India needed nine runs from 12 balls. Robin Singh had survived the repair work, Javagal Srinath had already struck two sixes, and Zimbabwe were turning to a bowler who had struggled to control the ball earlier in the chase.

Henry Olonga had conceded six wides across three overs. His return for the 45th carried obvious risk. India held three wickets and still had another over available.

Six deliveries later, the match was over.

Olonga removed Robin, bowled Srinath and trapped Venkatesh Prasad lbw. India were dismissed for 249, three runs short of Zimbabwe’s 252/9, with six balls of their reduced allocation unused.

The ending alone earns this contest a place in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs. The path toward it adds several more reasons: 90 overs of fluctuating control, 90 extras, India’s costly slow-over-rate penalty, the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, and a match-winning performance from Grant Flower that extended far beyond the final score.

TL;DR

• Zimbabwe beat India by three runs at Grace Road during the 1999 World Cup.
• Andy Flower anchored Zimbabwe’s innings with 68 not out from 85 balls.
• Grant Flower made 45 and conceded only 33 runs from 10 overs to earn Player of the Match.
• India’s slow over rate reduced its chase from 50 overs to 46.
• Sadagoppan Ramesh top-scored for India with 55, while Ajay Jadeja made 43.
• Henry Olonga took three wickets in the 45th over to end India’s chase at 249.

Zimbabwe vs India 1999 World Cup: Match Information

Detail	Information
Match	India vs Zimbabwe, Group A
Tournament	1999 Cricket World Cup
Date	May 19, 1999
Venue	Grace Road, Leicester
Toss	India won the toss and fielded
Zimbabwe	252/9 in 50 overs
India	249 all out in 45 overs
Result	Zimbabwe won by three runs
Player of the Match	Grant Flower, 45 and 1/33
Zimbabwe’s top scorer	Andy Flower, 68 not out
India’s top scorer	Sadagoppan Ramesh, 55
Best bowling figures	Heath Streak, 3/36; Henry Olonga, 3/22
Turning point	Olonga took three wickets in the 45th over
Tournament impact	Zimbabwe earned its second win; India suffered a second consecutive defeat

Complete Match Scorecard

Zimbabwe Innings: 252/9 in 50 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Neil Johnson	c Mongia b Srinath	7	10	1	0
Grant Flower	c Mongia b Jadeja	45	89	4	0
Paul Strang	b Agarkar	18	26	1	0
Murray Goodwin	c Robin Singh b Ganguly	17	40	3	0
Andy Flower	Not out	68	85	2	0
Alistair Campbell	st Mongia b Kumble	24	29	3	0
Guy Whittall	b Kumble	4	8	0	0
Stuart Carlisle	b Srinath	1	2	0	0
Heath Streak	c Mongia b Prasad	14	18	2	0
Eddo Brandes	c Mongia b Prasad	2	5	0	0
Henry Olonga	Not out	1	4	0	0
Extras	14 leg byes, 21 wides, 16 no-balls	51
Total	Nine wickets in 50 overs	252

Fall of wickets: 12/1, 45/2, 87/3, 144/4, 204/5, 211/6, 214/7, 244/8, 250/9.

India Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Javagal Srinath	10	1	35	2
Venkatesh Prasad	10	1	37	2
Ajit Agarkar	9	0	70	1
Sourav Ganguly	5	0	22	1
Robin Singh	2	0	11	0
Anil Kumble	10	0	41	2
Ajay Jadeja	4	0	22	1

India Innings: 249 All Out in 45 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Sourav Ganguly	c Brandes b Johnson	9	8	2	0
Sadagoppan Ramesh	c Goodwin b Grant Flower	55	77	3	1
Rahul Dravid	c Grant Flower b Streak	13	14	2	0
Mohammad Azharuddin	c Campbell b Streak	7	11	1	0
Ajay Jadeja	lbw b Streak	43	76	3	0
Robin Singh	c Campbell b Olonga	35	47	1	0
Ajit Agarkar	Run out (Goodwin)	1	5	0	0
Nayan Mongia	b Whittall	28	24	2	1
Javagal Srinath	b Olonga	18	12	0	2
Anil Kumble	Not out	1	1	0	0
Venkatesh Prasad	lbw b Olonga	0	1	0	0
Extras	1 bye, 4 leg byes, 24 wides, 10 no-balls	39
Total	All out in 45 overs	249

Fall of wickets: 13/1, 44/2, 56/3, 155/4, 174/5, 175/6, 219/7, 246/8, 249/9, 249/10.

