The Delhi police has taken strong exception to comments of South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who is reported to have called them "hard-arses".

Gibbs and Nicky Boje are wanted by the Delhi police in the match-fixing case, in which former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje was the prime accused. Cronje died in an air crash months after admitting before an inquiry commission that he accepted money from an Indian bookie during the 1997 India tour. He, however, denied allegations that he threw away matches.

Gibbs and Nicky Boje could be arrested and taken in for questioning if they come to India as members of the South African cricket team. The two players are part of South Africa's squad for the Champions Trophy, to be held in India in October.

Gibbs hopes to arrive with the team next month, along with his lawyer, to stall arrest if matters reach that stage.

'My lawyer's coming with me,' Gibbs said in an interview with South African magazine Sports Illustrated.

'I've put forward a proposal to Cricket South Africa, which was discussed on Thursday. I've proposed that my lawyer and I will travel with the team, and once we get to the hotel they can then do the questioning at the hotel.

'I've got the 18 questions that they want to ask me. It's basically exactly the same stuff that I answered at the King Commission. I'll just be repeating myself.'

Gibbs said that delays in questioning him were all at the Indian end.

'They haven't really played their part,' he shrugged. 'You know, we've asked them many a time to come and question me on neutral territory, and they refused. So it's not like I haven't made the effort. It's them being hard-arses. That's it.'

"We have taken note of Gibbs's utterances," said a top official of the Delhi police, indicating toughening of stance against the South African opening batsman.

Delhi police chief Dr K K Paul said he had read Gibbs's comments, but refused to say anything beyond that.

Top officers investigating the case said they are not aware of Gibbs's offer to talk to them at a neutral venue.