Australia v Kenya

At Durban, March 15, 2003 (day/night). Australia won by five wickets. Toss: Australia.

Another Kenyan match, another fantasy. This was the night they imagined they might beat the world's most powerful cricketing nation thanks to the exploits of a middle-aged spinner who had retired after the last World Cup but now made a Brett Lee hat-trick seem insignificant. Aasif Karim's greatest claims to fame amounted to five wickets against Bangladesh in 1997-98 and some Davis Cup tennis. After this, he could also regale his grandchildren with the tale of how, at 39, he reduced the great Australians to impotence. Karim's style on delivery suggested that he might be about to serve, not bowl. He never remotely turned a ball, but in his first two overs he had Ponting lbw, Lehmann caught at the wicket by David Obuya (deputising for the injured Otieno) and then stooped for a low return catch off Hogg. Called out of retirement barely a month before the tournament began, Karim had reduced Australia to 117 for five; Gilchrist's withering assault, that had brought 98 within 12 overs, was quite forgotten. Karim had figures of 8-6-2-3 before Symonds and Harvey took five from his last two balls to achieve victory. Ponting professed himself "bemused" that Lee's thrilling hat-trick, which had reduced Kenya to three for three, had not earned the match award. For once, world-class athleticism had to give way to the romantic choice. Australia had won quite enough.

Man of the Match: A. Y. Karim. Attendance: 14,769.