Herschelle Gibbs

Kanpur: Dashing Herschelle Gibbs won?t ever tour India again. This was announced on Monday afternoon by the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) chief executive, Gerald Majola.

The opener, it may be recalled, made himself unavailable for the on-going series because of his involvement with match-fixing on the last tour (1999-2000). The India-story, though, hasn?t ended for him.

?Gibbs? lawyer has informed us that coming to India is out of the question... The UCBSA won?t interfere in what essentially is a personal decision,? Majola remarked.

However, The Telegraph?s sources pointed out that there?s ?scope for negotiation? where allrounder Nicky Boje is concerned. Boje too made himself unavailable ? only, he did so after being named Graeme Smith?s deputy.

As with Gibbs, Boje figured in the damning transcripts made public by the New Delhi Police in April 2000. The allrounder, though, denied involvement with bookies.

Incidentally, while Gibbs ignored a recent questionnaire from the New Delhi Police, Boje obliged and added a copy of his testimony (under oath) before the King Commission.

Boje, therefore, could be seen on South Africa?s next trip, most probably towards the end of 2005 for a one-day meet, but Gibbs isn?t going to be around even in the 2006 Champions Trophy.