Sport's Strangest Crimes

BBC

4.3 (64)
SPORTS
SERIES

When sport collides with true crime.

EPISODE 1

Introducing... Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace

Hansie Cronje had it all — captain of South Africa, adored by a nation, trusted by Nelson Mandela. A symbol of hope in the post-apartheid era. Then came the Centurion Test: a rain-ruined match is suddenly back on, thanks to a strange decision by Hansie. At first, it looks like good sportsmanship — until a wiretap in India catches something shocking. What unfolds next will change cricket forever. In Sport’s Strangest Crimes - Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace, former England cricketer Mark Butcher traces the rise and collapse of a national hero — from quiet warning signs and secret phone calls to a dramatic confession and a televised inquiry. But even as Hansie admits to more than just Centurion, many believe the investigation didn’t go far enough. Sixty-three offshore bank accounts are discovered. Links to other players emerge. And just as pressure builds for a deeper probe — Hansie dies in a plane crash. Some say pilot error. Others aren’t so sure. Was Hansie manipulated by a powerful network of fixers? Or was he the one pulling the strings? With testimony from teammates, journalists, investigators and those who knew him best, Mark unpacks a story of power, money, and the dark side of sport. More than two decades on, people are still asking: who was the real Hansie Cronje?

3 min
EPISODE 2

1. Bigger than Becks

In the mid-90s, Hansie Cronje was South Africa’s golden boy, the God-fearing captain backed by Nelson Mandela and worshipped by a nation. More than just a cricketer, he was a symbol of hope. But were the cracks there all along? In the first episode of Sport’s Strangest Crimes - Hansie Cronje: Fall From Grace, former England cricketer, Mark Butcher revisits the rise of a man who seemed too good to be true and maybe was. Teammates, journalists and friends paint a picture of a leader everyone trusted… until they didn’t. Because before you fall from grace, you’ve got to be on a pedestal.

27 min
EPISODE 3

2. England and the Infamous Forfeits

It’s the final Test of a five-match series, and everyone’s already packed their bags. Three days of rain, no result, nothing to play for. Then out of nowhere, Hansie Cronje makes an offer, and the game is back on. In Episode 2, Mark Butcher takes us inside one of the weirdest days he’s ever seen on a cricket field. At the time, it looked like a stroke of sportsmanship. But in hindsight? Let’s just say not everything is as it seems.

26 min
EPISODE 4

3. Brown Envelopes

The Centurion Test is over. Hansie’s praised for “saving” the match. But rewind 24 hours and the real story starts to unfold. In Episode 3, we go behind the scenes of a game that never should’ve happened - cryptic calls, hotel whispers, and a captain running his own playbook. Then, by pure chance, someone’s listening. And suddenly, Hansie’s house of cards starts to wobble.

28 min
EPISODE 5

4. Not Your Normal Library

Hansie’s admitted guilt but the real drama is only just getting started. Episode 4 takes us to the King Commission, a library turned media circus, where cricket’s clean image takes hit after hit. More names come out. More matches are mentioned. And as the pressure builds, the emotion gets raw. And one big question hovers over it all: was this about getting to the truth or just controlling the damage?

29 min
EPISODE 6

5. The Only Passenger On Board

June 2002. Hansie Cronje dies in a plane crash. The reaction is immediate - shock, disbelief, grief. But not everyone buys the official story. In Episode 5, Mark Butcher traces Hansie’s final hours - a missed flight, a last-minute ride on a cargo plane, and a descent through mountain cloud with broken instruments and almost no visibility. Was it pilot error, as the report claimed? Or something more? From talk of missing money and dropped investigations to strange phone calls and long-held theories, this episode explores where the facts end and the doubts begin.

24 min
EPISODE 7

6. Friend or Foe?

Was Hansie Cronje a villain? A victim? Or something in between? In this final episode, we unpack the legacy Hansie left behind — the loyalties, the doubts, and the stories that still divide opinion. Some say he was trapped by powerful people and trying to find a way out. Others say he knew exactly what he was doing. From emotional moments with close friends to sharp takes from those who saw a darker side, this episode digs into the heart of the scandal and what it says about cricket today.

27 min

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Greg James

Host

4.3

out of 5

64 Ratings

Cool but

05/21/2024

Hammering Dancer 81

Why does the BBC do the bare minimum when it comes to editing
Islamic Republic of France

07/10/2024

realitystrikesback

What the political left has done to Europe and America is despicable. The open racism towards people that identify as white was inevitable and unless we do something about it, it’s gonna get a lot worse. There’s active revenge taking place against people that were never alive. when what the left complains about was happening. Both Kara and her coach for essentially Trumped. Thank you for covering this story.
Great shows

07/03/2024

@@@@@@@@@qqqqq

Darren Rees is a legend for creating exceptional podcasts.
I loved it!

11/06/2023

DaniCO!

I am not great at writing reviews but I really enjoyed this podcast so much that I have recommend it to all my friends and I can’t stop talking about it and hope they make a movie some day. Anthony was so great at describing every little detail from how he grew up, about how he struggled with his addictions, how A, B got him to C and the consequences of his actions, describing the crime in such detail that it had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to hear the next podcast. The ending was the best, I’m so happy for Anthony that he overcame his addictions, paid his dues for his crime and is now a happily married man, telling his stories to others and living his life to the fullest with his two kids and wife and has found joy in being a coach. Thanks for sharing your life story.