#OTD in 1999: Australia and South Africa provide a mouth watering contest in semi-finals of World Cup

On this day in 1999, Australia and South Africa played one of the greatest ODIs of all time at Birmingham. It was the semi-finals of the 1999 edition of World Cup, which ended as a tie, but the Australian team reached the finals, as they were ranked higher in the Super-six points table. 

In the group stage as well as the super-six stage, Australia secured three victories in five outings to reach this stage. On the other hand, South Africa had four wins in group stages and three wins in the super-six stage. 

Having faced each other just four days ago, the two sides were at it again. With Australia winning the previous game by five wickets, it was time for South Africa to return the favour. Both sides were well aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses. The Australian team included Darren Lehmann in place of Damien Martyn, and Jacques Kallis returned for the Proteas. 

Hansie Cronje invited the Australian team to bat first and Shaun Pollock took the wicket of Mark Waugh (0) in the first over. Then Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting played out in a cautious manner and hit boundaries on the bad balls. 

The partnership could last 54 runs, before Allan Donald sent Ponting back into the stands after a well made 37 off 48 balls. In an attempt to play a lofted cover drive in the 14th over, Ponting was caught out by Kirsten. In the same over, Lehmann (1) was stunned by a bouncer from Donald and was caught behind by Boucher. 

A couple of overs later, Gilchrist (20) was caught by Donald off Kallis at third man area, and Australia were reeling at 68/4. 

An experienced partnership of captain Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan was useful for the team, as they kept the scoreboard ticking with boundaries in a consistent manner. 

However, Pollock was impressive with his length to dismiss Steve Waugh (56) in the 40th over, which was the initial point of trigger for a collapse. In the same over, Tom Moody was adjudged LBW, and Australia were at 158/6. 

The innings of the Australian team ended on 213 with Bevan getting dismissed by Pollock in the 50th over. Donald emerged as the pick of the bowlers with four scalps. 

In reply, Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs provided a stable start to the Proteas team. 

It took a magical leg-spin delivery by Shane Warne to clean-bowl Gibbs (30) in the 13th over. In Warne’s next over, Kirsten (18) tried to play a big shot towards the deep midwicket area, but was bowled. 

The game came alive when Warne took the wicket of Cronje (0) in the 16th over, followed by Cullina’s run-out, and Proteas were at 61/4. 

Kallis and Jonty Rhodes brought the team back in the contest with some terrific shots all over the park. 

It took an irresponsible shot by Rhodes (43) to give hope to the Australian team in the 41st over, and South Africa were gasping at 145/5. 

Kallis and Pollock added 30 runs quickly, before the former was dismissed in the 45th over by Warne for 53 off 92 balls. 

Left-handed all-rounder Lance Klusener was the driving force behind the chase with his boundaries, but he was running out of partners at the other end.  However, South Africa had some luck and a dropped catch of Klusner in the penultimate over helped the Proteas level the opposition’s total. 

South Africa needed 9 off 6, with only a single wicket left. In the first two balls of Damien Fleming, the southpaw hit boundaries and made the equation 1 off 4. The third ball returned a dot ball. 

Then Fleming darted in with a perfect yorker, and Klusner managed to make contact with the ball and nudge it towards the mid-off area. He tried to take a risky single, but the non-striker Donald could not respond quickly and was run-out. Klusener was impactful in his unbeaten knock of 31 off 16 balls. 

The Australian team reached the WC Final for the record fourth time. The Aussies went on to win the World Cup for the 2nd time by beating Pakistan by eight wickets.