BBC SPORT | Cricket | Cronje's career highlights

December 1992

Rips through the Indian batting line-up to take five for 32 in the first one-dayer against India in Cape Town. He is at the crease when South Africa seal a six-wicket win with just three balls remaining.

Gives his side the perfect Christmas present by hitting his maiden Test century - a marvellous 135 in a first-innings total of just 275 - as South Africa win the third Test against India at Port Elizabeth. It proves to be a series-winning knock with South Africa prevailing 1-0 in the four-Test series.

September 1993

Scores his second Test century, 122, as South Africa outplay Sri Lanka by an innings and 207 runs in the second Test at Colombo.

January 1994

Cronje stands in as captain of South Africa with Kepler Wessels injured. His leadership induction, in the third Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, is a cruel one for him - he makes nought and three - and the team as Australia win by 191 runs.

February/March 1994

Cronje crafts a wonderful 112 in South Africa's gripping five-run victory over Australia in the first one-day match at Johannesburg and 122 in the second innings of the first Test at the same venue to guide South Africa to a 197-run victory.

October 1994

Earns the Man of the Match award after an excellent 100 not out in the seventh Wills Series match in Peshawar, despite Australia winning with two balls remaining.

Hansie Cronje
Cronje's century at Trent Bridge in 1998 was all class

November 1994

Takes over the captaincy proper after the abdication of Kepler Wessels. Cronje's leads his side to victory by 137 runs in the first Test against New Zealand at Johannesburg.

January 1995

Plays a crucial role in the third and deciding Test against New Zealand at Cape Town. His first-innings 112 anchors South Africa's 440 and is at the crease in the second innings when the Test - and the series - is won. Leads South Africa to victory in the final of the one-day Mandela Trophy against Pakistan.

March 1995

South Africa visit New Zealand for a one-off Test as part of the host nation's centenary celebrations but Cronje spoils the party with 101 in the second innings to steer his side to a 93-run victory. Under Cronje's guidance, South Africa are mid-way through a two-year period in which they were undefeated in Tests.

January 1996

Cronje fails to make much impact with bat or ball as South Africa defeat England 1-0 in a five-Test home series, yet his impact on the fifth Test - with the series deadlocked - makes up for it ten-fold.

With Graham Thorpe judged not out in a close run-out appeal, Cronje beseeches, against ICC regulations, to the umpires to refer to the third umpire. Cronje's controversial intervention sees Thorpe given out and South Africa go on to win the Test.

April 1996

After a quarter final loss to West Indies in the World Cup, South Africa cruise through the Sharjah Cup undefeated with Cronje captaining his side to an easy final win over India.

Shane Warne claims the wicket of Hansie Cronje
Cronje is dismissed for nought in the 1999 World Cup semi-final

March 1997

South Africa finds Australia too hot to handle in a three-Test home series, but Cronje's unbeaten 79 in the third Test puts his side in control en route to an easy eight-wicket win.

July 1998

Ends drought with the willow to hit his first century in 47 innings, 112 against England in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge. Unfortunately for South Africa, his return to form coincides with a resurgence in England's fortunes as South Africa squander a 1-0 lead to lose the series 2-1.

January 1999

Cronje manages just one half-century throughout South Africa's five-Test home series against West Indies but at series' end he is the proud leader of a dominant side as the visitors are crushed 5-0.

June 1999

South Africa are touted as likely World Cup winners - and their form in the tournament in England is good - until calamitous events in the semi-final see the match tied and eventual title-holders Australia progress to the final.

Cronje, who makes a duck as South Africa chase 214 for victory, looks on as Herschelle Gibbs crucially 'drops' Steve Waugh and a last-wicket mix-up between the stumps seals South Africa's fate.

March 2000

Steers his his side to victory in both Tests on a tour of India. But off the field activities with bookmakers, during the one-day series which follows, lead to his downfall.


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