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A chronicle of titanic tussles in World Cup cricket - Part Two

Here is part two of some truly classic matches in cricket World Cup history.

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After chronicling part one of the best ever games in cricket world cup history, the focus now shifts to part two, which has even more enthralling action to follow.

Though the games mentioned in the first article were truly memorable to say the least, the ones which are to follow next had all the chutzpah, which would definitely inspire any cricket loving kid to try and replicate the to be mentioned heroics on field.

So read on and savour all the action from part two of some colossal battles which have taken place in World Cup cricket over the years!

 

Game of the century! (1999 semi-final)


Australia pulled off a thriller in the 1999 semi-final! (getty images)

 

This match has every right to behold title of 'game of the century', thanks to the titanic nature of battle which was played out between two of the greatest teams in world cricket.

Right from Australian skipper Steve Waugh playing out a superb rescue act with comrade-in-arms Michael Bevan, to the Proteas self-destructing at the fag end, this game has all the ingredients to go down as a thrill-a-minute contest.

In fact, South Africa famously earned the 'chokers' tag post this contest, which has since then haunted them in every World Cup tournament post 1999.

Earlier, Australia had edged out South Africa in an equally enthralling Super-Six game at Headingly, thanks to Waugh's battling 120, and the stage was set for more exploits to follow.

 

Australia tread on thin ice!

And the Aussies after being put in to bat first at Edgbaston did not enjoy the best of starts, as they were left tottering at 68 for 4, thanks to Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock having them scurrying for cover.

Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann and Adam Gilchrist were all dispatched off with consummate ease, and by the time skipper Steve walked in to join Bevan at the crease, the contest looked well and truly out of Austalia's hands!

 

Captain courageous takes charge!

What followed next was an epitome of cricketing courage as Waugh and Bevan took the fight back to the South African camp, and rebuilt the Australian innings, run-for-run, ball-for-ball.

Waugh played out a gritty encore of his Headingly knock, and by the time he was dismissed by Pollock for 56, Australia were placed at a more than comfortable 158 for 5, with the pall of gloom all but fading away in the bright Birmingham sunshine.

If Waugh's Headingly knock was all about characteristic brilliance, this one resembled somewhat of a street-fighter's resilience, as the Proteas looked clueless as to how to dislodge him from crease.

Even Bevan's 65 was an equally measured one, as the southpaw kept the run-meter ticking with quick singles and doubles and slowly, which rescued Australia's sinking ferry.

Though the rest of Australia's batsmen succumbed to Pollock and Donald's pace hostility, Waugh and Bevan's 90-run partnership ensured that the team put up a modest 213 on board, with all and everything to play for come the South African innings!

 

Wizard of OZ casts his spell!

It is for nothing that Shane Warne was known as one of world cricket's finest leg-spinners.

Despite the odds stacked against the Aussies, Warne had the Proteas trotting about like old men on a minefield, with some stupendous leg-spin. Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis were all left mystified by Warne, and by the time Daryll Cullinan departed with the score at 61 for 4, Waugh was left smiling with a glint in his eye!

 

Proteas fight back!

But South Africa are known to be a team who do not give up without a fight, and quite predictably they stormed back into the contest, on back of two watchful knocks by Kallis (53) and Jonty Rhodes (43).

Though both perished later on after a vigilante display, Shaun Pollock chipped in with a timely 20, and as South Africa reached 183 for 7 with four more overs to play four, the game had just begun!

 

Klusner storm hits Australia!

Picture this - South Africa were almost on the verge of defeat, after the dismissals of Mark Boucher and Steve Elworthy, and with the score at 198 for nine, it looked curtains for the Proteas.

But surprise, surprise, it was Lance Klusner of all people who took them right back into the contest, with a flurry of fours. Klusner went hammer and tongs against the Aussies and by the time Damien Fleming came in to bowl the last over, South Africa needed nine from six balls, with victory just around the corner!

 

An incredible finish!

What followed next would forever be entailed in cricket history, as Klusner disdainfully smacked Fleming for two consecutive fours, thus bringing his side on the door step of victory.

The third delivery yielded no run, and as the score-card read - one needed from three deliveries...South Africa were just about to self-destruct!

 

Harakiri!

Fleming who till then was on the receiving end of Klusner's mighty willow, charged in and unleashed a pin-point yorker, which Klusner could not parry.

A horrible mix-up ensued between Klusner and last-man Donald, with both batsmen unsure as to whether go for the run or not. With both batsmen stuck mid-crease, Mark Waugh calmly collected the ball at mid-off and flicked it to Lehmann, who in turn tossed it to Glichrist.

And as Donald made a wild dash to reach the batsman's end...lo Gilchrist had duly whipped of the bails to make sure that Australia had sensationally tied the game, with two balls to spare!

Wild celebrations ensured amongst the Aussies, and as Klusner and Donald trodded back to the pavillion in a hurry, an announcement was made that Waugh's men had reached the semi-finals thanks to their superior Super-Six record.

As Waugh and his men hopped on field like a bunch of overjoyed school kids...world cup cricket had just witnessed the most remarkable end to it's most famous game ever!


Slinga-Malinga wins it...almost! (2007)


Lasith Malinga ripped apart South Africa in 2007...almost! (getty images)

 

Another memorable game, and the South Africans were involved once again in a game which saw them snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

South Africa were facing Sri Lanka in a Super-Eight tie at Guyana, and were cruising to an easy win, in chase of a paltry 210-run total. Earlier, Charl Langeveldt had run amok amongst the Sri Lankan batsmen, and had skittled them out with a magnificent five-wicket haul.

