Wessel Johannes Cronje also known as “Hansie” Cronje was a South African International cricketer. He also served as the captain of the South African national cricket team in the 1990s.
Here’s some interesting facts to about him:
1. Hansie Cronje was an excellent all-round sportsman. He represented Orange Free State Province in cricket and rugby at school level and also captained the team.
2. Hansie Cronje started his Firts-class career at an early age of 18. He became the captain of Orange Free State and the South African national team at an early age of 21 and 24 respectively.
3. In the second season of the First-class cricket debut, the momentum of recognition came during the final of the Benson and Hedges series, where Hansie Cronje scored 73 opening the innings and help his side win the game.
4. Hansie Cronje made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Australia in 1992 World Cup.
5. Hansie Cronje’s First test debut against West Indies didn’t go well where Cronje managed to score only 5 runs in the first innings and 2 in the second innings of the match, which South Africa lost.
6. Hansie Cronje played for Leicestershire in the year 1995 and topped the run charts with 1,301 runs at 52.04.
7. Hansie Cronje appeared for Ireland as an overseas player and played an important part in winning their first-ever title against an English County side.
8. Hansie Cronje was a complete all-rounder. Apart from batting he was a good fielder, but was underrated bowler. His gentle medium pace though appeared to be non harmful in a line-up that had the likes of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Fanie de Villiers, but it was extremely effective. Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar once famously said in an interview that the only bowler who managed to unsettle him was Cronje, and that he didn t know what to do with him. Cronje dismissed Sachin five times in Tests.
9. Hansie Cronje was a leader since his childhood days. His record as a captain is impeccable. The 53 Tests in which he led South Africa, they won 27 and lost 11. In ODIs, he won 99 out of the 138 matches that led South Africa in. Hansie Cronje still holds the South African record for most matches won as captain in ODIs.
10. Cronje made 68 Test appearances for South Africa, scoring 3,714 runs at an average of 36.41, and taking 43 wickets at an average of 29.95. In his 188 ODI caps, he made 5,565 runs at an average of 38.64 and picked 114 wickets at an average of 34.78. His First-Class figures read 12,103 runs at 43.69 and 116 wickets at 34.43 from 184 games.
11. In April 2000, Cronje confessed of being involved in match-fixing. This came after the Delhi police had claimed so. As a result, Cronje was banned from any involvement in cricket for life.
12. On June 1, 2002 Cronje died after his aircraft crashed into the Outeniqua Mountains. He was travelling along with two pilots and all three died instantly.
