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Cronje's June 22 testimony

MR CRONJE: Did what happen, Ms Batohi?

MS BATOHI: This conversation take place between you and Sanjay, as far as you can recall, such a conversation?

MR CRONJE: I saw Sanjay on a lot of occasions in India. It could have happened, yes.

MS BATOHI: Can you recall him coming up to - how many times did you meet him in you hotel room in India?

MR CRONJE: Probably between 5 and 10 times.

MS BATOHI: This might be difficult, but the only indication of where you were when this conversation takes place is, "I am in 346." Is it possible for you to given the Commission any indication of where this conversation might have taken place?

MR CRONJE: Ms Batohi, I'm trying to help, I'm not trying to be against you, but it's impossible for me to remember all the hotel rooms that I was in.

COMMISSIONER: Did you stay in the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai? Can you remember that?

MR CRONJE: We stayed in the Taj Group, I'm not sure what the city was.

MS BATOHI: The next conversation that follows, you state -this is on the first page, which was handed just now to your counsel: "Hansie: Okay. You are back in London." Sanjay says: "Yeah, I am in London." Now just stopping there, can you recall when it was during your dealings with Sanjay that he returned to London?

MR CRONJE: I believe it was during the last match.

MS BATOHI: Sorry, can you explain that?

MR CRONJE: When I spoke to Sanjay the last time, I believe he was in London.

MS BATOHI: Can you recall when he went to London?

MR CRONJE: If my memory serves me correct, I think he went to London probably two or three days before the end of the tour.

MS BATOHI: Just for the sake of completeness, that particular page ends of with you saying to him: "I had a look at the pitch today. It can turn big." And he replies: "It can turn big." Now in view of the fact that you can't remember when this conversation took place, where it took place, in view of the fact that I don't know myself because of the problems that we have, I take it that you can't possibly say which pitch he was talking about or you were talking about at that stage?

MR CRONJE: The two pitches that I can recall that really turned big was the second and the fourth game, Ms Batohi. You must understand, Mr Commissioner, that most pitches on the sub-continent turn big, but as I can recall the second one in Jamshaypur (?) and the fourth one in Beroda turned particularly big.

MS BATOHI: I'm going to now refer to page 2 of the copy of the transcript that's just been handed to you, and which now is in line with what is in Ms Wilkinson-Lucks - the copy that was attached to her affidavit. I read out earlier the portion of the transcript, ending just before the two lines in the middle of the page, do you see that, where Sanjay asks you whether various players are playing? Do you see that?

MR CRONJE: Are you referring to BA-W2?

MS BATOHI: No, I'm referring to - well, you'll actually see it on BA-W2, so maybe we'll refer to BA-W2 if that's more convenient to you.

MR CRONJE: That's fine.

MS BATOHI: Now that first part, just before the two lines, you in fact read that into the record. Do you recall such a conversation taking place?

MR CRONJE: Once again, Ms Batohi, I have to say to you that I did speak to Sanjay on various occasions in India, and that could very well be one of the conversations, yes.

MS BATOHI: Now what is your definition of the word 'playing' as it appears in that conversation?

MR CRONJE: Playing means whether they are participating in a match.

MS BATOHI: Well, if that is the case then it doesn't make sense to me, because Sanjay in line 5 says: "Yeah, Boje is playing, and who is playing? Gibbs?" And you then say: "Gibbs and myself." Sanjay then says: "Yeah, what about anybody else?" And your reply is: "No, I won't be able to get more."

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