Zimbabwe Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Eddo Brandes	3	0	27	0
Neil Johnson	7	0	51	1
Heath Streak	9	0	36	3
Henry Olonga	4	0	22	3
Guy Whittall	4	0	26	1
Paul Strang	8	0	49	0
Grant Flower	10	0	33	1

India’s 51 Extras Change the Shape of the Match

Zimbabwe’s recognized batters scored only 200 runs between them. India supplied the remaining 51 through 21 wides, 16 no-balls and 14 leg byes.

Ajit Agarkar conceded 70 from nine overs, including five no-balls and four wides. Srinath bowled five no-balls, while almost every frontline option contributed to the extras column.

Those mistakes also slowed the innings. Match officials penalized India four overs for its slow over rate, leaving the team 46 overs to chase 253. In a match decided by three runs, the missing 24 deliveries became impossible to ignore.

Andy Flower Holds Zimbabwe Together

Zimbabwe reached 87/3 before Andy Flower began building the innings around control and placement.

Grant Flower’s 45 had occupied India’s bowlers for 89 deliveries, but his dismissal left Zimbabwe 144/4. Andy then added 60 with captain Alistair Campbell, who contributed 24 from 29 balls.

Three wickets fell for 10 runs after Campbell departed. Andy stayed unbeaten, pushed the total beyond 250 and finished with 68 from 85 balls.

His innings continued a remarkable family contribution to Zimbabwe cricket. The ICC’s history of Zimbabwe’s cricketing brothers identifies the Flower siblings as central figures in the country’s strongest World Cup campaign.

Grant Flower Delivers the Complete Match

Grant’s 45 was slower than Andy’s unbeaten innings, but it gave Zimbabwe stability after Neil Johnson and Paul Strang fell inside the first 10 overs.

His greater influence emerged during India’s chase.

Ramesh and Jadeja had rebuilt from 56/3 with a 99-run fourth-wicket partnership. Grant ended it by dismissing Ramesh for 55, then completed his 10 overs for only 33 runs.

That economy mattered in a chase requiring more than five runs per over. His combined batting and bowling contribution earned him Player of the Match, even though Olonga produced the unforgettable finish.

Heath Streak Breaks India’s Top Order

India played without Sachin Tendulkar, who had returned home following his father’s death. His absence placed greater pressure on Ganguly, Dravid and captain Azharuddin.

All three were gone by the ninth over.

Neil Johnson dismissed Ganguly before Heath Streak removed Dravid and Azharuddin. Streak later trapped Jadeja lbw for 43, finishing with 3/36 from nine overs.

India had recovered from 56/3 to 155/3, but Streak’s third wicket prevented Jadeja from carrying the chase into its closing phase.

Tendulkar returned in India’s next game and scored an emotional unbeaten 140 against Kenya, an innings documented in the ICC’s account of his finest World Cup performances.

Ramesh, Robin and Srinath Take India Within Reach

Ramesh’s 55 gave India its first substantial innings. Jadeja supported him with 43, but their dismissals and Agarkar’s run-out left India 175/6.

Robin Singh then rebuilt with Mongia. After Mongia fell for 28, Srinath attacked, striking two sixes in his 12-ball 18.

India moved to 246/7 and needed seven runs from 10 deliveries. Zimbabwe appeared to have lost control despite repeatedly creating winning positions.

Campbell brought Olonga back.

Henry Olonga Wins the Match in Five Balls

Olonga’s second delivery removed Robin for 35, with Campbell completing the catch.

Srinath survived two more balls before Olonga bowled him with the fifth delivery. Prasad faced the last ball and was trapped lbw for a duck.

Olonga had taken three wickets in five balls. His final figures read 3/22 from four overs, an extraordinary return considering the six wides he had delivered earlier.

The ICC ranks Zimbabwe’s victory among the greatest World Cup upsets, while its review of Zimbabwe’s classic World Cup matches highlights Olonga’s ability to recover from his earlier problems and attack India’s final three wickets.

