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Whether it’s Edgbaston in 1999 or Johannesburg in 2006 or Herschelle Gibbs dropping a sitter off Steve Waugh’s bat at Leeds to concede the victory at the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup, the rivalry between Australia and South Africa remains fresh even after umpteen years.
When the two sides meet, it promises to deliver moments that fans never forget. This battle has witnessed matches that went down to the wire, that resulted in heartbreaks, and saw careers change drastically.
Australia and South Africa have had strikingly different results in the 2019 World Cup. A role reversal has taken place. The last series in which the two teams met, the South African bowlers had plenty of say on Australian seaming pitches.
Not only were the likes of Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Andile Phehlukwayo enhancing their fearsome reputation as gun bowlers, but waiting in the wings were Dwaine Pretorius and Chris Morris.
Their batters were equally hitting the patch and translating the starts into big scores. Fast forward to the present, and Faf du Plessis’ men find themselves struggling to salvage some pride before bowing out of the competition.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Both the sides aren’t new to controversy. The sandpaper scandal represents one of the darkest days in Australian cricket. The once-mighty Aussie side was struggling to meet the standards in any format.
Their gloomy run in 50-over cricket seemed to find no light at the end of the tunnel. Despite the side’s narrow victory over South Africa in Adelaide that ended their seven-game losing streak, they were far from a settled unit.
However, their fortunes took a dramatic turn when they came back from 0-2 to beat India in a five-match ODI series. The defending champions prolonged their winning streak to a total of ten games from there. The Aussies became the first team to reach the semi-finals, standing a realistic chance to clinch their sixth World Cup title.
Australia and South Africa share a historic rivalry. When they meet in the ICC tournaments, the stakes are second to none. It’s a shame South Africa have already been knocked out of the World Cup.
Australia undoubtedly has plenty to play for. Aaron Finch’s men are playing in Manchester for the first time in the tournament, where they will contest their semi final should they beat South Africa. They are still searching for the perfect game.
On the other hand, a South African win will not only give Imran Tahir an exit on a high note but also restore some belief. Undeniably, though, the South African think tank has some tough calls to make.
With echoes of the 1999 World Cup, this clash might be meaningless on paper, but the two teams won’t treat it as a dead rubber.
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