Fri, Nov 05, 2004 - Page 22 News List

Australia battles on spiteful wicket

TURNER AND BOUNCER Australia, having ripped the heart out of the Indian batting line-up, struggled to come to terms with a wicket favoring every type of bowling

AFP , MUMBAY AND JOHANNESBURG

"Nicky Boje today withdrew from the South African cricket team to tour India next week after attempting in vain to get a written assurance from the Delhi police that he would not be arrested," said team spokesman Gerald de Kock.

Boje's decision came in the wake of a meeting between South Africa's chief envoy Desmond Nxiweni and Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul on Wednesday, in which Nxiweni sought assurances that the cricketer would not be detained.

Indian police are probing the alleged involvement of both Gibbs and Boje in the scandal, with both cricketers having received questionnaires which they have been asked to complete.

Both men said they feared arrest by the Indian police if they were to set foot in the country.

Gibbs was slapped with a six-month ban from international cricket while Cronje got a life ban after tearfully admitting before a commission headed by South African judge Edwin King that he took money from bookmakers and paid some players, including Gibbs, to underperform dating back to March to April 2000.

Boje was cleared by the commission, but said on Wednesday he would not be going to India in the place of dropped vice captain Mark Boucher, who has been under-performing of late.

"In these circumstances, I have taken the advice of my lawyers and will not tour," he said in the same statement.

United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) chief Gerald Majola said it was up to Boje to decide whether he should tour or not.

"The UCBSA and Nicky have consistently pledged their co-operation with the Indian police authorities, but wanted to do this in a controlled environment and backed by a written assurance that he will not be detained or arrested," he said.

"This assurance was not forthcoming and we now respect Nicky's decision to take legal advice and make himself unavailable for the tour," he said.

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