Why Match 16 Belongs in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs

This match asked both teams to recover repeatedly.

Zimbabwe survived early wickets, India’s middle order rebuilt from 56/3, and Robin and Srinath brought the chase back after it slipped to 175/6. Olonga then turned a likely defeat into victory within one over.

The three-run margin connects the game with Zimbabwe’s earlier World Cup surprises, including Eddo Brandes defending 134 against England in Match 10. It also provides a very different counterpoint to Kapil Dev’s rescue against Zimbabwe in 1983.

The contest followed the two Australia-South Africa classics from the same tournament: Steve Waugh’s survival at Headingley and the tied semifinal at Edgbaston.

Readers can explore every published installment through the A Celebration of 5000 ODIs collection and follow wider historical and current reporting through The Sports Encounter’s cricket coverage hub.

What Happened Next

Zimbabwe later defeated South Africa and reached the Super Six stage for the first time. India recovered to win its next three group matches, but the points carried forward from this defeat damaged its position in the following round.

Grace Road produced the result through accumulated mistakes and small interventions rather than a dominant century or five-wicket haul. India conceded 51 extras, lost four overs and still reached the final nine runs with three wickets available.

Olonga needed one over to make every earlier detail decisive.

Lance Klusener had already struck the first two balls of the final over for four. The scores were level, South Africa had four deliveries left, and Australia appeared to have exhausted every escape route.

Then time seemed to slow down at Edgbaston.

Klusener drove Damien Fleming’s fourth delivery toward mid-off and ran. Allan Donald remained at the non-striker’s end, watching the ball instead of his partner. By the time Donald reacted, Klusener had reached the same end and Australia had transferred the ball to Adam Gilchrist.

The wicketkeeper broke the stumps. Donald dropped his bat. South Africa’s World Cup ended with both batters stranded at the wrong end and one winning run still unclaimed.

Australia and South Africa had scored 213 each, but the tie sent Australia into the final because they had finished higher in the Super Six standings. That combination of pressure, confusion and irreversible consequence makes the 1999 semifinal an essential part of A Celebration of 5000 ODIs.

TL;DR

• Australia and South Africa tied after both teams were dismissed for 213.
• Australia advanced to the World Cup final because they finished higher in the Super Six table.
• Michael Bevan scored 65 and Steve Waugh made 56 after Australia slipped to 68/4.
• Shaun Pollock took 5/36, while Allan Donald claimed 4/32.
• Shane Warne earned Player of the Match honors after taking 4/29.
• Lance Klusener struck 31 not out from 16 balls before Allan Donald was run out with the scores level.

Australia vs South Africa 1999 Semifinal: Match Information

Detail	Information
Match	Australia vs South Africa, second semifinal
Tournament	1999 Cricket World Cup
Date	June 17, 1999
Venue	Edgbaston, Birmingham
Toss	South Africa won the toss and fielded
Australia	213 all out in 49.2 overs
South Africa	213 all out in 49.4 overs
Result	Match tied; Australia advanced
Player of the Match	Shane Warne, 4/29
Top Australia batter	Michael Bevan, 65
Top South Africa batter	Jacques Kallis, 53
Best bowling figures	Shaun Pollock, 5/36
Turning point	Klusener and Donald’s run-out with the scores level
Tournament impact	Australia advanced to face Pakistan in the final

The official ICC review of the 1999 World Cup confirms that Australia progressed because of its higher Super Six position.

Complete Match Scorecard

Australia Innings: 213 All Out in 49.2 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Adam Gilchrist	c Donald b Kallis	20	39	1	1
Mark Waugh	c Boucher b Pollock	0	4	0	0
Ricky Ponting	c Kirsten b Donald	37	48	3	1
Darren Lehmann	c Boucher b Donald	1	4	0	0
Steve Waugh	c Boucher b Pollock	56	76	6	1
Michael Bevan	c Boucher b Pollock	65	101	6	0
Tom Moody	lbw b Pollock	0	3	0	0
Shane Warne	c Cronje b Pollock	18	24	1	0
Paul Reiffel	b Donald	0	1	0	0
Damien Fleming	b Donald	0	2	0	0
Glenn McGrath	Not out	0	1	0	0
Extras	1 bye, 6 leg byes, 3 wides, 6 no-balls	16
Total	All out in 49.2 overs	213

Fall of wickets: 3/1, 54/2, 58/3, 68/4, 158/5, 158/6, 207/7, 207/8, 207/9, 213/10.

