5 Instances when luck deserted South Africa in World Cups

It was the first sunshine for the South African cricket after apartheid and the team stamped its authority by reaching the top four. In the semi-finals, the Proteas were going to take on the might of English. With Graeme Hick scoring 82 in a rain-curtailed game England reached 252 in 45 overs. The target was a stiff one for South Africa but they were comfortably placed at 131 for the loss of 4 wickets at the end of 27th over.

With Hansie Cronje and Jonty Rhodes chipping in with useful runs the total reached 202 but then heavens opened up. Slowly the rain picked up the pace and the England skipper, Graham Gooch persuaded the umpires to stop the play due to slippery conditions. Needing 22 of 13 balls it was going to be a tense finish.

The 12 minutes of rain and the confusing television demands gave the cricket world one of the most bizarre moments. When the play resumed the giant screen read 22 runs off 1 ball which meant that this time fortune didn’t favour the brave. Kepler Wessel’s men were enjoying a fairytale but in a moment it changed its genre to horror.

2) 1999 World Cup – Australia vs South Africa, Birmingham

The 1999 English summer provided the cricketing fans with the most dramatic scenes in the history of gentleman’s game. The Kangaroos were supposed to play the in-form South African side in the 2nd sem-final. Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald wreaked havoc in the Aussie camp as they shared 9 wickets between them. At the end of the first innings, the Men in Yellow tottered their way to 213.

In the second half of the game, Shane Warne helped his side by scalping 3 wickets at the top and the Proteas were reduced to 61/4. Then Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes steadied the ship and it seemed an easy doorway for the African nation to play their first ICC final. Suddenly the pressure got the better of Hansie Cronje’s men and it reached a point where they needed 9 runs of final over.

The cool customer, Lance Klusener creamed two boundaries at the start of the over and the scores were level. The equation came down to 1 off 4 balls but anxiety set off the alarm bells and a run-out brought an end to a nail biter. Australia sailed to finals due to the better net rate in the Super-six stages. The catch dropped by Herschelle Gibbs off Steve Waugh in group encounter came back to haunt the side and that can be called luck backstabbing.

3) 2003 World Cup – South Africa vs Sri Lanka, Johannesburg

The first World Cup of the 21st century was hosted by the land of natural beauty, the African continent (South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe). It was time for the Proteas to regain glory after it lost its sheen due to the match-fixing allegations in the early 2000s. In the group stages, the hosts were going to face Lankan Lions in a do or die match. Led by a batting masterclass of Marvan Attapattu Sri Lanka posted 268 in 50 overs.

Shaun Pollock’s men started their innings on a positive note as the openers put on a 65 run stand. Then the Sri Lankan bowlers kept pegging wickets at regular intervals and the double blow at the halfway-stage derailed the chase. Pollock took upon himself to boost the morale and played a matured knock of 25 but a brilliant piece of work in the field by Muttiah Muralitharan saw him return to the hut.

Still, Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener were at the crease and they were expected to give the finishing touches but then the rain gods decided to make their presence felt. At the end of 45th over, the persistent rain forced the players off the field and unfortunately, the play never resumed. The Duckworth Lewis method snitched on South Africa and the result was a tied match. Just before the stoppage of play, Boucher had defended the last ball and a single would have got them over the line. This time luck knocked them out by a low blow.

4) 2015 World Cup – New Zealand vs South Africa, Auckland

It was the best opportunity for the team from the African nation to win the title as they had multiple match-winners in their side. They beat the Sri Lankan team convincingly in the quarter-finals and set up a semi-final date with New Zealand on their home turf. Batting first, the duo of Faf Du Plessis and AB De Villiers were stitching a winning partnership but the thunderstorms and rain arrived at the end of 38th over.

Due to a long break, the game was reduced to 43 overs a side but the Proteas were able to post 281 on the board due to David Miller’s power game. As per the D/L rules, the revised target for Kiwis was 298 and it appeared to be a tough ask. Led by Brendon McCullum, the hosts continued their aggressive approach in batting but also lost wickets at crucial times. Needing 85 in the final ten overs, it was going to be a roller coaster ride.

Grant Elliot was the main bet for the Black Caps and it all came down to the final over where they needed 11 runs to win. In a composed manner he hit a six off the penultimate ball of the last over which sent the entire Auckland crowd into party mode. On the other side, it was a heartbreak for millions of South African cricket fans. Again this time bad luck came in the form of buttery fingers as the best fielding side dropped the simplest of catches and missed run-out chances.

5) 2019 World Cup – New Zealand vs South Africa, Birmingham

Considered as one of the top contenders before the start of this edition, South Africa is now languishing at the bottom half of the points table. With one win in 6 games, their fortunes depend in the hands of other teams. Injuries to key players and the controversial matters surrounding the selection have not helped either. Even in the game against New Zealand, the team was just moments away from changing the tide.

The rain was making a guest appearance and due to the wet outfield, the match reduced to 49 overs a side. After being put into bat on a seaming track, Faf Du Plessis-led side was in a spot of bother in the first ten overs as they lost their skipper and Quinton de Kock. They kept losing wickets and the innings never gained momentum due to which they ended up with a below-par total of 241. In return, the Black Caps also struggled in their chase as they lost 4 wickets at the score of 80.

The quickfire 60 from Colin de Grandhomme proved to be crucial as it allowed Kane Williamson to anchor the ship towards their shores. In the final over, the six by the Kiwi skipper helped them continue their dream run. Unlike the other days, Proteas were sloppy on the field. Williamson’s run-out miss by David Miller almost put an end to their 2019 World Cup mishap. They are still wondering how come their lady luck never smiles.

A country which has seen the emergence of a lovely track ” Rain, Rain Beautiful Rain” has always faced the wrath of Rain Gods at the biggest stage of their sporting events.