The Transcript of the Hansie: Cronje Interview - Part II

Mike: Bertha? Were you happy with that explanation?

Bertha: Ya, well, what Hansie said to me on the 7th, ya he said that it wasn’t true I mean that’s not what happened, so, I didn’t doubt at all.

Mike: Hang on a sec, I mean that’s very different to some of the stories I’ve heard in the change room, Hansie, and lunchtime when things are not going well, ranting and raving?

Hansie: No, that’s only once or twice during the 188 matches that I played. I do get moody at times, not so much now, I’ve tried throughout my career not to bring the office home, and often been criticised for not sharing more from what happens on the cricket field and in the change room at home and I don't believe I get that moody, I mean, yes, there were times when I get disappointed, and often times when you use that as motivation for the rest of the players. Towards the end of the tour in 1996 in India, I was getting a little bit moody and grumpy because of the length of the tour and the fact that we didn’t win that series, I was getting very upset about it.

Mike: And also no doubt the extra pressure that has been placed upon you.

Hansie: Ya, I mean those were my own mistakes and my own faults and I should of known better.

Mike: Bertha:, I would imagine that a really difficult time would of been from the moment that the truth came out through the King commission starting. It must of been desperate for you to try and come to terms with what has happened?

Bertha: Ya, it was very difficult, as I said before I had many emotions the last few months and that was a very difficult time but as I said before with the bad came the good and I didn’t realise that there was so much compassion and sympathy out there and so many wonderful people.

Mike: Hansie, so you didn’t read to much of the papers on this whole issue and obviously saw things from time to time. Bertha, did you keep up the speed or did you also try not to keep in touch.

Bertha: I tried not to read to many but somehow you tend to find out a little bit here or there so one tells you this or that so, but ya, we tried to stay away and just focus on other things.

Mike: Did you watch the King commission?

Bertha: Yes I watched it, it watched it ya.

Mike: Must of been tough as well, its been a terrible time.

Bertha: It was very tough but I was very fortunate, my folks were there for a week and my mother and father in law and sister in laws were there and they gave us great support.

Marianne And you were very fortunate that you were in a safe hiding place, and that the press didn’t find you where you were staying and hounding you the whole time.

Bertha: Ya that was a small miracle in itself.

Marianne Hansie:, it just seems to someone like me who isn’t as involved in cricket that someone like Shane Warne who did similar things got away a lot easier and that the same crime wasn’t punished as big as it was in South Africa, what do you think of that?

Hansie: Once again you know, its not really for me to judge on the Australians or on other players, the Australian cricket board took the steps that they thought was necessary and handled it their way, I think we’ve got to give credit to the way it was handled here as supposed to there.

Mike: I think that is an important issue, I think maybe the Australian cricket board handled that issue was disgraceful trying to push it under the carpet, it eventually came out but then the damage have been done, crime is committed a long time ago, lets call it a crime I suppose, but then again Hansie, lets just pick up from what Marianne was saying, the punishment they got was very very mild compare to the situation you’re in now.

Hansie: Ya, I suppose being in it myself I would settle for their punishment, no once again you know, its up to the various cricket boards and the ICC to decide on the penalties for players. Not for one minute am I going to talk and try and talk this episode good, I realised that I made a mistake and I was wrong.

Mike: Bertha, did you have anything whatsoever, that this sort of thing goes on in cricket worldwide?

Bertha: No, no, I didn’t realise that, I obviously heard of the Shane Warne and Mark Waugh incident but no, I didn’t realise that it was going on or that it was such a huge thing, no.

Mike: I think something that is coming across loud and clear is that Hansie, particularly you, you’re very determent to actually confront this and deal with the whole issue it all and if you did actually leave South Africa forever you’d both think it was running away.

Hansie: Ya, I just believe that South Africa has got so much potential as a country and the fantastic work that the politicians have done, administrators of sport in getting us back in to international sport, back in to the international arena, there’s just so much to offer in this country, also from a business point of view, the globalisation, I think there is so many opportunities and potential. I certainly wanna make a difference in this country and to see this country go from strength to strength not only on the sporting field but also in business.

Mike:Bertha, did you enjoy being the wife of the South African skipper?

Bertha: I’ve never seen myself as the wife of the South African skipper, he’s been Hansie to me ever since I’ve known him, but is wonderful being his wife, yes.

Mike: And what does it feel like now, being the wife of Hansie Cronje?

Bertha: Still the same, still wonderful.

Hansie: Thanks

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