Edgbaston 1999: How Did One Match Change the History of South African Cricket Forever?

In the history of one-day internationals (ODIs), the semifinal match between South Africa and Australia in the 1999 Cricket World Cup is primarily one of the most memorable matches ever played. It may be attributed to a significant number of different circumstances. The first thing to note is that the game ended in a draw, and the way in which it was decided was absolutely unexpected. In the past, there were not as many exciting finales as there are now, and the performance that South Africa and Australia produced on that particular occasion at Edgbaston is highly respected in the annals of cricket history.

Both South Africa and Australia have shown a great deal of determination in their pursuit of a spot in the World Cup semifinals. This has included a little amount of luck working in Australia's favour when these two sides faced each other four days ago. A win for Australia had allowed them to go ahead of South Africa in the points table, and this would prove to be a devastating blow for the Proteas in this crucial knockout encounter.

As a consequence of the remarkable performance of Shaun Pollock, Australia was only able to score a modest total of 2013 runs. As a result of their half-centuries, Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan were significant players in this match. Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs had a potent combination that resulted in 48 runs being scored in only 12 overs, which allowed South Africa to get off to a fantastic start. In the midst of the match, when it seemed like they were losing control of the situation, Waugh made a courageous choice by passing the ball to Shane Warne, which eventually turned out to be quite effective. Warne removed Gibbs with a delivery that was reminiscent of his memorable Ball of the Century. When it fell on the leg stump, the ball rotated just enough to prevent it from brushing off the stump.

The score for South Africa dropped from 48/0 to 53/3 after Warne's outstanding performance, which caused the score to drop. On the other hand, the team, which consisted of Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes, came together to rescue the situation successfully. Prior to Rhodes being caught by Michael Bevan in the deep, they had scored a combined total of 84 runs for the fifth wicket. Warne made a victorious comeback by removing Kallis, which left South Africa in a dangerous situation with a score of 175/6. At first glance, it seemed as if Australia had the upper hand in the encounter. At a time when the score needed to be 49 in less than five overs, Lance Klusener, the explosive player who ignited the 1999 World Cup, boldly strolled to the wicket and quickly scored 23 runs off of only 12 deliveries.

After the decision was made to safeguard nine runs in the last over, a series of heated events took place. Damien Fleming was selected to have this responsibility. When Australia was on the approach of clinching victory, the first two deliveries were skilfully hammered for boundaries, finding gaps beyond the covers and the reach of the fielder at long off. This allowed Australia to take victory. After that, there was a delivery that did not result in any runs, which brought the remaining equation down to only one run that needed to be scored from three balls. Just at that moment, chaos broke out across the world. In the direction of far-off, Klusener struck the ball and began running, but Allan Donald, who was the eleventh player, made a mistake and did not keep going. At the exact moment when he finally understood the issue and began to dash with every ounce of energy he could muster, the unpleasant reality that Adam Gilchrist had already removed the bails came to his attention.

At the same time that Donald let go of his bat and said goodbye to the World Cup, Klusener ran towards the dressing room in complete shock. Although the match ended in a tie, Australia was able to advance to the championship match because of its better place in the Super Six scoring standings. The victory against Pakistan that they achieved there allowed them to win their second World Cup crown.

A tragedy for the entire nation

Nearly two decades after a profoundly painful yet memorable moment in the annals of South African sports, Allan Donald shares his conviction that his dismissal, which led to a deadlock and propelled Australia to the final while leaving South Africa shattered, remains an utterly heart-wrenching occurrence.

Hansie Cronje's squad was widely regarded as one of the most formidable competitors at the 1999 World Cup held in England. Unfortunately, in the crucial game of the competition, they ended up on the wrong end of that unforgettable draw, leading to their elimination.

The last over of that semifinal at Edgbaston started with South Africa needing runs and Australia only one wicket away from victory. Right from the start of the game, Lance Klusener displayed his exceptional skill by effortlessly hitting two back-to-back boundaries off Damien Fleming's deliveries, levelling the scores in no time. With just four balls left, South Africa needed to score only one run.

On the third play, there was almost a close call for an out. Klusener played a shot towards mid-off and took a chance by attempting a single. Donald, observing the fielder, began to retreat to his crease and failed to hear Klusener's instruction. The runout marked the conclusion of an incredibly thrilling ODI finale.

An unforgettable memory etched in my mind is the 1999 World Cup. It's not due to the regrettable event when I was dismissed in the semifinal, but rather because of the exceptional group I had the honour of competing alongside. The team had an unshakeable confidence in their skills. Donald expressed his unwavering conviction that the team had the essential abilities to triumph in the World Cup, as he revealed to ESPNcricinfo. The regrettable event that unfolded was indeed a devastating tragedy.

Donald took part in another World Cup, making it a total of four, and regrettably, every competition ended in frustration for South Africa. In 1992, they were utterly taken aback by the ridiculous rain regulation, and in 1996, their hopes were dashed in the quarter-finals due to an extraordinary hundred by Brian Lara. The choice to substitute Donald with Paul Adams proved to be a costly error. The 1999 semifinal will forever be etched in the annals of cricket history, and four years later, a miscalculation using the Duckworth/Lewis method led to the hosts being ousted in a rather ludicrous fashion.

"Having participated in and represented your nation in four World Cups has been an incredible experience, but the absence of winning any of them has undoubtedly been the most disheartening aspect," expressed Donald. "I am optimistic that this South African team will succeed, as it would be beneficial for the country. They must achieve something remarkable, and I genuinely hope they can make it happen."