It had all come down to South Africa needing one run
to win with nine wickets down & three balls left in the match. Lance
Klusener, in blistering form through the tournament, was on strike, the
rest is history as Australia squeezed through to the final.
Background
Australia had to win five consecutive matches to reach the semi-final, but South Africa won six of its eight matches comfortably to book its berth. One of Australia’s wins was over South Africa, a thrilling affair on the last day of the Super Sixes stage, and a result that ensured both teams faced off again four days later. Those who had watched Steve Waugh’s century and Australia’s come-from-behind triumph, were hoping for a repeat of a classic encounter. Instead they got an epic.
Australia and South Africa have played out many classic matches over the years, but none have come close to the incredible semi-final between the two sides in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999. There was, in actual fact, nothing to separate the two teams, with the match ending in a dead-heat tie. ?
The match began with the incisive combination of Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald blowing away Australia’s top order, only for a Steve Waugh-Michael Bevan rescue act to push Australia to 213 all out in the final over. Pollock and Donald had accounted for nine of the wickets, and South Africa began its chase comfortably.
That was when Shane Warne stamped his class on the proceedings, grabbing three wickets in eight balls as the chase was derailed. Jacques Kallis fought gamely on, before becoming Warne’s final victim, and when Klusener took guard, South Africa needed 39 runs off 31 balls.
The Moment
Klusener’s average in the tournament was 125, and he had been dismissed just twice. Given his sparkling form, he was expected to finish the job for South Africa, and he went about his task in an unfazed manner, even as wickets kept falling. When the final over began, South Africa needed nine runs and were down to the last-pair of Klusener and Donald. ?
Damien Fleming fired two deliveries on the offside, and both duly dispatched to the cover fence.
One needed off four balls and Klusener pulled a short ball to Lehmann at mid-on, whose under-arm throw missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end even though an uncertain Donald was short of his crease.
One needed off three balls and Klusener hit Fleming down the ground and set off for the victory run. Mark Waugh, alert enough to the situation, covered good ground to his left from mid-off, collected the ball on the bounce and threw it to Fleming, who quickly rolled it over to Gilchrist at the other end.
Donald, after the near run-out off the previous ball, was late to react. He dropped his bat, and was short of his crease in the confusion that ensued. Klusener was not out on 31 off 16 balls, the game was tied, but it was the Australians who took off on celebratory runs while South Africa – even though it hadn’t lost the match – had to watch its campaign come to a shuddering halt.
What happened next?
Bob Woolmer’s rein as South Africa’s coach, during which it won more than 70 percent of matches, ended.
Australia beat Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup final and went on to extend its domination in world cricket for more than a decade. Australia successfully defended the title in 2003 and 2007 World Cups, and did not lose a single game in the tournament till Pakistan broke the winning streak in the 2011 World Cup.
Australia had to win five consecutive matches to reach the semi-final, but South Africa won six of its eight matches comfortably to book its berth. One of Australia’s wins was over South Africa, a thrilling affair on the last day of the Super Sixes stage, and a result that ensured both teams faced off again four days later. Those who had watched Steve Waugh’s century and Australia’s come-from-behind triumph, were hoping for a repeat of a classic encounter. Instead they got an epic.
Australia and South Africa have played out many classic matches over the years, but none have come close to the incredible semi-final between the two sides in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999. There was, in actual fact, nothing to separate the two teams, with the match ending in a dead-heat tie. ?
The match began with the incisive combination of Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald blowing away Australia’s top order, only for a Steve Waugh-Michael Bevan rescue act to push Australia to 213 all out in the final over. Pollock and Donald had accounted for nine of the wickets, and South Africa began its chase comfortably.
“We ran around like prison escapees, not knowing who to grab, totally overcome with excitement… The only thing I was sure of was that we’d escaped, and then I heard Bevo yelling, ‘We’re in! We’re in!’”
Steve Waugh, in his autobiography, describing the immediate aftermath of the match.
That was when Shane Warne stamped his class on the proceedings, grabbing three wickets in eight balls as the chase was derailed. Jacques Kallis fought gamely on, before becoming Warne’s final victim, and when Klusener took guard, South Africa needed 39 runs off 31 balls.
The Moment
Klusener’s average in the tournament was 125, and he had been dismissed just twice. Given his sparkling form, he was expected to finish the job for South Africa, and he went about his task in an unfazed manner, even as wickets kept falling. When the final over began, South Africa needed nine runs and were down to the last-pair of Klusener and Donald. ?
Damien Fleming fired two deliveries on the offside, and both duly dispatched to the cover fence.
One needed off four balls and Klusener pulled a short ball to Lehmann at mid-on, whose under-arm throw missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end even though an uncertain Donald was short of his crease.
One needed off three balls and Klusener hit Fleming down the ground and set off for the victory run. Mark Waugh, alert enough to the situation, covered good ground to his left from mid-off, collected the ball on the bounce and threw it to Fleming, who quickly rolled it over to Gilchrist at the other end.
Donald, after the near run-out off the previous ball, was late to react. He dropped his bat, and was short of his crease in the confusion that ensued. Klusener was not out on 31 off 16 balls, the game was tied, but it was the Australians who took off on celebratory runs while South Africa – even though it hadn’t lost the match – had to watch its campaign come to a shuddering halt.
What happened next?
Bob Woolmer’s rein as South Africa’s coach, during which it won more than 70 percent of matches, ended.
“From a personal point of view, I obviously hit the ball really well, but I suppose I would rather have not done that and won the trophy.”
Lance Klusener to Wisden India.
Australia beat Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup final and went on to extend its domination in world cricket for more than a decade. Australia successfully defended the title in 2003 and 2007 World Cups, and did not lose a single game in the tournament till Pakistan broke the winning streak in the 2011 World Cup.
“It’s one of the biggest mishaps in the game, and I must say I learned a lot as a person from that.”
Allan Donald to Wisden India.
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