The first round World Cup fixture in 2003 between hosts South Africa and Sri Lanka will go down in cricketing history as one of the greatest cricket encounters that has ever been played.
This game provided all the entertainment that sport provides as both teams fought tooth and nail. In the end, the game rightly ended in a tie, but that meant that South Africa’s World Cup was over. Wonder whether any other sportsman would have endured the pressure South African skipper Shaun Pollock was made to go through for the next two weeks.
The South Africans were the overwhelming favourites to win the 2003 World Cup, having messed up a fine opportunity last time around in 1999. With several players who were part of the 1999 campaign like Jonty Rhodes, Allan Donald, Gary Kirsten and Lance Klusener reaching the twilight of their careers, the Proteas wanted to capture the elusive World Cup win on home soil. And they put up a splendid show.
Former captain and cricket board chief Dr. Ali Bacher had resigned from the post to become the head of the organizing committee of the World Cup. He left no stone unturned to make this event a success. The 2003 World Cup is perhaps so far the best we have witnessed. Sports crazy South Africans hoped that their cricket team would repeat the feat of their rugby team eight years ago by winning the World Cup. In 1995, hosts South Africa had won the Rugby World Cup beating the All Blacks in the final in South Africa.
Injuries to Donald and Rhodes meant that the campaign didn’t go to plan for South Africa. Yet, they had a formidable side. The final group ‘B’ game between the hosts and Sri Lanka became a must win clash for the South Africans after they had earlier lost to New Zealand.
Chasing 269 to win, South Africa were 212 for five with captain Pollock and Mark Boucher in the middle and Klusener yet to come. It looked like South Africa’s game when a slight drizzle grew heavier and Muttiah Muralitharan ran out Pollock to change the equation.
By the time Klusener took guard, it was clear that this game wasn’t going the full distance as the rain was steady now. This game is a great leveler. In the previous edition of the World Cup when these teams met at Northampton in England, Klusener had walked in with South Africa on 115 for seven. He then smashed a half-century in 45 balls to change the equation.
Read More : World Cup History 9 – The ‘Thunder’ from Down Under (2003)
In 2003 Klusener had lost his aura. He managed just one run in eight balls.
Muttiah Muralitharan was bowling from one end and he was going to send the 45th over with the score on 216 for six. At the start of the over, the South African dressing room had sent down a message to Boucher that the total had to be 229 at the completion of the 45th over for South Africa to win. Alas. That was a big miscalculation.
Duckworth Lewis score sheets do not indicate the scores to win. What they indicate is the score to tie. So in fact South Africa needed 230 to win and not 229. Boucher sent the penultimate ball of the 45th over for six and the score moved to 229. He punched the air in jubilation.
South Africa were now trying to send 12th man Nicky Boje to the middle to convey the message that they needed 230, having realized their earlier mistake. But the umpires did not allow the reserve player in as this was killing time. Boucher true to form, blocked the next ball. The umpires suspended play.
All hell broke loose from thereon. The rain wouldn’t stop. The game ended in a tie. South Africa had made a terrible miscalculation.
Former opening batsman Andrew Hudson said at the post match presentation that 42 million South Africans were going to bed that night hoping it was all a bad dream.
Pollock was axed as captain. South Africa are yet to qualify for a World Cup final, let alone winning it.
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