AUS vs SA semifinal, World Cup 2023: Can South Africa bury the ghost of 1999 and 2007?

Rassie van der Dussen was ten-years-old, Andile Phehlukwayo was simply three and Gerald Coetzee was not even born when South Africa featured in that traditional World Cup semifinal in opposition to Australia in 1999.

None of them, clearly, have any recollections of that tied recreation when South Africa suffered the most important heartbreak, whereas Australia progressed to the ultimate and finally gained the match.

But come November 16 and all three of them will likely be a part of South Africa’s one more semifinal with the Aussies – this time on the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and the present crop of gamers are wanting ahead to it. “The whole chat around our group has been, ‘you know what, on the 19th of November we will be where we need to be, whether it’s lifting the trophy or not. It’s fine, whatever happens will happen.’ We will look to play the way we want to play and do what we want to do,” says van der Dussen.

So far within the match, the middle-order batter has amassed 442 runs and has stepped up in crunch instances. In a moderately dead-rubber in opposition to Afghanistan on Friday, he stood agency at the same time as wickets tumbled and guided the workforce house with an unbeaten 76 off 95 deliveries.

READ | World Cup 2023: Van der Dussen guides South Africa to win over spirited Afghanistan

While van der Dussen understands that the strain will mount up forward of a high-voltage recreation, he needs to dwell within the current and preserve issues easy. “At the end of the day, I think that the time we’ve had together the last 8 to 12 weeks with the squad will go down as probably some of the best team environments and times I’ve had in my career…”

“…And those memories are special already. So, whether we win or not, I don’t think – that’s not up to us really. Whatever will happen will happen, but we’ll definitely go away from here with fond memories…” he says.

South Africa has had a fantastic run within the match – barring two defeats in opposition to India and The Netherlands – and the hopes are excessive from the well-balanced unit to get the monkey off the again.

“What happened in the past doesn’t affect us now. That’s the game of cricket and we are going to get there and ensure it’s a good game. Whoever wins on that day, wins – there’s no dishonour in losing as long as we come to play,” says Coetzee.

Last week, the workforce suffered a humiliating defeat in opposition to India at Eden Gardens and when it returns to the identical venue for the marquee recreation, it could clearly be a problem to chop out the noise and deal with the job in hand. The workforce has had bonding periods with a recreation of footie and in response to Coetzee, the defeat in opposition to India has been a studying expertise. “There are obviously things that we did wrong. They played a good game and we played bad. That’s okay. We are going to have bad games now and then. We learned a lot of lessons against The Netherlands, which helped us in the tournament. We learned a lesson from the game against India. We take what we can and we just improve,” Coetzee, who claimed 18 wickets within the league stage, provides.

For Phehlukwayo, the semifinal will likely be all about preparation and adjusting to the circumstances. “We have played Australia a couple of times before the series. We played them in the World Cup as well. We are a good team and so are they. So, whoever plays the best cricket and who comes on on that day will win. But we are not looking too ahead,” he says, including: “It’s about the preparation and who plays the conditions the best on the day…”

Lance Klusener (proper), after taking South Africa nearby of victory from a close to unattainable place, took off for a suicidal run off the fourth ball of the final over. His associate Allan Donald (left) was run out and the semifinal match resulted in a tie. Australia, by advantage of its superior place within the Super Six stage, made it to the ultimate of the World Cup on June 13, 1999.
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THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Back in 1999, South Africa wanted one run to win off the ultimate three deliveries, with only one wicket in hand. Lance Klusener, who was on the strike, tried to play the fourth supply of the ultimate over in the direction of long-on and tried a single. However, a mix-up between him and Allan Donald, led to the latter shedding his wicket. As jubilant Aussies celebrated the momentous feat, the Proteas have been shattered.

They had an opportunity to show issues round in 2007 when the 2 groups met once more within the second semifinal, however a batting catastrophe as soon as once more led to Proteas’ meek give up.

But sixteen years later, as South Africa once more faces Australia in a 50-over World Cup knockout, the present crop hopes to execute its plans and again its abilities.

For them, it’s about placing up a battle – regardless of the outcome.