He also revealed that he has no regrets over his involvement with the disgraced former South African skipper and that no bookmaker wants to see a fixed match.

"It's what happens in everyday life - shares are bought and sold, people are doing insider trading on the stock exchange," said the Johannesburg bookie.

"Before you go and buy a share, you try and find out the balance of the company, how they are doing - the same as any bets on a game of cricket. You like to find out what the pitch is doing etc.

"At the end of the day, maybe the player should not be giving out the information, but whether there is anything wrong with it, I don't know.

"It happens all the time when you guys are discussing football and everybody wants to know who is in the team.

"It's the same in cricket - why shouldn't the public get that information as soon as it is available? There is a big difference between match-fixing and supplying information."

Aronstam broke down in tears in June when he revealed his dealings with Cronje during the King Commission match-fixing hearings in South Africa.

The bookmaker admitted that, among other payments, he gave Cronje $7,215 and a leather jacket after the captain manufactured a result in the rain-hit fifth Test against England at Centurion Park in January 2000.

But Aronstam - involved in gambling in South Africa for over 18 years - still insists that his involvement with Cronje was innocent.

"I don't regret getting involved with Hansie Cronje. Hansie was happy to make the money by providing me with pitch information and team information etc - there is nothing wrong with that.

"One match that comes to mind was the game South Africa were playing in Port Elizabeth, and every single commentator on TV were saying this is a 250-260 pitch.

"Hansie's impression to me was that the pitch would take a lot of spin, it was drying out and it would turn plenty, and I think that the team that they were playing against never even made 200.