South Africa Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Shaun Pollock	9.2	1	36	5
Steve Elworthy	10	0	59	0
Jacques Kallis	10	2	27	1
Allan Donald	10	1	32	4
Lance Klusener	9	1	50	0
Hansie Cronje	1	0	2	0

South Africa Innings: 213 All Out in 49.4 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Gary Kirsten	b Warne	18	42	1	0
Herschelle Gibbs	b Warne	30	36	6	0
Daryll Cullinan	Run out (Bevan)	6	30	0	0
Hansie Cronje	c Mark Waugh b Warne	0	2	0	0
Jacques Kallis	c Steve Waugh b Warne	53	92	3	0
Jonty Rhodes	c Bevan b Reiffel	43	55	2	1
Shaun Pollock	b Fleming	20	14	1	1
Lance Klusener	Not out	31	16	4	1
Mark Boucher	b McGrath	5	10	0	0
Steve Elworthy	Run out (Reiffel/McGrath)	1	1	0	0
Allan Donald	Run out (Mark Waugh/Fleming/Gilchrist)	0	0	0	0
Extras	1 leg bye, 5 wides	6
Total	All out in 49.4 overs	213

Fall of wickets: 48/1, 53/2, 53/3, 61/4, 145/5, 175/6, 183/7, 196/8, 198/9, 213/10.

Australia Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Glenn McGrath	10	0	51	1
Damien Fleming	8.4	1	40	1
Paul Reiffel	8	0	28	1
Shane Warne	10	4	29	4
Mark Waugh	8	0	37	0
Tom Moody	5	0	27	0

The figures and dismissals have been checked against the archived ESPNcricinfo scorecard.

Michael Bevan and Steve Waugh Rescue Australia

South Africa’s attack created the first crisis of the semifinal.

Mark Waugh fell for a duck, while Donald removed Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann. Kallis dismissed Gilchrist to leave Australia 68/4.

Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan responded with a 90-run partnership. Their approach suited the conditions: cautious against Donald and Pollock, selective against the supporting bowlers, and willing to preserve wickets while rebuilding the innings.

Waugh made 56 from 76 balls before Pollock removed him. Bevan remained until the final delivery of the innings, scoring 65 from 101 balls. Those runs gave Warne and Australia’s seamers a total they could defend.

The innings continued Australia’s survival story from Match 14, when Waugh’s unbeaten 120 kept their World Cup alive against South Africa.

Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald Take Nine Wickets

Pollock and Donald gave South Africa almost complete control of Australia’s innings.

Pollock claimed 5/36, dismissing both Waugh and Bevan while also removing Mark Waugh, Moody and Warne. Donald’s pace brought him 4/32, including three wickets during Australia’s two major collapses.

Australia fell from 158/4 to 158/6 and later from 207/6 to 207/9. South Africa’s bowlers had done enough to make 214 appear manageable, but their batters would face an equally influential spell.

Shane Warne Changes the Semifinal in Eight Deliveries

South Africa reached 48 without loss. Gibbs had struck six boundaries and appeared ready to continue the form that brought him a century against Australia four days earlier.

Warne bowled him for 30.

Eight deliveries later, South Africa were 53/3. Warne had also bowled Kirsten and removed Cronje for a duck. The chase that had begun with confidence suddenly required reconstruction.

Warne later dismissed Kallis for 53, completing figures of 4/29 with four maidens. His ability to attack while suppressing runs earned him Player of the Match and recalled his earlier knockout intervention in Australia’s 1996 semifinal escape against West Indies.

Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes Rebuild the Chase

Kallis absorbed the pressure created by Warne and gradually repaired South Africa’s innings. Jonty Rhodes then brought urgency, making 43 from 55 balls during an 84-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Their stand lifted South Africa from 61/4 to 145/4.

Reiffel removed Rhodes before Warne claimed Kallis. Pollock’s 20 from 14 balls kept the chase moving, but another series of wickets left South Africa at 198/9.

Only Klusener and Donald remained.

Lance Klusener Brings South Africa to the Brink

Klusener had dominated the tournament’s closing overs and approached the semifinal with the same aggression.

