Bengaluru, April 6: The upcoming edition of the ICC ODI World Cup is set to kick off on May 30.

The first game will see hosts and three-time finalists England taking on four-time semi-finalists South Africa. The game will be played at the Kennington Oval, London.

In the last five ODIs that the two teams have played, the Proteas have a 3-2 lead although they had won one of those games by just 1 wicket. In the World Cup, England and South Africa have met six times with both teams winning three games each.

Their first meeting took place in Melbourne in the 1992 World Cup while the second one, which is the most talked-about second semi-final of that WC, remains the most controversial of all their meetings. The last time these two teams - both of whom have remained under-achievers in the mega event - met was in the 2011 edition in India.

Here is a brief look at all England-South Africa clashes in the World Cup in history:

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England beat SA by 3 wickets; league match; Melbourne; March 12, 1992:

England's stand-in captain Alec Stewart won the toss and put Kepler Wessel's SA to bat first. Wessels's 85 and Andrew Hudson's 79 powered South Africa to 236 for 4 in 50 overs. Graeme Hick dismissed both the openers to finish with 2 for 44.

England's target was revised to 226 in 41 overs and Stewart slammed 77 and Neil Fairbrother remained not out on 75. Chris Lewis's 22-ball 33 down the order ensured England overhauled the target with one ball and three wickets to spare. Richard Snell took 3 for 42 and Stewart was adjudged the man of the match.

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England beat SA by 20 runs; semi-final; Sydney; March 22, 1992:

Kepler Wessels won the toss and asked Graham Gooch's England to bat first. Graeme Hich's 83, Alec Stewart's 33 and Dermot Reeve's late innings surge of 14-ball 25 not out saw England posting a total of 252 for 6 in 50 overs. Allan Donald and Meyrick Pringle took two wickets each though the former went for some runs.

SA had some early concerns but a 43 by Jonty Rhodes down the order brought them back to on the track. They required 22 runs 13 balls after reaching 231 for 6 in 42.5 overs as their target was revised to 253 from 45 overs.

But a sudden spell of rain saw the tournament's bizarre rain-rule leaving their target at 252 from 43 overs which meant the Proteas needing 22 runs from one ball. Needless to say, it was an impossible task. Hick was the man of the match.

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South Africa beat England by 78 runs; group match; Rawalpindi; February 25, 1996:

Hansie Cronje's South Africa were a no-nonsense unit in the 1996 edition played in the sub-continent and beat everything that came their way till they rammed into an iron wall called Brian Lara.

In the group game, Cronje won the toss and elected to bat and SA were all out for 230 in 50 overs with the help of some 30s and 20s. Opener Garry Kirsten was the top scorer for them with 38 while pacer Peter Martin took three wickets to be the most successful bowler.

England's batting trembled in the face of the South African pace attack and were 62 for 5 before Graham Thorpe's 46 and Phil DeFreitas's 22 gave them some shape. But it was far from adequate as the Three Lions, led by Michael Atherton, folded for 152 to lose by 78 runs. Jonty Rhodes was adjudged the man of the match.

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South Africa beat England by 122 runs; group match; Kennington Oval; May 22, 1999:

Stewart was the captain again while Cronje was in charge of SA. The English captain won the toss and sent SA to bat and propelled by the openers - Herschelle Gibbs (60) and Garry Kirsten (45) and Lance Klusener (48 not out off 40) they posted 225 for 7 in 50 overs.

Alan Mullally was the pick of the England bowlers with 2 for 28 while Darren Gough took 2 for 33. In reply, England fumbled from the very first over and capitulated once Allan Donald came in to bowl second change.

With 4 for 17, the pacer left a English shipwreck and they were all out for a paltry 103. Both Hick and Fairbrother scored 21 each and that was all to write home about. Lance Klusener was the man of the match.

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South Africa beat England by 9 wickets; Super Eight; Bridgetown; April 17, 2007:

Andrew Haull's 5 for 18 and Andre Nel's 3 for 35 nailed Michael Vaughan's England after he won the toss and elected to bat in this Super Eight game in Bridgetown in the 2007 edition.

Andrew Strauss's 46 and Paul Collingwood's 30 and 27 not out by Ravi Bopara could not evade their team getting bowled out for a mere 154 in 48 overs. SA skipper Graeme Smith's 89 not out off 58 balls and his opening partner AB de Villiers's 35-ball 42 saw the Proteas sealing the game inside 20 overs. Andrew Flintoff took the lone England wicket. Hall was the man of the match.

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England beat South Africa by 6 runs; group game; Chennai; March 6, 2011:

England succeeded in pulling one back against the Proteas and the win came after 19 long years. Andrew Strauss won the toss and England, who were cruising at 114 for 3 at one stage, faced an incredible collapse to get all out for 171. Bopara (60) and Jonathan Trott (52) were the only scorers for their side while spinner Imran Tahir took 4 for 38 to run through the England innings.

In reply, South Africa looked favourites to make it four on the trot as they too were cruising at 124 for 3. But de Villiers's dismissal opened the floodgates and SA also collapsed to get skittled out for 165. Stuart Broad took 4 for 15 runs as England won by six runs. Bopara was picked as the man of the match.