South Africa great Jonty Rhodes believes Lance Klusener‘s heroics at the 1999 edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup still remain one of the best individual efforts seen in the history of the tournament.
Klusener produced some of the hardest hitting seen in the history of one- day justice when amassing a aggregate of 281 runs at an imposing normal of 140.50 during the seventh edition of the 50- over show at the end of last century that nearly single- handedly took the Proteas to a first World Cup title.
South Africa were denied a maiden appearance in a World Cup final when they fell agonisingly close in a thrilling semi-final to Australia at Edgbaston, with the Proteas denied by a fabulous performance from champion incentive Shane Warne and a memorable run out of Allan Donald in the final over of a tied match.
While numerous players have exceeded Klusener’s run aggregate in more recent editions of the World Cup- not numerous have done so like what the important left- hander did when fur generally at No. 7,No. 8 and No. 9- and Rhodes thinks his sweats still stand the test of time.
“He (Klusener) single handedly nearly got us to the final,” Rhodes recalled lately.
“We tied the semi-final against Australia at Edgbaston and Lance Klusener was undefeated (not out), but his entire event was enough important undefeated.
“The thickness he showed and the power. He was winning games for us from veritably tough situations.
“If you always saw his face he was unflapped and he no way sounded to succumb to the anxiety of the moment.”
Rhodes revealed Klusener and Donald entered some grief from suckers upon returning to South Africa following the World Cup in 1999, but said much of the blame for not progressing through to the final laid with the performance of the batters- himself included.
The Proteas were cruising at145/4 with Rhodes at the crinkle alongside star each- rounder Jacques Kallis in pursuit of Australia’s modest aggregate of 213, but lost their last six lattices in quick race to hand their opponents an doubtful place in the title decider.
“The frippery for me was going back to South Africa and seeing how Allan Donald and Lance Klusener stood up,” Rhodes said.
“Obviously there was some review, but a lot of the review demanded to be handled by the batters like myself and Jacques Kallis who were fur and we could have taken the game on and finished it.”
Frippery is one of the nine’ Navarasa’ feelings linked with the 2023 edition of the World Cup and Rhodes said Klusener and Donald’s response on missing out on reaching the final 24 times ago fits this impeccably.
“Allan Donald and Lance Klusener responded to that( review) and took it in good vantage and there were a couple of TV announcements that were lingo in impertinence with the two of them together, ” Rhodes added.
“That for me was real frippery as it was an occasion to go through to our first World Cup final and there was a lot of review over that last fur brace.
“As a platoon we stood by them as we knew our places in that. The frippery that those two, who were still playing. also had to go on and keep playing for South Africa.
“It wasn’t just a moment of frippery, it was sort of a unit of power as the two of them stood together and had the support of nearly the entire country.” Know More Latest Cricket News…
