The news of Hansie Cronje's death in a plane crash has saddened opponents and colleagues of the former South African captain.

Cronje's former South Africa team-mate Gary Kirsten said: "It's a terrible shock, it's a tragedy. He was a great friend of mine.

"Hansie was a great leader. He was an inspiration to me when I first came into the national team and he gave me confidence. It was impossible not to respect him.

Referring to Cronje's ban from cricket, he added: "Obviously what happened with him was going to be tough for everyone to deal with, but I will remember him fondly.

"Even when things turned bad for him with the scandal it didn't change certain things, like the fact that he was a great cricketer, a great performer and a great on-field leader of his country."

Cronje's first vice-captain on assuming the captaincy in 1995 was Craig Matthews, now an administrator at national level and marketing manager with Western Province.

"It puts everything into perspective, doesn't it? At times like this we can look around and ask, truly, how important was the match-fixing scandal?" he said.

"Of course it damaged the game and it was wrong, but I'll judge him by what he was to me - a mate and a great cricketer.

"The words 'match-fixing' and 'Hansie Cronje' will always be associated and that's understandable but he was about far more than that. He actually persuaded me that I was good enough to play international cricket and that changed my life.

"The thing that gets to me more than just about anything is the pain and hurt that the Cronje family has had to endure over the last two years. Can any family be expected to go through that?" asked Matthews.

Fast bowler Henry Williams, banned for six months for agreeing to take money from Cronje to underperform in a one-day international against India, was grateful that he had 'made up' with Cronje before his death.

"He was the best ambassador for South Africa as a captain and a person. Despite what happened I still believe he was the best man we had," said Williams.

"I spoke to him a couple of times after the match-fixing incident and I said to him I forgive you. It happened and we can go on with our lives now.

"Thank God we made up and forgave each other. I feel bad and sad about what's happened but when it's your time it's your time."

Kepler Wessels, the only captain under whom Cronje served for the national side, felt Cronje was beginning to put his life back on course after two years of unhappiness.

"I actually bumped into him last week for the first time in a long time and I gained a very clear impression of a man determined to create a new niche for himself in society," said Wessels.

"He knew that things obviously would not be the same with regards to cricket but he was building a new life outside the game and he came across as positive and determined.

"As a captain I will never forget the things he brought to the team, most memorably his enthusiasm and his work ethic, and when he took over as a captain he continued those things.

"If he had still been in charge of the national team today it would not be in the mess it currently is."

United Cricket Board president Percy Sonn said: "Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Hansie's wife Bertha, his parents Ewie and San-Marie and the whole family. Hansie was an excellent cricketer and a very popular and successful captain, who led his team to some great achievements and who gave much to cricket in this country during his career."

UCB chief executive Gerald Majola added: "Hansie will be missed by his team-mates and management, as well as by cricket administrators and the South African public. We were all terribly sad to hear the news today."

The former national team convenor of selectors, Rushdi Magiet, was appalled by the tragedy.

"It's really shocking news," he said. "We're really terribly shocked here. Hansie was a fantastic leader and I've always had a really good relationship with him.

"Since unity in 1991, I got to know him very well. I think he was one the best players South Africa have ever had and he was a terrific player of off-spin."

Bob Woolmer, South Africa's coach when Cronje was captain, said: "I speak on behalf of myself and my family when I say I'm devastated at Hansie's death. My condolences go out to his lovely wife and his whole family.

"Words are never easy at this time. We were friends and colleagues, and as recently as March 10th we sat drinking wine together overlooking the mountains that have taken him from us. When I see them again I will remember that time.

"He was the best captain I had the pleasure of working with. He was a real leader of men. They would have walked off Table Mountain for him. He was a man destined for greatness. I will miss him enormously.

"In the last two years he found out who his true friends were. He has gone to a better place and I hope he does well in God's cricket team. To all of us who knew him, this is a terrible day."

Barry Richards, one of South Africa's great batsmen before their years of isolation under the apartheid regime, said people should look beyond Cronje's wrong-doing and judge him on his impact on South African cricket as a whole.

"He will obviously be remembered for all the wrong reasons," admitted Richards. "But he made quite a contribution as a skipper and a player before all that happened.

"He got himself involved in a situation that he couldn't get out of and if all this had not happened, Hansie would have been remembered as a great South African captain."

England all-rounder Ian Botham, who played against Cronje in the 1992 World Cup, suggested people should remember him for positive reasons as well as the match-fixing scandal which brought him a life ban from professional cricket.

"It's a sad time. Sadly people will forget all the good things he did and remember him for all the wrong reasons," said Botham, speaking on Sky Sports television.

The England captain, Nasser Hussain said: "We were all shocked when we heard the news of Hansie's death. As a cricketer, he was a fine player and a tough opponent.

"A number of our players had either played under him or against him and he was a fine captain on the field. Our sympathies are with his family."

James Whitaker, who was captain of Leicestershire during Cronje's season in English county cricket in 1995, echoed the sentiments.

"He was a great example to other professionals at Leicestershire, he committed himself to the club both off the field and with his input on the field," Whitaker said on the same television channel.

"I hope he will be remembered for his inventiveness on the pitch and his cricket ability."

Leicestershire coach Jack Birkenshaw was shocked and distressed today at the news of Cronje's death. "It is just devastating. After all that has happened then there is this," he said.

Birkenshaw, who coached the former South African captain in domestic cricket at Orange Free State and was instrumental in bringing him to Leicester, added: "For me he is one of the best cricketers I have ever been associated with.

"He did very well for us and he was a gent really. I have never known anyone work harder at his game. He was dedicated and he was a top bloke."

Cronje, who was 32, died on a plane that crashed in bad weather in South Africa's Western Cape province.

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