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Forget Cronje

AFP, Johannesburg
South Africa's cricket chiefs on Wednesday moved to keep their World Cup squad united by warning players not to comment publicly on disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje.
As Shaun Pollock's men struggled to stay afloat in the tournament, cracks began to appear in the squad when Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten clashed about the merits of the current captain.
Gibbs suggested that the team was missing Cronje, who died last year while serving a life ban from cricket following the match-fixing scandal, while Kirsten asked teammates to support Pollock.
Gerald Majola, chief executive of the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), stepped in to stem the growing row in the bud.
"Some South African players should stop comparing the captaincy styles of Shaun Pollock and the late Hansie Cronje and rather
get on with the job of winning World Cup matches," Majola told Johannesburg's Business Day newspaper.
"What we require now is total focus on the job at hand to win all the remaining matches in the roundrobin stage of the cup.
"Looking back at eras will not help this cause, especially when Shaun needs all the support he can get to lead us to victory.
"I have spoken to coach Eric Simons and he assures me all the players are behind the captain, the team and the nation," Majola said.
Cronje, an icon in South African sport, was banned from cricket for life two years ago after being found guilty of taking money from illegal bookmakers and attempting to corrupt teammates.
He died in a plane crash in June last year, but current team-mates have not forgotten his inspiring leadership.
Talking a day after South Africa crashed to defeat against New Zealand on Sunday, century-maker Gibbs said Pollock was not in the same league as Cronje.
"Cronje's leadership skills made him the icon that he was," said Gibbs, who was suspended for six months in the match-fixing scandal.
"The passion with which Cronje played meant he was always keen and always believed we could win from any situation.
"Shaun is quite new to being a captain and he's obviously still got a lot tolearn.
"But he was the guy who was vicecaptain and the first guy that was obviously in charge after the stuff (match-fixing scandal) broke out."
Kirsten, who once served as Cronje's deputy, immediately jumped to Pollock's defence.
"Personally I feel Shaun has done a very good job," Kirsten said.
"He came into the job in very trying circumstances and when he was in charge we played our best cricket, matching Australia both here and
there. I certainly don't think Shaun is to be blamed for where we are.
Instead of blaming Shaun individuals should look at themselves as to why things have gone wrong," Kirsten said.
Kirsten was unable to explain why certain players still hankered after Cronje and made public statements regarding their feelings but suggested that those making the statements should be questioned.
South African cricketers Jonty Rhodes and Allan Donald had last month dedicated the 2003 World Cup to Cronje, calling him an "extra special person".
But World Cup organisers, led by former South African cricket chief Ali Bacher, said the players did not have the right to dedicate the tournament to one person.