South Africa.

When South Africa were re-admitted to world cricket, Cronje was chosen to accompany the first touring team to India in 1991 as a reserve, but months later he was a member of the World Cup squad that played in Australia and New Zealand. 

He made his Test debut against the West Indies at Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1992 with little success. and then was not considered for the first home Test against India later the same year. 

He was recalled for the second Test and then made 136 runs – his Test highest – in the third Test at Port Elizabeth in a victory for the home team. He hit another century in the South African win against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 1993-94.

It was clear from a young age that he was being groomed as successor to Kepler Wessels, both as captain of Orange Free State as well as the national side. He achieved the first objective at 21 and then acted as an inspired replacement when Wessels suffered a broken finger at Sydney in 1991.

He was skipper on the final day, when the Australians needed just 120 runs to win, but were bowled out for 108.

His official term of office began at home against New Zealand later that year and through proactive captaincy, South Africa enjoyed some stirring and spectacular wins.

South Africa lost the first Test but returned to win the next two and claim the three-match series, with Cronje the first captain to achieve such a feat. 

In the New Zealand centenary Test a month later, the then national coach Bob Woolmer openly criticised a generous sub-300 declaration, but was confounded by another South African win fired by the bold Cronje declaration.

In early 2000, Cronje had come under fire from cricket purists when he and England captain Nasser Hussain agreed to forfeit an innings each in the rain-ruined fifth Test at Centurion Park in Pretoria.

It was the first occasion in Test-match history that an innings had been forfeited and his decision to do so was brought up during the King Commission of Inquiry held in June 2000. 

During the inquiry, Cronje admitted to receiving large sums of money from Indian bookmakers, but denied that he had ever thrown a match for money. 

Test cricket offers players a second innings. But fate was not so kind to Cronje.

The great skipper was laid to rest on Friday in Bloemfontein, his home town.