Who would have possible thought that Sri Lanka and South Africa would relive the exhilaration that the sides did when the two had met in the preceding quadrennial extravaganza - at least I did not, considering it a one sided affair for the Proteas.
However, it should have been evident from the very kickoff, when Pollock was mauled around the park in the opening spell - and still Sri Lanka loosing the two openers in quick succession with the scoreboard barely reading 50.
If the beginning wasn’t enough to excite - the match in the way it enfolded at the very end surely hovels to the top as the best in the World Cup thus far.
Despite immaculate bowling in the deck from the peacock colored haired ruffian, Lasith Malinga claiming a record four wickets in four deliveries to become only the fourth individual to claim a World Cup hat-trick, the Lankan’s were unable to defend 209 they had set - losing out with a wicket.
Just consider what the condition was when the Malinga devastation of the Proteas begun - Kallis was going great guns and was well poised at 80 odd to guide the side home. With five runs required from five overs and good five wickets in hand, Malinga got two, Pollock and Hall in the last two ball of his 7th over and then came back to get Kallis and Nitini in the first two of the eighth, but a thick edge from Peterson in Lasith’s ninth wrapped up the first super 8 game for South Africa.
It was a breathtaking finish to the match as Malinga brought Sri Lanka into the brink of victory from what till the 45th over had looked a game dominated by the South African batting.
Langeveldt with the career best figures of 5 for 39, was the pick of the African attack that succeeded well enough to curtail the Lankan’s to a low total, well assisted by Nitini.
Langeveldt and Malinga were awarded a combined man of the match awarded for their splendid performances at the new Providence Stadium.
