A view from the Gully (17 June 1999)
Favourites Australia and South Africa will meet again today in four days' time at Edgbaston, Birmingham
17-Jun-1999
17 June 1999
A view from the Gully
Daily Star
Favourites Australia and South Africa will meet again today in four
days' time at Edgbaston, Birmingham. This time it will be for a place
in the final. The South Africans have earned respect and admiration
from a wide variety of spectators and viewers for their methodical
approach and clinical precision in all their matches of the '99 World
Cup. They have been acclaimed as the most professional team devoid of
any passion or emotion and at the same time criticised for a little
lack of imagination. With a very impressive record they easily walked
into the Super Six losing only to their smaller and weaker neighbour
Zimbabwe. It was a real upset of the tournament as the Zimbabweans
incidentally registered their first historic victory against South
Africa in an ODI. It was a hard-fought match which turned out to be a
personal triumph for Neil Johnson.
The result did not matter much for the Proteas but it did raise hopes
for Zimbabwe for a place in the semis which was buried by the New
Zealanders and Australians. The last match of the Super Six was a
real thriller between the two favourites. South Africa posted a total
that could be safe during the cold May days. But as it happened the
Australians launched themselves desperately to reach the finishing
line ahead of the Proteas and they did that in style. The absence of
a genuine fifth bowler was acutely felt by Cronje as Steve Waugh and
Ricky Ponting belted the attack Cronje seemed to be a perplexed
captain short of ideas.
The pressure will be on both sides and the Australians, drained out
their energy, may be on the receiving end. Mark Waugh was again due
for runs after his pathetic run out and it must have been a
refreshing sight to see Shane Warne falling in his groove.
Return of Jacques Kallis will be a timely boost for the Proteas but
they will have to ensure a steady middle order against Warne, Moody
and Bevan. This will be another battle of the giants, a show none can
afford to miss.
Source :: The Daily Star