Cronjé played a major role in luring coaches and players such as Mike Proctor, Allan Lamb, Peter Moores, Ashley Metcalfe, Sylvester Clarke and Alvin Kallicharran to Bloemfontein.

Former Proteas all-rounder and coach, Corrie van Zyl, told OFM Sport Cronjé was the most selfless person he knew.

“Oom Ewie, as we called him when we were still at Free State Cricket and at the university, will always be remembered for being the most selfless person who gave so much to the sport in times when it was still very unprofessional.

“In the afternoons after work he used to sit on his haunches, watering the pitch for the weekend’s matches. In his suit, with his tie on and with his cigarette box, he stood and selected teams and jotted names down on that box of Van Rhyns.

“We all just wanted to see our names written on the back of that packet of cigarettes. Oom Ewie, you will never be forgotten, not just in the Free State, but also in South African cricket. You were an awesome person and a mentor to me. You will not be forgotten.”

The newly appointed VKB Knights coach and ICC Hall of Famer, Allan Donald, also fondly remembers Cronjé, and recalls what he did for the sport in the province.

“He was our backyard referee for rugby, he was our backyard umpire for cricket. He was an unbelievable administrator for Free State cricket, and he was Mr Cricket. There is no doubt about that.

“He cared so much for the surrounding province and the surrounding areas, to make it strong.

“He was the first administrator in Bloemfontein who went beyond getting Mike Proctor to be our coach, Allan Lamb to be our captain, getting someone like Peter Moores, Ashley Metcalfe, Sylvester Clarke, Alvin Kallicharran, and the list goes on. We were very, very lucky in that era to have had Ewie Cronjé as our man in terms of running cricket in the Free State.”

Under Cronjé the Free State won their first major title when they beat Western Province in the final of the 1989 Benson & Hedges night series. 

@MorganPiek OFM Sport