ODI World Cup epic matches : Australia v South Africa 1999 SF

 



With the latest edition of ODI world cup approaching , we go down memory lane and reflect on some of the epic ODI world cup matches played in its history . Here we look back on arguably the greatest ODI cricket match played across eras between Australia and South Africa in that famous 1999 semi final that ended in an epic tie . 


AUS V SAF WC1999  Egbaston


The match for the ages. What an epic? It still gives goosebumps to the cricket fans even after the highlights are watched after 20 odd years. A cricket match which ebbed and flowed like no other and the result was in doubt till the final ball. The quality of cricket was top notch, some determined batting and quality pace and spin bowling.

South Africa won the toss and elected to field and soon Shaun Pollock got one to lift disconcertingly to take Mark Waugh's gloves for 0. Gilchrist and Ponting in particular looked in good nick. Ponting hooked Elworthy for 6 and 4 and looked ominous till Donald got him with a slower one driving for 37. Gilchrist (20) was caught slashing at third man to Kallis and Lehman went cheaply caught behind off a snorter from Donald leaving Aussies struggling at 68/4 which got Steve Waugh and Micheal Bevan together. Waugh survived a runout chance with Kirsten missing a sitter which proved costly as the 90 run stand between the two crisis men opened the door for the Aussies.Finally Pollock again came back with a telling spell getting both Waugh(56) and Bevan(65) caught behind and following up with wickets of Moody and Warne(crucial 18 runs)while Donald produced lethal yorkers to rip off the tail. It was a Donald (4/32)  ,Pollock (5/36) show that restricted the Aussies to a modest 213 and the Proteas looked favourites to reach the final.





South Africans started well with Herschelle Gibbs striking the ball superbly. At 48/0 in desperation Steve Waugh threw the ball to Warne and soon the magician turned the game with two ripping leg spinners. 1st one pitched outside leg and spun past Gibbs'(30) bat to hit top of off and next spun into Kirsten to have him bowled sweeping. Soon skipper Hansie Cronje was given out caught at slip for 0 and Cullinan was runout  as the Proteas slumped to 61/4 which made Jaques Kallis (53) to share a fruitful stand of 84 with Jonty Rhodes(43 off 55 balls) before Rhodes fell to a pull shot of Reiffel. Another crucial 30 run stand between Kallis and Pollock (20) kept Proteas in the hunt before Warne had Kallis caught miscuing a drive and Pollock's (20 off 14) enterprising cameo cut short by Fleming. So it was again cometh the hour cometh the man for Proteas as Klusener, who by now is habituated with dragging his team repeatedly out of jail came  out and started playing aggressively hitting a six as Boucher fell cheaply bowled by McGrath..a crucial wicket for the Aussies. In the penultimate over Klusener was nearly caught by Rieffel at the boundary off McGrath with South Africa at 198/9 which would have ended the match but the famous  final over was yet to be enacted. 

Fleming took the onus to bowl the last over with 9 needed to win and his first two balls were despatched to cover boundary for two scorching 4s by Klusener- 213/9.  Now South Africa needed 1 to win off last 4 balls to quality for finals. Of the 3rd ball Donald backed up too far but survived a missed runout by Darren Lehmann from 6 yards. That thought would have crossed Donald's mind for in the next ball ,Donald did not run as Klusener after hitting the ball dashed down non strikers end and both batters were in the same end while the Aussie fielders were screaming "keepers end" as the ball was rolled down to Gilchrist who whipped off the bails with Donald stranded in mid pitch leading to a sensational end in a tie. Both teams ended at 213 but Australia by virtue of getting higher points in supersix stage, got  to the finals while it all ended in shock and despair for South Africa who looked by far the best team for most of this World cup. Shane Warne (4/29) proved once again his big match temperament winning the Player of the  match as he almost singlehandedly got the Aussies back in contention when the Proteas looked like cruising.

This game pumped up the Aussies who thrashed the Pakistanis ruthlessly in the final to win the World Cup 1999 as Warne got another  player of the match and 4 wicket haul . 

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