Apart from Tillakaratne Dilshan (58) and Russell Arnold's (50) half-centuries, Sri Lanka had nothing to show for in their insipid batting display, as they quickly folded up 2019, thus leaving the doors of victory open for South Africa.

With Graeme Smith looking in pristine touch, it was only a matter of time before South Africa quickly made the game their own and chugged on to a certain win!


Enter Malinga!

As the score read 206 for 5, South Africa were almost on the finishing line, with a win all but a definite formality.

With Malinga coming in to bowl the 44th over, little did South Africa know that a flurry of yorkers was just around the corner!


Four in Four!

Though Shaun Pollock had safely ambled past Malinga's first four deliveries, what followed next had him completely baffled!

The fifth ball was a slow yorker which eluded Pollock's defences and crashed into his leg-stump.

Score - South Africa 206 for 6.

Next batsman in was Andrew Hall, and he was greeted with a similar yorker, which was chipped on to Upul Tharanga at the covers.

Score - South Africa 206 for 7  

When in-form Kallis edged another Malinga screamer to Kumar Sangakkara first ball of the 46th over, Malinga had grabbed a hat-trick and also the chance to pull off a sensational win!

And after Makhaya Ntini had his furniture disassemble by another Malinga yorker, next deliver, South Africa were suddenly 207 for 9, with defeat all but the order of the day!

 

Proteas huff and puff to victory!

But it was not to be as last-men Langeveldt and Robin Peterson managed to see off Malinga and notch up the required six runs, which had the South African dressing room heaving a sigh of relief.

South Africa had escaped potential embarrassment and had escaped in wake of Malinga's onslaught, and though they celebrated later like a cup final win, still the game will always be remembered for the Sri Lankan who nearly did the unthinkable.

For the record, South Africa collapsed once again in the semi-final against Australia, whereas Sri Lanka buoyed by Malinga's heroics reached the final, where they lost to Ricky Ponting's men.


Luck of the Irish! - 2011


Kevin O' Brien inspired Ireland to a famous win over England (getty images)

 

This group match at Banglaore's Chinnaswamy Stadium can well be labelled as a classic David versus Goliath battle.

IF the English were amongst the Crème de la crème of international cricket, then the Irish could be labelled as their poor European counterparts, who were miles away in terms of cricketing achievements.

As expectedly, Andrew Strauss' men racked up a mammoth 327 for 8 in their first essay, aided by Jonathan Trott's 92, Kevin Pietersen's 59 and Ian Bell's 81.

Apart from John Mooney (4 for 63), none of Ireland's bowlers managed to trouble England one bit, and by the time the English were finished belting them to all parts of the ground...the luck of the Irish was to be swayed upon the Chinnaswamy!

 

Graeme Swann runs riot!

Ireland had tumbled to 111 for 5, with off-spinner Swann accounting for three of their top-five batsmen.

The manner in which Ireland collapsed against Swann only suggested that they were ready to fold up and hit the showers early. So as in jogged Kevin O' Brien to take guard...England were about to be smashed to smithereens!

 

O' Brien storm blows away England!

What followed next was batsmanship at its counter-attacking best, as O'Brien walloped England to all parts of the ground and conjured up a breathtaking century.

By the end of his 63-ball knock, O'Brien had England in tatters, thanks to 13 fours and six sixes raining from his mighty blade. In a space of 123 minutes, the Irish had miraculously managed to bypass the 300-run mark and as O'Brien walked off to loud applause post a fantastic 113, the game had somehow slipped away from England!

O' Brien's terrific assault left England demoralized and as Mooney and Trent Johnston played out a frantic finish, Ireland had miraculously upset the English applecart! The famous luck of the Irish had indeed come true, as O' Brien inspired his side to a historic win with three wickets and five balls to spare.

Though England managed to shrug off the loss and did amble their way to the quarter-finals, that night will always be remembered for O' Brien who wrote his name in history books with a gem of a knock!


MS Dhoni seals it with a flourish! - 2011 final

And last but not the least is the game which saw India reclaim cup glory after a span of 28 years, a tribute befitting to the retiring Sachin Tendulkar.

Sri Lanka were their opponents at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, and the game resembled a roller-coaster ride, right from start to finish. India had reached the finale on bank of some scintillating cricket, and had beaten the likes of Australia and Pakistan in the knock-out stages.

Though Mahela Jayawardene's classy 103 had propelled Sri Lanka to a formidable 274 in the first essay, India matched them with an equally fine batting performance, come the run-chase. Despite Malinga packing off Virender Sehwag and Tendulkar early on, Gautam Gambhir showed steely resolve to notch up a fighting 97.


India won a thrill-a-minute final in 2011 (getty images)

 

Kohli played ideal foil with a timely 35, and as the score read 114 for 3, in walked Dhoni to play a true captain's knock. The skipper rose to the challenge and charmed the Wankhede crowd with an inspiring 91, which had all the trappings of a champion knock.

Sri Lanka had no answer to Dhoni's assault and the skipper slowly but surely turned the game in India's favour. Eight fours, one six later, as Dhoni dispatched Nuwan Kulasekara for a mighty six into the starry Mumbai night, the cup had finally been won, and the skipper had transformed into a legend!

Tendulkar was given a fitting tribute and the win sparked off scenes of delirium throughout the country. It was India's second ever World Cup title win, and Dhoni's heroics did well to alleviate the pain of the 2007 World Cup fiasco, and also in turn breathed fresh life for cricket in India.

The cup had finally come home!

 

So as part two ends, the games mentioned in this article can well and truly be counted amongst World Cup cricket's greatest ever, thanks to the sheer drama it has provided to countless cricket fans.

Though World Cup cricket has seen many more gladiatorial battles in its illustrious history, the above mentioned games definitely stand a cut above the rest!  

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