Hansie Cronje has often been mentioned as the disgraced cricketer whose career ended soon after the Indian tour in 2000, but very few remember that he played the last innings of his international career at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The innings he played in the Coca Cola Cup here on March 31, 2000 was one of the finest captain's knock. In fact, after he was accused of match fixing, very often it was this innings that prevented many from believing the truth. He almost led his team to victory with a superb batting display. South Africa lost to Pakistan in that match by just 16 runs.

His 79 came off just 73 balls with six fours and three sixes. Very few then thought that his last scoring stroke, which was a six, would be last of his career. Cronje hit off-spinner Arshad Khan with the spin over the mid-wicket for a beautiful six. The last stroke of his career too came one ball after, while trying to hit another six off Khan, but ended up being caught by Younis Khan at mid wicket.

Soon after the match, during his last post-match press conference, he sportingly acknowledged the second spell of Waqar Younis, who picked four wickets after the fall of his wicket.

During Sharjah tournaments, whenever one wished to contact Cronje, he never ever denied an interview. For the 2000 series, despite reaching only in the early hours from India, he patiently answered queries on the phone about his team's chances and about his personal form, from his hotel room. Unlike many captains, he was never in a hurry to end the conversation. Whether after practice or after a match, he was the most easily accessible captain.

As the most successful captain, one always wrote about his captaincy but very few about his personality. Once during an interview during the second round of the Coca Cola Cup, I requested him to answer a few queries on the little known things about him. He laughed and asked: "Isn't it enough I talk about the team? Why do you want to know about me?.

With a little bit of persuasion he relented. Which sport would you have chosen if not for cricket? "Sailing. I never miss an opportunity to watch sailing," he said.

To a query on the funniest moment of his career, he recollected a David Callaghan incident.

"Once Callaghan was fielding as a substitute and was wearing Brian McMillan's trousers. When he dived for a ball, his trousers came around his ankles. He was thoroughly confused and didn't know whether to throw the ball or pull up his trousers. Meanwhile the batsmen ran three instead of taking a single. I will never forget it."

Who was his hero or did he respect any player or cricketer?

"Wasim Akram is the greatest bowler and Darryl Cullinan is the finest batsman," he said then.
Any regrets? No. I have enjoyed every moment of my career.

This interview during the first round match had to be cut short as wickets fell quickly and Cronje had to pad up.

During the thick of the match fixing controversy, when contacted in South Africa, he was as polite as ever.

"I can only talk through a lawyer and not to the press directly," he said.

That was the last comment I heard from this cricketer, who reached the pinnacle of glory, leading South Africa in 53 of his 68 Tests, and crashed to shame within a month after returning home from Sharjah, which incidentally was also his last international tour and tournament as a cricketer.