5 unforgettable moments from 1999 World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa

16 years is quite a long time to remember anything, but the visuals of the second semi-final of the 1999 World Cup are engraved subconsciously in the minds of countless cricket fans and viewers around the world. A match that is etched into the history books as arguably one of the greatest games in ODI cricket will have its legacy live on perpetually. Since then, four World Cups have come and gone. Many great careers have come and gone. A whole new format has come into existence and revolutionised the game. Yet, every youngster who is growing up watching modern-day cricket will tell you exactly about what transpired on June 17, 1999, at Edgbaston, Birmingham.Here's a look at 5 unforgettable moments from the Australia-South Africa clash:

#5 Michael Bevan\'s gritty knock

Bevan scored a gritty 65

Australia were tottering at 68/4 at the end of the 17th over when Michael Bevan walked to join Steve Waugh. With Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock at their devastating best on a Birmingham pitch that offered pace, swing and movement, Bevan laboured through the middle overs as he rotated the strike in between the odd boundary.

The run rate was moving at snail’s pace and Bevan found it excruciatingly difficult to pace his innings. However, he did not throw his wicket away in frustration, knowing that things would get easier as the innings went on.

He was on 31 from 69 balls when Waugh and Tom Moody departed in the 40th over. The onus was then on him to come to the fore and give his team something to defend. Having had numerous experiences of batting in such situations, he brought calmness to the Australian innings during the death overs as he put on vital partnerships with the bowlers. He took smart singles and quick twos without letting the South African bowlers get on top.

Bevan eventually ended with 65 off 101 balls with a final flourish in the 50th over helping Australia cross the 200-run mark. While he was liable for flak considering the difference in the number of runs scored and the number of balls faced, his knock was widely lauded as it was perfectly apt for the situation and the conditions.

#4 Shane Warne\'s heroics with the ball

It was down to his magic again

Chasing 214 in their quest to seal a World Cup final berth, South Africa’s strategy upfront was plain and simple. Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs took a cautious approach to nullify the formidable Australian pace attack and got the Proteas off to a solid start.

With 43 runs on the board from the first 10 overs, however, it was time for Shane Warne to unleash his magic. Off just the second ball of his second over, Warne produced a moment of magic, which was reminiscent of the Ball of the Century, to get rid of Gibbs. In his very next over, he sent both Kirsten and captain Hansie Cronje back to the pavilion, giving him spellbinding figures of 3-2-3-3.

He eventually finished his spell with figures of 4 for 29, the other wicket being that of Jacques Kallis, from his 10 overs in what was one of the greatest displays of spin bowling in World Cup history. He knew that he had to produce something spectacular and sparkling to rekindle the Australian hopes, and he truly did. Only a champion bowler with his aura could do anything of this kind!

#3 Klusener\'s flamboyant cameo

Man of the tournament, and you know why

If it was Shane Warne who tuned the match in Australia’s favor after the wicket of Jacques Kallis, the stage was set for the undisputable man of the 1999 world cup to come to the fore with everything at stake. A final at Lords’ was at stake. And with Lance Klusener at the crease, the match was peaking to be more intense and more vital than it was ever before.

It was the time when things were heading to an uneasy psychological state with pressure being mounted on every ball. Australian bowlers were taking wickets at decisive moments and Klusener was negating the threat by scoring boundaries. He summoned the natural belligerent intent thwacking boundaries with power and aggression and the bat in his hands resembled like that of an executor’s axe.

Klusener had to assume the role of a finisher to scuff his team to the finishing line. 38 runs off 30 balls. 18 off 12 and 9 from 6. Klusener put South Africa on the brink of history with a flamboyant cameo going into the final over.

#2 The missed run-out chance

Could have been a goner earlier

6 balls, 9 to win. Klusener took over Damien Fleming with a message of indomitableness and exuding an authoritative intent. He stepped back and blasted the bowler to consecutive boundaries leveling the scores with only 1 run required from 4 balls. And the third ball was the beginning of all the drama that followed on to be remembered for years and for generations in cricketing history.

Klusener wound up for yet another slog but only managed to get the bottom edge of the bat where the ball rolled towards Darren Lehmann at mid-on. He had his feet glued to the crease but Allan Donald, at the non-striker end having a rush of blood was backing too far.

Lehmann under armed the throw to the stumps of what seem to be missing by a mile distance. Donald’s desperate slide didn’t even make him reach to the crease even when the ball passed the missing stumps. Australians were groaning in disbelief. Donald survived. Panic started to surface around.

#1 Most dramatic run-out in cricket\'s history

The most epic run-out

One run needed off three balls. All South Africa required was a legitimate run to seal their place in the World Cup final. But when panic creeps in, it distorts even a man who’s got the ability in owning a nerve of steel temperament.

When Lance Klusener unconvincingly thumped the ball straight without much power, Allan Donald dropped his bat in the mix up (more so in the moment of tension) to complete a run and kept running towards the striker's crease that was too far to be a finishing line. Mark Waugh picked the ball at long on and fired it to Damien Fleming.

Grasping the situation and the opportunity that was there for the taking, Fleming gently rallied to Adam Gilchrist who did the rest erupting out Australia’s wildest celebrations in a world cup match. A match that was supposed to be South Africa’s moment of glory was wrapped and gifted to Australia with a final suicidal strike.

Donald - Klusener’s complete breakdown of communication resulting into a woeful mishap was a tragic suicidal attack portraying a touch of comedy to the whole situation of how exactly it unfolded. Their nerves started to soak in wet when it was the most important situation in their lives. Mind spun into a dilemma whether to run or not to run. Tension became apparent and their actions rendered a brain fading act that would possibly can’t be replicated ever again on the cricket field.

The picturesque frame of Donald dropping the bat in the mid pitch, Klusener tiresomely running towards the pavilion and the burst of jubilance among Australian players is something that anyone with even a smidgen of knowledge on cricket would remember it when asked about the greatest game to be ever played in ODI history.