South Africa emerge as winners - 1998

Evolved as part of the International Cricket Council's globalisation scheme, the ICC Champions Trophy - or the mini World Cup - has proved to be a resounding success both from the financial and cricketing viewpoints. In importance, it ranks next only to the World Cup and is staged every two years. Indeed, the unique feature of the tournament in the inaugural year was the fact that only the nine Test-playing nations participated, and that meant it represented the apotheosis of the game in every respect.

When the idea for such a competition was first mooted, there was serious talk of Disney World in Florida hosting the event. Then Sharjah seemed to be emerging as a candidate before the tournament was finally held in Dhaka from October 24 to November 1, 1998. The attractive catch-phrase associated with the tournament underscored its pulsating format: "Nine teams, eight matches, one chance." Indeed, with the event being held on a knock-out basis, there were no second opportunities for the contestants. One bad match and even the most heavily fancied side could be out of the tournament.

The pattern for the exciting fare during the week was set in the opening match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Replying to Zimbabwe's 258 for seven in 50 overs, New Zealand were always behind on the runrate and required 40 runs with just three overs left. Chris Harris, then, launched a ferocious assault on Neil Johnson and 18 runs came off the 48th over. Off the last over, New Zealand needed 12 runs and they got to the last ball wanting three. Harris emerged the hero, hitting the ball to the extra cover boundary, and New Zealand won by five wickets in the narrowest manner possible.

The quarter-finals were not without surprises, the biggest being India's 44-run win over Australia. Not surprisingly, Sachin Tendulkar was the architect of the unexpected victory. First, he tore the attack apart to score 141 off 128 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. After two wickets had fallen for eight runs, Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (48) added 140 runs for the third wicket. This was followed by a 132-run fourth-wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja (71). When Australia made a gallant bid to challenge India's imposing total of 307 for eight in 50 overs, Tendulkar, with his mixture of leg-breaks and off-breaks, finished with four wickets for 38. The match also saw Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin become the first to play 300 oneday internationals, even if he was out for a third-ball duck.

A comparatively minor surprise was the West Indies' 30-run victory over Pakistan. Opener Philo Wallace's blistering 79 off 58 balls and his second-wicket partnership of 109 runs with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (49) paved the way for West Indies' challenging total of 289 for nine in 50 overs. Against four spinners, an unlikely attack for the West Indies to possess, Pakistan were restricted to 259 for nine in 50 overs.

South Africa were always expected to get the better of England, who, preparing for the sterner Ashes battle in Australia, sent a team that had a Second XI look. Under the circumstances, even a total of 281 for seven in 50 overs was not enough to avoid defeat. Skipper Adam Hollioake top-scored with an unbeaten 83, but South Africa, with breezy knocks from Darryl Cullinan (69), Jonty Rhodes (61 not out) and skipper Hansie Cronje (67), coasted home with six wickets and 3.2 overs to spare.

The match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka had the looks of being a scorcher, but their heroics against Zimbabwe seemed to have left the Kiwis exhausted. When they were all out for 188 in 49.5 overs, they were always going to be up against it. To their credit, they had the Lankans at five for three with Sanath Jayasuriya out for a first-ball duck. But skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (90 not out) brought all his vast experience into play, and Sri Lanka were home by five wickets in 41.3 overs.

In the semi-finals, South Africa were expected to get the better of Sri Lanka, while few bold predictions were being made regarding the outcome of the India-West Indies tie. South Africa did make it to the title round, but they needed the Duckworth-Lewis method to do so. The first rainy day of the tournament meant that the game was delayed by two hours, becoming a 39-over match. A further five overs were later lopped off the Sri Lankan innings, revising their target to 224 in 34 after South Africa had led off with 240 for seven thanks to Jacques Kallis' unbeaten 113 off 100 balls with five sixes. The Lankan batsmen looked out of sorts, lost wickets too quickly, and were all out for 132 in 23.4 overs to leave South Africa winners by the comfortable margin of 92 runs.

Against all expectations, the other semi-final too ended in a rather lop-sided result, with the West Indies winning by six wickets and three overs to spare. India were always going to be up against it after they lost Tendulkar and Azharuddin with only 21 runs scored, both batsmen falling to Mervyn Dillon. Though Sourav Ganguly (83) and Robin Singh (73 not out) raised the total to 242 for six in 50 overs, the West Indies encountered little difficulty in achieving their target. In a reversal of roles, Chanderpaul hit a stroke-filled 74, while skipper Brian Lara, playing with restraint, got an unbeaten 60. Despite another tight bowling spell from Tendulkar (two for 29 from ten overs), Lara and Keith Arthurton (40) steered their side home with an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 89 runs.

Living up to the pre-match tag of favourites, South Africa duly won the trophy, defeating the West Indies by four wickets and three overs to spare. An electrifying 103 by opener Philo Wallace and a score of 180 for three gave the West Indies hopes of raising an imposing total, but Kallis (5 for 30) ripped through the middle and late order. The West Indies were dismissed for 245 in the last over. There was a glimmer of hope for them when South Africa were 137 for five, but Cronje stood firm with an unbeaten 61 and got his team home. A few minutes later the beaming South African captain was receiving the trophy from the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.