Waugh says an example had to be made of Cronje

Disgraced former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje has to accept his life ban over match-fixing scandals, Australian skipper Steve Waugh said Thursday.

"I think people are getting sick of it all, but the good thing is the administration is doing something about it by giving punishment," said Waugh. "He admitted he did a lot of things wrong and he has to take the punishment.

"It's sad for cricket and sad for himself but someone had to be made an example of because it's been going around for too long."

The United Cricket Board of South Africa on Wednesday announced it had served a life ban on Cronje, who has admitted receiving thousands of dollars from gamblers and bookmakers on five separate occasions between 1996 and 2000.

Waugh described Cronje as a "good fella" who could not resist the temptation of taking money from illegal bookies.

"I don't know where it went wrong for him," he said. "I always thought he played 100 per cent and gave his all for his country, but the money just got the better of him and he couldn't get out of it.

"It's a sad state of events because he was a very good player."

Mail Cricket Editor