South Africa pulled off one of the greatest heists in cricket ever when they usurped Australia’s total of 434 in the deciding match of the ODI series in 2006.
It has been a decade now, and t20s have become the thing to look forward to. Yet, the record for the chase remains intact, and eleven South Africans etched their name in history by being part of the line-up. The recent record partnership of Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels in a List-A match helped Nottinghamshire reach a total of 445, which was almost chased down.
Let us look at the members of the South African team that made one of the two line-ups that started the 400-run trend in ODIs.
Graeme Smith
Smith was thrust into the captaincy role as a 22-year old in 2003. The decision turned out to be a masterstroke, as he moulded a set of match-winners into a cohesive unit that became a force to reckon with. He captained the side to the No.1 title in Tests, and set up the chase for South Africa that day, giving them belief that they can hunt down the daunting target. His 55 ball-90 at the top of the order gave impetus to Herschelle Gibbs to go into launch mode.
He now leads a successful retired life, a part of which goes in the commentary box and as an expert. He dabbled in business by being part of Momentum, a financial company, and was also the tournament director for the Ram Slam T20 in South Africa a few years back.
Boeta Dippenaar
Dippenaar played more than a hundred ODIs for South Africa between 1999 and 2007, providing relief to South Africa’s top order problems before a certain Hashim Amla broke his way in.
He opened the innings in the match, but couldn’t make more than a solitary run.
Consistent ODI performances couldn’t help him get a World Cup slot, and he silently retired in 2008 to qualify better in life beyond cricket. He played first class cricket till early 2012.
Herschelle Gibbs
A talented batsman who carried controversies along in his pocket, Gibbs was the architect of the chase, hitting a career-best 175, which at that time was the second highest individual score while batting second in ODIs.
He first stitched a partnership with Smith, and then cut loose, hitting as many as 21 fours and seven over-boundaries.
Gibbs played international cricket for four more years before joining T20 leagues around the world. He last played for the Leo Lions in the Masters’ Champions League(MCL) in the UAE.
AB de Villiers
De Villiers is the only active international player of the lot and has become a living legend, owing to a remarkable transformation in his career graph which has made him one of the top batsmen of the game. Then only 21, de Villiers made a scratchy innings of 14 from 20 balls.
Since then, he has become a prolific run scorer in limited overs matches and holds the record for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in one-day internationals. He has also become the second highest run-getter for South Africa in ODIs, with as many as 24 tons.
Jacques Kallis
Kallis, considered one of the greatest all-rounders of his generation, didn’t exactly have a field day in that match, having got hit for 70 runs in six overs, and managing a slow 20 off 21 balls.
He ended his international career in 2013 with remarkable statistics, with close to 25000 runs and 500 wickets to his credit.
He was the Head Coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently concluded Indian Premier League. A scholarship foundation in his name is also in place, with the aim of providing academic and life skills support to schools.
Mark Boucher
Boucher, a doughty fighter with great skills behind the stumps was the hero in the final overs of the match, hitting a boundary off the last ball to hand the Proteas victory. His 50 run cameo made up for the middle order collapse that threatened to play spoilsport for South Africa.At the fag end of his career, he suffered a freakish eye injury which left him with 999 international dismissals.
Recently, he was appointed as the wicketkeeping consultant to the Kolkata Knight Riders and provided invaluable tips to the likes of Robin Uthappa and Sheldon Jackson.
Justin Kemp
An all-rounder who was also a livewire on the field, Kemp bowled a solitary over and contributed only 14 runs in the match.
He was selected for the World Cup but failed to make the cut for the inaugural World t20. He joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2008 and represented the Hyderabad Heroes. Later, he switched to the Indian Premier League in 2010, when he was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings.
Recently, he played under Virender Sehwag for the Gemini Arabians in the Masters Champions League and will retire from the Cape Cobras by the end of this season.
Johan Van der Wath
A hard-hitting all-rounder from Natal, Wath played a crucial cameo of 35 from just 18 balls, including three sixes which shifted the momentum in South Africa’s favour. The equation required was 80 from 47 balls after a middle order collapse almost made them lose their way.
He turned out for the Mumbai Champs in the ICL for two seasons, before accepting Cricket South Africa’s amnesty offer. He joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2011 season of the IPL and continued playing for Knights in South Africa’s domestic championships.
Last month, he was realizing his post-cricket dreams and playing the Zwartkop Match Play golf championship in Pretoria.
Roger Telemachus
Telemachus, a well-built seamer who played sporadically for the national side from 1996-2007, got the first breakthrough for South Africa by capturing Adam Gilchrist. He came back to dismiss Ponting as well, not before the latter had compiled a career-best 164. He hit two crucial boundaries towards the end of the chase to keep the match alive.
Telemachus was asked to quit competitive cricket on medical grounds after an angiogram in 2009. He was the caretaker coach of the Dolphins until May this year. After the appointment of Grant Morgan as the head coach, Telemachus is expected to return to take over the KwaZulu-Natal provincial side.
Andrew Hall
An all-rounder who could open both the batting and bowling, Hall took the wicket of Michael Hussey, who had made a quickfire 81 in the middle order. Batting at 10, and with six needed off four, he cleared the in-field to take South Africa precariously close to the target, but departed the very next ball, taking the game to the wire.
Hall had a decent World Cup the next year but was excluded from the World t20 squad, prompting an international retirement. He was part of the Hyderabad Heroes in the ICL for two seasons. He subsequently captained Northamptonshire and ended his first-class career in 2014.
He is a now a qualified ECB coach and is currently the Director of Junior Cricket at the Spencers Club.
Makhaya Ntini
The genial pacer relentlessly carried on the fast bowling mantle for South Africa until the emergence of a certain Dale Steyn. The third highest wicket-taker in Tests for South Africa, he picked up the wicket of Simon Katich, but more importantly, held his nerve to steer the penultimate ball of the match and hand over the strike to Mark Boucher.
Ntini played ODIs till 2009 but managed to extend his T20I career till 2011. He also played for the Chennai Super Kings until the third season of the Indian Premier League, although he continued to play for the Warriors till the end of 2012.
He recently realized his dream of coaching, replacing Dav Whatmore as the coach of the Zimbabwe national side. He had been appointed as Whatmore’s assistant earlier this year.
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