The ICC Cricket World Cup returned to its place of birth - England - after 1983 when the 1999 edition was played there. It was remarkable in the manner in which Australia played. They began poorly and faced elimination. However, Steve Waugh's champions won seven games in a row to win the ICC Cricket World Cup to give Australia their second world triumph.

Defending champions Sri Lankans were off-colour and defeated by the Indians in the league phase. The Indians themselves were not too hot either, losing to Zimbabwe in a league match. Amid such drama did Australia and South Africa clash in the semi-final of the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup.

The game

The match was played at Edgbaston and Australia batted first after South Africa won the toss. Thanks to Michael Bevan's 65 and skipper Steve Waugh's 56, Australia reached 213 before being bowled out inside 50 overs.

Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald, the fast men, bowled superbly to share the spoils, with Pollock taking five for 36 and Donald four for 32. It was a modest Australian score and the South Africans really fancied their chances.

The run chase

South Africans started off well, with Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs putting on 48 for the first wicket. Things were looking excellent for South Africa as the middle order, comprising Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener all got runs.

Kallis scored a compact fifty and Klusener was his usual aggressive self, belting 31 runs off just 16 balls.

Enter Shane Warne… again

The magician, Shane Warne, then completely changed the course of the match with his brilliant bowling. He had already removed Gibbs and Kirsten, and then he came back to dismiss South African skipper Hansie Cronje and Jacques Kallis, picking up wickets in crunch situations seemingly at will.

The bizarre last over

Lance Klusener on the other hand was batting like he was in another match. He was scoring freely when, in the last over, with the scores tied at 213 and two balls still to go, there was an inexplicable mix-up between him and Donald.

Donald was run out, Klusener left stranded on 31, and the match ended in a tie when at one stage, it looked as if South Africa would play its first ICC Cricket World Cup final at the cost of Australia.

The result

While the match was a tie, Australia went into the final as it had beaten South Africa in the league stage and the tournament rules specified that in case of a tie, an earlier result should be taken into account. Joy for Waugh and his men and South Africans were plunged into mourning in yet another ICC Cricket World Cup semi final.