AUS vs SA: What happened when Australia and South Africa clashed in 1999 World Cup semi-final?

Add as a preferred source on Google

AUS vs SA: Australia and South Africa are set to meet in the semi-final of an ODI World Cup for the third time in the tournament's history. They last played a semi-final match against each other in the 2007 World Cup. However, their meeting in the 1999 World Cup semi-final is arguably the most thrilling in the competition after the 2019 final.

On June 17, 1999, Steve Waugh-led Australia met Hansie Cronje-led South Africa to book a final spot in the 2019 World Cup. South Africa won the toss and left Australia reeling at 68/4 in 17 overs.

Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehman and Adam Gilchrist - all were back in the pavilion. Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis wreaked havoc in the middle.

Before the Proteas could run away with the match, Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan joined forces to forge a 90-run wicket partnership for the fifth wicket. Steve Waugh did the bulk of the scoring before departing for 56 off 76 balls. He was Pollock's second victim in the match.

The right-arm pacer later picked three more wickets to finish with figures of 5/36 in 9.2 overs. Donald also picked four wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs. But Bevan stood tall and scored 65 off 101 runs to take South Africa past 200 and help them post 213. He was the last Australia wicket to fall on the third ball of the 50th over.

In reply, star South Africa pacers Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten gave South Africa a solid start. They forged a 48-run partnership for the first wicket before Shane Warne picked their wickets in successive overs.

AUS vs SA: Shane Warne rejuvenates Australia twice

After dismissing Gibbs in the 13th over, Warne dismissed Kirsten on the first ball of the 15th over. Two deliveries later he helped his team get rid of Hansie Cronje who departed for duck. An excellent fielding effort from Bevan forced Daryll Cullinan also to walk back in the pavilion. The South Africa scorecard suddenly read 61/4 in 21.2 overs.

Like Waugh senior and Bevan, Kallis and Jonty Rhodes led South Africa's recovery with a 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Pacer Paul Reiffel, who later became an umpire, broke the threatening partnership by dismissing Rhodes for 43. Another crucial 30-run partnership brewed between Kallis and Pollock (20).

In another eventful 45h over from Shane Warne, Kallis ran a triple on the first ball, before Pollock smashed a six and a four on the next two deliveries. Warne got the big wicket of Kallis (53 off 92) on the fifth delivery but the asking rate dropped from 8.83 to 7.60.

South Africa looked all set to register a famous win over Australia even after Pollock's stump was cleaned by Damien Fleming. At the time when Pollock departed, South Africa needed 31 runs off 25 balls with Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener in the middle, and Steve Elworthy and Allan Donald still to come.

AUS vs SA: Glenn McGrath opens window for Australia

The equation boiled down to 18 off 12 at the end of 48 overs. Glenn McGrath did what Warne did on previous two occasions in the match to bring back Australia in the game.

He bowled a dot ball before cleaning the stumps of Boucher. On the fourth delivery of the 49th over, Elworthy got run out as Klusener tried to get back on the strike. South Africa were nine down now.

Sixteen was needed off eight balls when Klusener slammed the ball towards long-on where Reiffel dropped the catch and fended the ball over the boundary rope for a six.

With Klusener on strike, South Africa needed nine off the final over. Back-to-back boundaries from the star all-rounder brought South Africa on cusp of their maiden World Cup final. South Africa needed just a single off the last three balls.

No run was scored on the third delivery. On the fourth delivery, Kulsener hit the ball past the bowler and set off for a single and comfortably reached the danger end, however, Donald did not run at all! By the time he realised, an underarm throw from Fleming was collected by Gilchrist who whipped off the bails to seal Australia's spot in the final where they defeated Pakistan.

14 years later, South Africa are still looking to book their maiden spot in a World Cup final. The Eden Gardens semi-final against Australia on November 16 would give them an opportunity to wipe off the tears and agony of the past and get rid of the chokers tag for once and all.