He struck 31 from 16 balls, including four fours and a six. South Africa needed nine from Fleming’s final over. Klusener hammered the first two deliveries through the field, leveling the scores immediately.

The third ball produced no run and nearly caused a run-out when Donald wandered from his crease. Australia missed that chance.

On the fourth, Klusener drove toward mid-off and committed to the single. Donald did not respond until it was too late. The ICC’s reconstruction of the final over preserves the chaos that followed.

Why Match 15 Belongs in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs

The final run-out remains unforgettable, but the match deserves inclusion for much more than its last four deliveries.

Both teams recovered from four-wicket collapses. South Africa’s two leading fast bowlers shared nine wickets. Bevan and Waugh constructed a partnership under elimination pressure. Warne overturned a stable chase, Kallis repaired it, and Klusener nearly finished it.

The semifinal also deepened South Africa’s painful World Cup history. Rain had destroyed their opportunity in the 1992 semifinal against England, while Brian Lara ended their unbeaten 1996 campaign.

Readers can follow the complete sequence through the dedicated A Celebration of 5000 ODIs collection or explore current matches and historical analysis through The Sports Encounter’s cricket coverage hub.

What Happened Next

Australia faced Pakistan at Lord’s three days later. Warne took another four wickets as Pakistan were dismissed for 132, and Australia won by eight wickets to claim its second men’s World Cup title.

South Africa left Edgbaston without technically losing the semifinal. Ninety-nine overs had failed to separate the teams, yet a previous defeat to Australia determined who advanced.

That is the cruelty at the center of Match 15. South Africa reached the same score, stood one run from the final and still went home.

Australia’s World Cup was 224 runs from extinction when Steve Waugh walked into the middle at Headingley.

The scoreboard read 48/3. South Africa had made 271/7. Adam Gilchrist, Mark Waugh and Damien Martyn were already gone, and defeat meant Australia would miss the semifinals.

Then came the moment that has followed Herschelle Gibbs for more than a quarter of a century.

Waugh, on 56, clipped Lance Klusener toward midwicket. Gibbs reached the ball and appeared to have completed the catch, but lost control as he began celebrating. Waugh stayed. He eventually walked off unbeaten on 120, Australia reached 272/5 with two deliveries remaining, and four days later these teams would meet again in an even more astonishing semifinal.

That sequence explains why this Headingley contest is Match 14 in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs. The series was created to preserve games where pressure, individual brilliance and one decisive moment changed ODI history. Few matches fit those criteria more completely.

TL;DR

• South Africa scored 271/7, led by Herschelle Gibbs’ 101 from 134 balls.
• Australia collapsed to 48/3 while chasing 272 in a game they needed to win to reach the semifinals.
• Steve Waugh rebuilt the chase with Ricky Ponting before finishing unbeaten on 120 from 110 balls.
• Gibbs failed to complete a catch when Waugh was on 56, creating the match’s most famous turning point.
• Ponting contributed a crucial 69 from 110 balls in a 126-run fourth-wicket partnership with Waugh.
• Australia won by five wickets with two balls remaining, securing a semifinal rematch against South Africa.

Australia vs South Africa 1999 World Cup: Match Information

Detail	Information
Match	Australia vs South Africa, Super Six
Tournament	1999 Cricket World Cup
Date	June 13, 1999
Venue	Headingley, Leeds
Toss	South Africa won the toss and batted
South Africa	271/7 in 50 overs
Australia	272/5 in 49.4 overs
Result	Australia won by five wickets
Player of the Match	Steve Waugh, 120* from 110 balls
South Africa top scorer	Herschelle Gibbs, 101 from 134 balls
Australia top scorer	Steve Waugh, 120*
Best bowling figures	Damien Fleming, 3/57
Turning point	Gibbs failed to complete Waugh’s catch on 56
Tournament impact	Australia qualified for the semifinals

The complete archived scorecard confirms Australia reached the target after 49.4 overs, while Waugh received the Player of the Match award.

Why Match 14 Belongs in A Celebration of 5000 ODIs

The context makes the chase far heavier than 272 normally sounds.

South Africa had already secured a semifinal place. Australia had not. Contemporary reporting described the equation in the simplest possible terms: victory sent Australia through, defeat sent them home.

