5 Controversial declarations in cricket history

2. When Hansie Cronje sold Test cricket for R53,000 and a leather jacket

At the time, it looked like an epitome of sporting decisions. Here were two captains consulting each other to strike a deal in order to breathe life into a Test match that was dying a soggy death after three days had been washed out due to rain.

It was the fourth Test match of the series, and with South Africa has already won the rubber, it looked like players would go through the motions on the final day. South Africa had been inserted in on what was a juicy Centurion pitch on the first morning. With conditions so much in favour of the bowlers, the home side stumbled to 6-155 before the rain made its first presence.

That presence would last for three and a half days, and with just a solitary day to go, Hansie Cronje came up with an offer to his English counterparts before the start of the final day. Cronje suggested that both South Africa and England should forfeit one inning each, and offered the visitors a target of 270 in 73 overs.

England was clearly taken aback at the offer and told Hansie that they would first look at the pitch before giving the final nod. The pitch, as England found out, had eased out considerably as Lance Klusener and Shaun Pollock added vital runs in the first 40 minutes of play.

That was enough to convince Hussain and he sent the message to Cronje if he was still interested in the deal. Hussain aimed low at chasing 250. Finally, it was agreed that England would have to chase down 245 runs in 76 overs, something they achieved on the first ball of the final over.

Cronje’s decision was looked upon with incredible bewilderment. Michael Atherton termed it as the ‘cheapest win of his Test career’. But no one really had suspected Cronje’s original motives. Four months later, it all came ahead when Cronje accepted during a King’s commission inquiry, that his decision was influenced by a bookmaker, who had offered him $150,000 if he declared. Cronje revealed that the bookmaker met him after the Test and offered him R53,000 and a leather jacket- the price for the first fixed Test match in the history of cricket.