Nervous Gibbs to arrive a week late for Champions Trophy

Johannesburg, Sep 20 (UNI) Nervous about the police questioning that awaits him on arrival for the Champions Trophy in India, Herschelle Gibbs will depart for the sub-continent on October 11, seven days after the rest of the South African team lands for the event.

According to local media reports, the opener will be late because of his attorney, who has made himself unavailable until the date set for Gibbs' departure. Gibbs will come in for questioning by the Indian police a day later on October 12 and 14 after he agreed to interrogation last month.

The left-hander is sought for his alleged involvement in the 2000 match-fixing scandal along with Nicky Boje, who has withdrawn from the Champions Trophy owing to fears of arrest.

The then South African captain Hansie Cronje was banned for life for his involvement in the episode and he died in a plane crash while serving his punishment.

Gibbs had, earlier, accused the Indian investigators of being slow in their probe and has pleaded with them to quicken the pace of the investigations so that he could concentrate on his game.

Meanwhile, on the positive side, Gibbs is all set to marry long-time girlfriend Tenielle Povey during next year's Caribbean World Cup.

The opener said even Povey was anxious about the match-fixing investigations and was worried about his well being but, the opener said, his attorney's presence during police interrogation will help him and Povey cope with the tough time that lays ahead.

''The fact that an attorney will accompany me makes it somewhat easier for her,'' Gibbs said.

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