South Africans are well and truly Warned (14 June 1999)

14 June 1999

South Africans are well and truly Warned

Charles Randall

Steve Waugh, less than an hour after the innings of his life, was expressing his eagerness to take on South Africa again in the semi-final at Edgbaston on Thursday.

"It would be a shame to waste today, that's for sure," Australia's captain said. "We're definitely going the right way. Psychologically, I'm sure today has been good for us."

Hansie Cronje, South Africa's captain, agreed that Australia would have the edge, though he felt the absence of the injured Jacques Kallis had a bearing on yesterday's result. "If you lose Jacques, you lose two cricketers," he said.

Waugh, typically, did have some reservations about his team's showing. He said: "The bowling wasn't quite up to standard because we bowled both sides of the wicket, so we've definitely got a bit of work to do before the next game.

He reckoned South Africa won a valuable toss. "I think it was worth 20 or 30 runs. It was hard work batting in the second innings and we definitely would have batted first."

Waugh's survival at the crease, courtesy of Herschelle Gibbs, when 56, struck a chord with South Africa. It was at Northampton that Daryll Cullinan was caught at long-off when Chaminda Vaas, the Sri Lankan fielder, caught and then threw the ball infield as he toppled back over the boundary.

Gibbs, however, was rightly ruled not to have had control over the ball. Cronje rather gallantly said afterwards in Gibbs's defence that a bruised finger might have affected his confidence making the catch. "He's valuable as a very good fielder," he added.

Waugh looked surprised and elated when the ball hit the turf, and he said afterwards: "It was a strange occurrence. I had a feeling it might tilt the game in our favour and I guess if you're looking for a turning point, then that was it."

Another turning point in this wonderful contest was two wickets in one over from Shane Warne. Waugh proved absolutely right in his prediction that Warne would deliver when his skills were most needed.

The FedEx Speedster, the machine measuring the speed of each delivery, suggested that Warne bowled his leg-breaks at, on average, 51mph - his quickest, at 61mph, would be above the pace of most club opening bowlers - but what was interesting was the way he took his two wickets in the over.

Cullinan seemed well settled until he was tempted to heave at Warne's slower ball, measured at almost his slowest speed of 47mph, and Cronje followed third ball, misjudging a leg-break at 50mph. Even in one-day cricket there was room for guile.

On Cronje's dismissal Warne sank to one knee and pumped the air in triumph, as though to silence his doubters for ever. He bowled with rare brilliance and it was not long before the partisan West Bank section of the crowd were chanting "Warnie, Warnie, Warnie" with gusto.

This was the Australian who had adopted a prickly relationship with some of the World Cup crowds early in the tournament. For example, he did not seem to take kindly to some Scottish supporters parading an inflatable whale at Worcester and he stated his distaste for the taunting at Taunton.

On top of that, he had to eat humble pie for derogatory comments in a newspaper column about Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka's captain. But all that was in the past as Australia powered through to the semi-finals.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph