Boje withdraws from tour of India

Boje had initially been named vice-captain for the trip

Nicky Boje has pulled out of South Africa's tour to India later this month because of fears of being questioned by police about match-fixing.

Wednesday's decision came after a South African diplomat had met the Delhi's head of police KK Paul over the tour.

Reports suggested Indian authorities had declined to give a guarantee that the spin bowler would not be detained.

He will be replaced by fast bowler Charl Langeveldt, with Boeta Dippenaar taking over the vice captaincy.

But Langeveldt will first have to satisfy the selectors of his fitness after suffering a rib problem last weekend.

Boje has already supplied written answers concerning the 2000 tour, when South Africa were led by Hansie Cronje.

Feature: Boje caught in Cronje's shadow

Boje, Cronje, Herschelle Gibbs and Piet Strydom were charged with "cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy relating to match fixing and betting" and the case against them remains open.

But Boje has always denied any wrongdoing and had been named vice-captain for the forthcoming Test series.

On Wednesday he said: "I have taken the advice of my lawyers and will not tour."

South Africa team spokesman Gerald de Kock added in a statement: "Nicky Boje today withdrew from the South African cricket team to tour India next week after attempting in vain to get a written assurance from Delhi police that he would not be arrested.

"Paul has stated that Boje will be questioned in such a way as not to interfere with the tour, but he has refused to put in writing that Boje will not be arrested."

Gibbs, who has opted not to tour, was fined £5,800 and served a six-month ban from international cricket after admitting he accepted an offer of money from Cronje to score less than 20 in a one-day match in Nagpur.

Read more: Gibbs explains why he will skip tour

In fact, he made 74 off 55 balls and told South Africa's King Commission inquiry into match-fixing he was never paid.

Cronje, who was banned for life after admitting his involvement in match-fixing, died in a plane crash in 2002.

Strydom has not played a Test or one-day international cricket for five years, but is captain of the Eastern Cape franchise team in domestic cricket.