1999 Cricket World Cup 2nd semi-final

The second semi-final of the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup was a famous cricket match played between South Africa and Australia on 17 June 1999 at Edgbaston, England. Australia went on to beat Pakistan in the final on 20 June. The match is most remembered for the disastrous run out involving Allan Donald and Lance Klusener which ended the game.

The two teams had faced each other in a Super six match, which would eventually prove to be the deciding factor in determining which of the two teams would qualify for the final. South Africa batted first and put up a competitive total, with Herschelle Gibbs scoring 101. In reply, Australia began losing wickets at regular intervals. The turning point of the match occurred when captain Steve Waugh was dropped by Gibbs at short mid-wicket, as Gibbs attempted to throw the ball up into the air in celebration, only for the ball to slip through his fingers. After the dropped chance, Waugh was reported to have famously said to Gibbs "You've just dropped the World Cup". Waugh denied saying this, but the quote has lived on in cricketing folklore. Waugh went on to score an unbeaten 120 and guided Australia home by 5 wickets. Had Australia not won the game, they would have been knocked out of the World Cup. As it happened, the victory allowed them to finish in second place in the Super Six stage, and qualify to play South Africa in the semi-final.

South Africa won the toss and elected to field. In seaming conditions, Australia managed to put up a total of 213 with Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh scoring vital half-centuries. Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald tore through the middle and lower order picking up 9 of the ten wickets between them. South Africa began their chase steadily with Kirsten and Gibbs putting on a good opening partnership. Wickets then fell at regular intervals as South Africa collapsed to 61-4. Jonty Rhodes and Jacques Kallis then put together a vital partnership taking South Africa within 40 runs of victory. Through some valuable runs from Mark Boucher and Pollock, and some big hitting from Lance Klusener, South Africa moved closer to the target

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