Australia had already produced extraordinary World Cup escapes, including the recovery revisited in Match 12, when Shane Warne overturned West Indies at Mohali. Headingley demanded something different. This time their captain had to rebuild a large chase after the top order disappeared.

It also added another chapter to South Africa’s growing World Cup history of brutal turning points, following their rain-damaged 1992 semifinal in Match 11 of this series and Brian Lara’s knockout century against them in Match 13.

Herschelle Gibbs Builds South Africa’s 271

Gibbs spent almost the entire South African innings constructing the platform.

Gary Kirsten fell for 21, but Gibbs and Daryll Cullinan added 95 for the second wicket. Cullinan’s 50 from 62 balls gave the partnership enough tempo without forcing Gibbs away from his method.

Shane Warne then intervened.

Shane Warne Stops South Africa From Breaking Away

Warne removed Cullinan and Hansie Cronje within three deliveries, turning 140/1 into 141/3.

His 10 overs cost only 33 runs and brought two wickets, giving Australia control during a phase when South Africa appeared ready to push well beyond 280.

Gibbs eventually reached 101, with 10 fours and a six, before Glenn McGrath bowled him at 219/4.

Klusener and Rhodes Supply the Finish

Jonty Rhodes made 39 from 36 balls before Lance Klusener did what he had been doing throughout the tournament.

Klusener smashed 36 from only 21 deliveries, including four fours and a six. South Africa reached 271 despite Damien Fleming taking three late wickets.

Klusener would finish the tournament with 281 runs at an average of 140.5 and 17 wickets, earning Player of the Tournament honors.

Australia Collapse to 48/3

Steve Elworthy bowled Gilchrist for five. Mark Waugh was run out for five. Martyn fell for 11.

Australia had lost three wickets before reaching 50.

The chase now required two things: survival against Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Elworthy, followed by enough acceleration to keep the required rate under control.

Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh managed both.

Ricky Ponting’s 69 Gives Waugh Somewhere to Build

Ponting’s 69 from 110 balls looks restrained beside Waugh’s eventual strike rate.

In context, it was exactly what Australia required.

The pair added 126 for the fourth wicket, taking Australia from 48/3 to 174/4. Ponting absorbed pressure while Waugh gradually began attacking the gaps.

Without that partnership, the famous dropped chance probably never becomes historically important.

Steve Waugh: 120* With Australia’s Tournament on the Line

Waugh reached 50 from 47 deliveries.

Then Gibbs gave him the life that became inseparable from the match.

The official ICC retrospective records Waugh on 56 when he flicked Klusener toward midwicket. Gibbs gathered the ball but released it before completing control while attempting to celebrate.

A famous story later claimed Waugh told Gibbs that he had “dropped the World Cup.” The line became cricket folklore, but both men subsequently denied that exchange happened.

The innings itself needs no embellishment.

Waugh reached his century from 91 deliveries and finished with 120 not out from 110, hitting 10 fours and two sixes.

Michael Bevan and Tom Moody Finish the Chase

Ponting departed at 174, but Michael Bevan kept Waugh company with 27 from 33 balls.

South Africa found another opening when Cronje removed Bevan at 247/5.

Twenty-five remained.

Tom Moody joined Waugh and scored 15 from 16 deliveries. Australia finally reached 272 from the fourth ball of the final over.

Two balls remained.

Their World Cup remained alive.

Complete Match Scorecard

South Africa Innings: 271/7 in 50 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Gary Kirsten	c Ponting b Reiffel	21	46	3	0
Herschelle Gibbs	b McGrath	101	134	10	1
Daryll Cullinan	b Warne	50	62	4	1
Hansie Cronje	lbw b Warne	0	3	0	0
Jonty Rhodes	c Mark Waugh b Fleming	39	36	2	2
Lance Klusener	c Warne b Fleming	36	21	4	1
Shaun Pollock	b Fleming	3	4	0	0
Mark Boucher	not out	0	0	0	0
Nicky Boje	did not bat
Steve Elworthy	did not bat
Allan Donald	did not bat

Extras: 21
Total: 271/7 in 50 overs

Fall of wickets: 45/1, 140/2, 141/3, 219/4, 250/5, 271/6, 271/7.

