Robbers milk Cape Cobras

2007-01-21 22:42

Christo Buchner

Johannesburg - "All I could think was that I would never see my wife and child again," said Cape Cobras cricketer Charl Willoughby after he and seven team-mates were robbed.

The still shaken cricketer and his team-mates were hit by armed robbers at Nandos in Croydon on the East Rand on Saturday night.

At one stage, Vernon Philander, who has been included in the preliminary group of 30 players for the World Cup squad, was looking down the barrel of a gun.

The Cobras, who were staying at a hotel near O R Tambo Airport for their SuperSport match again the Titans in Benoni, had decided about 20:00 to eat out at the chicken franchise.

Put valuables beside them

Just after they had placed their orders, three armed robbers - in Chubb security guard uniforms - stormed into the restaurant.

They ordered the eight players and four other customers inside, to lie down on the floor.

They had to place their cellphones, purses, wallets and other valuables next to them.

Philander was standing with his back to the entrance, while phoning his girlfriend, when he heard his captain, Con de Lange, shout that there were problems.

The other players involved were Dominique Telo, Andrew Puttick, Alistair Gray, Henry Davids and Robert van der Ross.

One of the robbers pushed his firearm into Philander's face and told him: "Don't try to be clever."

Their valuables were taken, including the keys to the minibus in which they had arrived, and the players were all pushed into a fridge before the robbers fled.

Hit them later

Coach Shukri Conrad said: "When Con phoned me later to tell me they had been robbed, and I must fetch them, I thought he was joking."

"We had a few drinks at the hotel later on Saturday night to celebrate the fact that they were all still alive.

"I could see in the dressing room on Sunday that the full impact of what had happened was hitting home only then. It was all they could talk about," said Conrad.

- Beeld