South Africa great side but never won World Cup

by A.C. De Silva

India wrote a fairytale in the English summer of 1983. It became the opening chapter in the World Cup's fascinating series on horses of darker shades galloping all the way to glory. The script didn't change until the era of complete and long Australian dominance began in 1999.

But, Steve Waugh's team wasn't the best in that tournament in England. South Africa was.

It remains one of the greatest sides never to have won the World Cup.

South Africa was so good, it did not lose even in the thriller of a semifinal; it tied with Australia, which scraped through on superior net run-rate.

Led by the astute Hansie Cronjex and managed by the imaginative Bob Woolmer, the South African side brimmed with talent and athleticism. Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs were the mainstays in the batting department, while the formidable bowling attack was led by speedsters Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, Jonty Rhodes, the man who redefined the art of fielding and a young Mark Boucher, behind the stumps, hoosted the side further.

Power hitting by Klusener

It was Lance Klusener's power-hitting which, however, proved the X-factor. He made 281 from eight innings, was dismissed only twice, averaged 140.50, had a strike-rate of 122.17 and blasted 10 sixes.

He also took 17 wickets with his fast-medium bowling in what was one of the finest individual performances ever in a World Cup. With nine needed off the final over, Klusener smashed the first two balls fro fours before defending the third. Off the fourth, a comical mix-up left Donald short of his crease and the sides level. Klusener's unbeaten 31 off just 16 balls failed to get South Africa past the finish line.

Windies of 1983 talented individuals

The West Indies of 1983 was an assembly of even more talented individuals, The bating line-up, featuring Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, Larry Gomes and wicketkeeper Jeff Dujon, was made in heaven. The bowlers - Andy Robers, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Winston Davis made things hell for the opposition batsmen.

Lloyd's men had been unstoppable in the first two editions and the chances of them losing the title were as bright as the sun rising in the west. But, Kapil's Devils made it a new dawn for India and world cricket, defeating the champion twice (in the first match as well as the final) on the way to one of the most stunning triumphs in the history of sports.

A more gifted Indian team played in South Africa in 2003, but it could not quite match the ruthlessness of Ricky Ponting's Australia. Sourav Ganguly's men were beaten twice, including in the final, by the Aussies, but they had true class.

In Sachin Tendulkar, the tournament's highest-scorer (673 runs), Virender Sehwag, Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, who also kept wickets, and Yuvraj Singh, India had an experienced and explosive batting line-up.

The pace bowlers-Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra - formed a deadly combination, hunting down batsmen with amazing regularity. However, Ponting's unbeaten 140 swept India away in the summit clash.

Pakistan - good side but couldn't win

The 1975 Australian team, comprising players like the Chappell brothers, Ian and Greg, Doug Walters, Rodney Marsh, Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee and Gary Gilmour, had the looks of a champion.

Imran Khan's Pakistan side of 1987, which included the likes of Javed Miandad, Salim Malik, Rameez Raja, Wasim Akram and Abdul Qadir, was another squad that was exceptional, but not exceptional enough to take home the cup.