Funeral of cricketer killed in plane crash

(5 Jun 2002)

1. Exterior of boys' college and Cronje's former school where funeral service was held
2. School flag at half mast
3. Cronje's coffin being carried into school
4. Cutaway of students watching as coffin passes
5. Set up of Alan Donald, South African spin bowler, entering school
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Alan Donald, South African spin bowler
"For us, I know, in South Africa he'll be buried with great dignity, lots of honour and lots of people in this country will see him as a hero, and that's how I'll remember him, for all the good things he's done on the cricket field."
7. Cricketers in the South African team walking
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Stefan van Schalkwyk, High school friend of Cronje's
"We,as friends, stood next to him and we will support him always, and I think on a day like today especially you'll see the support that will come out, especially from the school side."
9. Cutaways of high school boys
10. Close-up of portrait of Cronje
11. Portrait next to coffin
12. Interior church
13. Picture of Cronje
14. Mid shot Bertha, Cronje's wife
15. Coffin and team on stage
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Shaun Pollock, South African cricket captain
"We have come to pay respects to Hansie Cronje, an outstanding leader, an accomplished cricketer and friend, but like so many of my team mates here today, I want to say thank you to Hansie for being so much more than just that. Hansie touched each and every one of our lives with his friendship, his advice and encouragement, his inspiring mind, competitive nature and good humour."
17. Team mates
18. Cronje's wife approaching podium
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Bertha, Cronje's wife
"I wanted to tell the world, I wanted to shout it out, I wanted to explain to people that even though Hansie made a mistake he was still the same Hansie, a kind and loving husband, a genuine friend and an honourable man."
20. Coffin being carried out
21. Cutaway of high school boys
22. Coffin being carried out of church
23. Cronje's family leaving church

STORYLINE:

Relatives, fans and former team-mates have remembered South African cricketer Hansie Cronje at his funeral as a great sportsman, a courageous leader and a contrite man who regretted his role in the scandal that destroyed his career.

"Hansie should be remembered as the good natured spirit that he was," national cricket captain Shaun Pollock told the packed funeral service for 32-year-old Cronje, who died on Saturday in a plane crash.

More than a thousand people filled the church at Grey College in Bloemfontein, Cronje's alma mater. A large television screen and rows of seats were set up outside to accommodate the overflowing crowd.

The audience included Cronje's family and the nation's cricket squad, wearing their team jackets. South African Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour and former United Cricket Board head Ali Bacher, both of whom had strongly criticised Cronje's role in the scandal, were there as well.

The charismatic Cronje, who took over South Africa's national team at the age of 25 to become its youngest captain, led South Africa to possibly its greatest triumph - a five-run win over Australia in the Sydney Test of 1994.

But South African fans felt betrayed six years later after Indian officials announced they had tape recordings of Cronje talking to an Indian bookmaker during the team's tour of the subcontinent.


Cronje was punished with a lifetime ban from the cricket, although Pollock spoke of Cronje as an inspiring leader and an endearing prankster who put petroleum jelly on door handles and once gave a team-mate sleeping pills instead of malaria tablets.

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