Waugh’s mature epic and Gibbs’s pre-mature celebration

World Cup Classics: Super Sixes - Australia v South Africa, Headingley, Leeds, 13 June 1999

Australia reached Super Sixes without taking any points from the group stage with them as they were beaten by other qualifiers from their group. Now they had to win all three games in order to reach the semi-final. South Africa
after posting a challenging total were in control of the game in Australia’s innings when a heart-warming effort from an ice-cool legend thwarted them and carried his team marching into the semi-final.

South Africa chose to bat after winning the toss. Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten started confidently and took South Africa to 45 in the 13th over when the latter departed. Gibbs who was going strong and was timing the ball crisply shared a stand of 95 runs in almost 20 overs with Darryl Cullinan. Cullinan (50 off 62 balls) was clean bowled by his nemesis Shane Warne who then had Captain Hansie Cronje out LBW in the same over for a duck to bring Australia back on level terms. Both tried the same shot, a mow over cow corner but were deceived by the spin of the master. Gibbs who was batting fluently was yorked by McGrath at the score of 219 in the 44th over after scoring his second ton in ODIs for 101 off 134 balls with 10 fours and a six. Jonty Rhodes upped the tempo even further by scoring more than run-a-ball 39 with 2 fours and 2 sixes. They collected 18 from a Fleming over. Klusener than played a thunderous knock of 36 off just 21 balls in the closing stages, as he was doing so often in that World Cup, to lift his team’s score to a challenging 271 for 7. Thanks to these two, South Africa added 47 runs in the last 5 overs. For Australia Warne was the best bowler with 2 wickets for just 33 runs while Damien Flaming took 3 for 57.

Australia’s start was disastrous considering the importance of the game losing 3 key wickets at the score of 48. Steve Elworthy first clean-bowled Gilchrist with a beautiful in-dipper and then had Damien Martin caught at mid wicket. In between these two dismissals, Nicky Boje and Boucher combined well to run out dangerous Mark Waugh. It was a tricky situation which required something special from Australia as they could not afford to lose any more wickets. Entered Steve Waugh, the man of crises, to not only rescue the sinking ship but also prove his credentials as a captain who can lead from the front. And boy did he execute!

First he combined with Ponting to stabilize the innings by playing safely taking singles and doubles and then unleashed his powerful strokes all around the ground. Ponting who had hit two sixes was also mellowed down by him for the larger purpose and both added 126 runs in 22.4 overs for the 4th wicket. They scored at over 8 runs per over from 20th to the 30th over. There was electric atmosphere at the ground during Waugh’s onslaught and Cronje was clueless as a captain. Waugh completed his 50 first off 47 balls. Then the turning point came in the 31st over bowled by Klusener with Australia at 152. Steve Waugh flicked uppishly to Gibbs at mid wicket who grabbed the ball but dropped it forthrightly in a fit of premature celebration. It was the same Gibbs’s habit of celebrating prematurely after catching that Shane Warne had warned his team about in the team meeting before the match. He had advised them not to leave the crease immediately if they see Gibbs catching the ball but he was laughed off. Steve Waugh famously chucked at Gibbs, "I hope you realize that you've just lost the game for your team". Gibbs earlier had sneered at him, "Let's see how he takes the pressure now” when Waugh had arrived at the crease.

The dropped catch proved crucial as Waugh continued to murder the South African attack on his way to a fabulous hundred off just 91 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes. Ponting had gone after contributing 69 off 110 balls but Michael Bevan gave Waugh good support in a quick stand of 73 runs. Waugh’s six off Elworthy on bent knees was a treat to watch. By the time Bevan departed the target was just 26 off the same number of balls. Fittingly Steve Waugh scored the winning runs with 2 balls left in the match. He remained not out on 120 off 110 balls and was named Man of the match.

With this win Australia booked their place in the semi-final against the same opposition and Waugh’s epic knock was written in the annals of World Cup Classics with golden words for the times to come. It was truly a captain’s knock which is regarded by many as the best ever in World Cup history.