Ex-SA bowler charged with match-fixing

Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Ex-South Africa bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe is the seventh player to be charged with match-fixing after an investigation into the 2015 Ram Slam competition

Former South Africa bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been suspended after he was charged with match-fixing.

He is accused of breaches of Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) anti-corruption code following an investigation into the 2015 Ram Slam competition.

Six other players have already been banned for offences relating to South Africa’s domestic T20 competition.

Tsotsobe, 33, has played five Tests, 61 one-day internationals and 23 Twenty20 internationals for South Africa.

He has not played professional cricket for more than a year but is now suspended from playing, coaching or being involved in any capacity in matches under CSA or International Cricket Council jurisdiction.

Ex-Proteas and Lancashire batsman Alviro Petersen was banned for two years in December after admitting he attempted to cover up match-fixing by others but charges of match-fixing against him were withdrawn.

In January 2016, as part of the same investigation, former South Africa spinner Gulam Bodi was banned for 20 years after admitting charges of contriving or attempting to fix matches.

Former South Africa wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile was banned for 12 years in August for his part in the affair, while Jean Symes was banned for seven years and Pumelela Matshikwe and Ethy Mbhalati for 10 years each for accepting money from Bodi in 2015.

Among other offences, Tsotsobe has been charged with:

  • Contriving to fix or otherwise improperly influence, or being party to a scheme in which attempts would be made to fix or otherwise improperly influence, a match or matches in the 2015 Ram Slam T20 Challenge Series
  • Seeking to accept, accepting or agreeing to accept a bribe or reward to fix or contrive to fix or influence improperly a match or matches in the 2015 Ram Slam T20 Challenge Series
  • Failing to disclose the receipt of a gift or payment that he knew or ought to have known was given to him to procure a breach of the code or that was made in circumstances that could bring him or the sport of cricket into disrepute
  • Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations to engage in corrupt conduct under the code

Ex-SA bowler charged with match-fixing