Australia Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Glenn McGrath	10	0	49	1
Damien Fleming	10	0	57	3
Paul Reiffel	9	0	47	1
Tom Moody	8	1	56	0
Shane Warne	10	1	33	2
Michael Bevan	3	0	22	0

Australia Innings: 272/5 in 49.4 Overs

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Mark Waugh	run out (Boje/Boucher)	5	9	0	0
Adam Gilchrist	b Elworthy	5	7	1	0
Ricky Ponting	c Donald b Klusener	69	110	5	2
Damien Martyn	c Boje b Elworthy	11	20	1	0
Steve Waugh	not out	120	110	10	2
Michael Bevan	c Cullinan b Cronje	27	33	2	0
Tom Moody	not out	15	16	2	0
Shane Warne	did not bat
Paul Reiffel	did not bat
Damien Fleming	did not bat
Glenn McGrath	did not bat

Extras: 20
Total: 272/5 in 49.4 overs

Fall of wickets: 6/1, 20/2, 48/3, 174/4, 247/5.

South Africa Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
Shaun Pollock	9.4	0	45	0
Steve Elworthy	10	1	46	2
Allan Donald	10	0	43	0
Lance Klusener	10	0	53	1
Hansie Cronje	7	0	50	1
Nicky Boje	3	0	29	0

The Turning Points

Warne Removes Cullinan and Cronje

South Africa were 140/1 before Warne dismissed Cullinan and Cronje within three balls. It prevented the first innings from escaping Australia.

Australia Fall to 48/3

Elworthy’s opening spell placed Australia close to elimination before Waugh and Ponting began rebuilding.

Ponting and Waugh Add 126

The fourth-wicket partnership restored control and forced South Africa to search for wickets instead of simply defending 271.

Gibbs Gives Waugh a Life on 56

No single moment carries more historical weight. Waugh had already begun counterattacking, but South Africa had the opportunity to remove Australia’s captain with more than 200 runs still on the board.

They did not get another chance.

Man of the Match: Steve Waugh

There was no realistic alternative.

Gibbs made a century. Warne bowled superbly. Ponting played the innings Australia needed beside his captain.

Waugh carried the tournament.

His unbeaten 120 came with Australia staring directly at elimination, against one of the strongest bowling attacks of the era, after three early wickets and through a chase that lasted until the final over.

The ICC still ranks the innings among Australia’s greatest World Cup centuries.

Four Days Later, the Story Became Even Bigger

Australia’s victory pushed them into the semifinals.

Their opponent?

South Africa.

At Edgbaston, the teams produced a tie that remains one of the defining matches in World Cup history. Australia advanced because they had finished higher in the Super Six standings, a position secured by what happened at Headingley.

That makes Match 14 inseparable from what followed.

Australia would eventually beat Pakistan at Lord’s and win the World Cup, beginning an era of dominance that stretched through the 2003 and 2007 tournaments. Readers following the evolution of Australian ODI cricket can also revisit their first World Cup triumph in Match 7 and the extraordinary one-run escape against India in Match 6.

For the complete historical collection, visit the A Celebration of 5000 ODIs hub or follow current matches, features and analysis through The Sports Encounter Cricket Hub.

FAQs

Who won Australia vs South Africa in the 1999 World Cup Super Six?

Australia won by five wickets, reaching 272/5 with two balls remaining.

How many runs did Steve Waugh score?

Steve Waugh scored an unbeaten 120 from 110 balls with 10 fours and two sixes.

What happened with Herschelle Gibbs’ catch?

Gibbs appeared to take Waugh’s catch when the Australian captain was on 56 but lost control of the ball while beginning his celebration, so the dismissal was not completed.

Did Steve Waugh really tell Gibbs, “You’ve just dropped the World Cup”?

The line became famous cricket folklore, but both Waugh and Gibbs later denied that the exchange occurred.

Who scored a century for South Africa?

Herschelle Gibbs scored 101 from 134 balls.

Who was Player of the Match?

Steve Waugh was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 120.

Why was the match so important for Australia?

Australia needed victory to qualify for the semifinals. Defeat would have eliminated them from the tournament.

What happened after Australia won?

Australia met South Africa again four days later in the semifinal at Edgbaston. The match ended in a tie, but Australia advanced because of their superior Super Six position and later won the World Cup.