1999 reflection: Klusener bashes, then crashes
Roar Guru By The Cougar, 15 Jan 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- 1999 World Cup, 1999 World Cup semi-final, Cricket, Lance Klusener, Mark Waugh, South Africa
On the eve of Australia’s one-day series against South Africa, and with home fans needing a lift after December’s deflating Test losses, I thought it timely to reflect on one of my Top Ten cricket moments.
It was the 1999 World Cup semi-final between this summer’s combatants, and it produced one of the greatest last-over finishes in the history of the game. It had everything!
The drama was intensified for me as I had scored a ticket to the Final at Lord’s the following Sunday, with Pakistan awaiting the winner of the second semi-final at Edgbaston. I was 24, had graduated from university the previous year and was playing club cricket in Hertfordshire. I was living in north London and having the time of my life.
The equation in the 50th over was this: South Africa needed 9 runs to win with just one wicket in hand.
Lance Klusener was at his bludgeoning best, and absolutely smoked the first two balls of Damien Fleming’s over to the boundary. Watch the video; they are two of the hardest hit front-foot drives you’re ever likely to lay eyes on.
On the third ball, Fleming sensibly bowled fractionally shorter and Klusener tried to swat the ball through mid-wicket for the winning runs. Hitting high on the bat, he only succeeded in getting the ball as far as Darren Lehmann at sort mid-on, who with two-and-a-half stumps to aim at from only three metres, would’ve caught Alan Donald short with his underarm throw. Lehmann and teammates stood in disbelief on the centre square.
This was drama akin to the lead-up to a tennis tournament involving Jelena Dokic or an athletics meet involving Jana Pittman or Marie-Jose Perec.
Then the fourth ball. Fleming, under intense pressure, bravely bowled full to the belligerent Klusener. This time, though, he got his length perfect, yorking the big South African and forcing him to squirt the ball to mid-off. Klusener bolted, but Donald stayed put. Mark Waugh swooped, and shyed at the non-striker’s end. Luckily he missed and Fleming relayed the ball to Adam Gilchrist at the other end. What a finish!
The reason Australia advanced despite the game finishing in a tie was because Australia had beaten South Africa just four days earlier at Headingley. That’s a post for another day.
Recommend this story.
January 16th 2009 @ 10:03am
Harry said | January 16th 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Beautiful vision.
Was it Reifel who the over before dropped Kluesner on the boundary? Or Fleming off Reifel’s bowling? It was a very, very difficult chance – over his head the ball was travelling flat hard and fast, went through his hands for 4 from memory.
By the way, hows the ground at Hemel Hemstead Cougar? I used to play an annual friendly there in the late 80′s and early 90′s …
January 16th 2009 @ 12:52pm
ThelmaWrites said | January 16th 2009 @ 12:52pm | Report comment
Harry, it was Reifel off McGrath’s full toss, it was for 6. I will never forget the Aussie commentator (can’t remember who) exclaming “Dear, oh dear!” Now I’ll have to watch the match again.
Klusener was Man of the Tournament. Poor Hans Cronje hadn’t gotten over his shock over SA’s defeat by the time the celebrations at the Lord’s balcony came around.
January 16th 2009 @ 1:22pm
The Cougar said | January 16th 2009 @ 1:22pm | Report comment
G’day Harry,
I still love watching that vision, even if the match was played almost 10 years ago (in fact, I might have to have a 10th anniversary party this June). Steve Waugh’s ton in the Super Sixes game a few days earlier was extraordinary too. Another reflection is due soon.
As Thelma rightly points out, it was Paul Reiffel who impersonated a soccer goal-keeper in palming the ball over the boundary for a six! The emotions were all over the place that arvo!
Yeah, Hemel Hempstead was/is a great little village. Most of the grounds in Hertfordshire were nice for cricket. Knebworth Park was special – next to the big stately grounds where Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Robbie Williams etc have performed.
January 16th 2009 @ 1:39pm
Harry said | January 16th 2009 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
Got to play at Knebworth once, yes a great ground.
That century by Waugh in the Super 6′s was one of the great innings of all time.
Its hard for me to think of any better or more important ones by any Australian batsman in my lifetime – Kim Hughes century against the West Indies on th 1st day of the Boxing Day test in 81 is about the only one I can think of to rival it.
January 17th 2009 @ 12:59am
ThelmaWrites said | January 17th 2009 @ 12:59am | Report comment
Cougar, I’m looking forward to your relfections on Steve Waugh’s 120 not out in the Super Six. I didn’t tape the match because I get really jittery when so much hangs in the balance. But I rang my daughter up and she said, Didn’t you know? I quickly went to the newsagent and the sunday paper had the banner headline “Our Peerless Captain”. Fortunately for me, Ch 9 replayed the match during a rain-interrupted Melbourne Test. Cheers.