South Africa and Australia clashes are possibly the most awaited ones in One Day International Cricket. The stakes have been raised multiple times since the monumental record-breaking ODI in Johannesburg in 2006.
Two teams that play totally different kind of cricket- the on your face, aggressive Australia compared to a passive, consistent South Africa- have managed to keep the fans on the edge of their seats in most contests.
One Day International matches between these sides are something everyone awaits to watch because of the sheer amount of close contests they have competed in. Just like India-Pakistan matches, South Africa-Australia matches generate huge waves among the audiences.
A list of unforgettable ODIs is incomplete without contests between these teams- 1999 World Cup Semi-Final and 2006 Johannesburg ODI stand out in this regard. Let us walk through a list of the highest individual performances, with the bat, from either side, in matches between the two.
#1 Steve Waugh - 120* (1999 World Cup, Headingley)
Having lost to New Zealand and Pakistan in the super six of the 1999 World Cup, Australia needed a phenomenal performance against an in-form South African side. Steve Waugh, an amateur captain at the time, with heavy criticism levied at him, chose the right time to stamp his mark in the World Cup.
Gibbs powered South Africa to 271 with a blistering hundred. But unfortunately for him, he was not to be remembered for his hundred in the game. After crumbling to 48/3 in the chase, Gibbs welcomed Waugh with the famous comment, "Let's see how he takes the pressure now."
Urging Ponting to attack, Waugh himself reached his 50 off 47 balls, before he flicked Klusener straight to Gibbs at mid-wicket. Gibbs took the offering but was too eager to celebrate and dropped the ball. Waugh, at the time, was rumoured to have commented to Gibbs, "I hope you realise that you've just lost the game for your team".
Waugh finished unbeaten on 120 and sealed the chase without breaking a sweat. Interestingly, this victory would go on to define the result of the famous semi-final between the two sides.
#4 Faf Du Plessis - 126 (2014, Harare)
The Zimbabwean tri-series involving Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2014 was one of the highlights of Du Plessis' ODI career, that was possibly going down the drain. He scored a humongous 464 runs in five innings, including three hundreds and a match-winning 96 in the final against Australia.
The 126 came in the Harare ODI where Australia batting first, scored 282 in the allotted 50 overs.
South Africa lost their way in the chase, crumbling to 64/3 at one stage. Du Plessis had been Australia's tormentor since his debut Test series and the trend continued as he dominated an attack running out of ideas to dismiss him. He single-handedly kept South Africa in the game, scoring a brilliant hundred. The fact that the next highest score in the match was McLaren's 24, stood testimony to Faf's terrific knock.
His innings went in vain, however, as South Africa were bowled out for 220. He was the eighth man dismissed, trying to attack in the company of tail-enders.
#3 AB De Villiers - 136* (2014, Harare)
De Villiers, not one to shy away from a real battle, made his mark in the Tri-Series in Zimbabwe with a spectacular effort in a huge chase. Australia made 327 batting first on a friendly surface. The total seemed above par considering the nature of wickets that were on display in Harare right through the series. But school mates, Du Plessis and De Villiers had other ideas.
After losing both openers within the powerplay overs, Faf and AB stuck into the Australian pace bowlers- Starc, Johnson, Faulkner, Richardson and Mitchell Marsh. The duo complied a 206 run stand that all but won the game for South Africa. While Faf was dismissed for 106, AB, as he is known to do, wrecked havoc in the company of JP Duminy and notched up a scintillating hundred.
He faced 106 balls in the innings, chastising the Aussie bowlers for 11 fours and two sixes. South Africa sealed the chase in style, with 20 balls remaining.
De Villiers, heavily vilified for his lack of match-winning contributions in chases, grabbed the opportunity to silence his critics. De Villiers averages an astounding 59.52 against Australia in ODIs but this remains his sole century against the opposition in the format.
#2 Ricky Ponting - 164 (2006, Johannesburg)
Ricky Ponting produced one of the best ODI innings of the time, in the final and deciding ODI of the bilateral series, tied at 2-2 in 2006, at Johannesburg. His knock powered Australia to a monumental 434, the first 400+ score in ODIs.
Ponting's mood for the day was evident from ball one, as he blasted the hapless South African bowlers to every nook and corner of the boundary, which was unusually short.His 164 off 105 balls was studded with 13 fours and 9 massive sixes. The local crowd who came to watch South Africa win the series decider were shocked by the onslaught. That would soon change to surprise and joy, however.
The lack of discipline from the South African pace attack, without the meticulous Shaun Pollock, helped Ponting, as he went about his business in a ruthless fashion. Ponting butchered Kallis for consecutive sixes, as he went for 70 in his six overs. Mike Hussey stood with him and made a brilliant 81 in a partnership for the third wicket that was worth 158.
Despite the world record score that Ponting helped his team achieve, he was not going to be the hero of the day. This list is completed by that spectacular man, who overshadowed Ponting in a day of miracles.
#1 Herschelle Gibbs - 175 (2006, Johannesburg)
If Australia were assured of victory after piling on a world record score in the Jo'burg ODI, that impression was thrown to the gutters after the halfway mark, where South Africa stood at 229/2, chasing 435 for victory. If Graeme Smith was fiery, Gibbs was flawless. He drove over covers with so much authority that one wondered if he could smash a leg side wide over covers. Such was the ease with which Gibbs dug into the Aussie attack.
He blasted a 79 ball hundred before going totally berserk. He threatened to break the double hundred mark for the first time in ODIs. However, after 111 balls and 175 runs, he was eventually dismissed.
Gibbs had brought up his 150 in just 100 balls, needing a mere 21 more balls after his hundred. If he was sublime in the company of Smith, he was uncontrollable when AB De Villiers joined him as balls were flayed to all parts of the stadium.
He smashed 21 fours and 7 sixes as he threatened to help South Africa overhaul the huge target with ease. His dismissal off Andrew Symonds pulled back South Africa, but they went on to win the ODI, hailed as arguably the greatest ever One Day Match to date, by one wicket.
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