Mark Boucher
Eleven years after the rains robbed South Africa of a place in the final in 1992, the rain gods returned to haunt the Proteas, this time in their own backyard. It was a do-or-die Group B clash between Sri Lanka and South Africa with the home team needing nothing less than a win to go through to the next round.
After Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat, Marvan Atapattu and Aravinda de Silva steered the island nation to a commendable 268. The Proteas needed a good start and the Herschelle Gibbs gave the South Africans just that, scoring 73 of 88 balls. The Lankan spinners responded with wickets but Pollock and Boucher brought the South Africans back into the game as the match was poised to go down to the wire.
A slight drizzle that was always looming finally became heavy as Pollock was run out. It was the 45th over of the innings as the rains got heavier. There was no way the match was going the distance. The score read 223/6 at 44.4 overs and the South African dressing room sent a message out to the middle that the score needed out to be 229 at the end of the over for them to be ahead on Duckworth-Lewis method, assuming that no wickets fell. Boucher swung the next ball over mid-wicket for six and punched the air in jubilation as the score now read 229/6. He safely defended the last ball and as anticipated the umpires called of play.
As they were walking back to the pavilion, there was confusion all around. The news was that 230 was required for a win while 229 was good enough only for a tie. The instructions sent out were wrong! The rain grew heavier and play was called off as the South Africans were left helpless and were eliminated. The South African World Cup nightmare continued!
Tags: Cricket World Cup, Duckworth-Lewis Method, Durban, Greatest Moments, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Mark Boucher, Proteas, South Africa, Sri Lanka
