One of the most often repeated inaccuracies in international cricket is that South Africa’s men have never won an ICC event.
On the eve of their first match in the 2025 Champions Trophy it is appropriate to remind followers that South Africa did, in fact, win the inaugural version of the tournament when it was hosted in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1998.
And it was a commanding performance, too, staged in a knockout format which saw the entire event completed in just nine days. Hansie Cronje’s chased down England’s formidable total of 281-7 for the loss of just four wickets with 20 balls to spare.
Pat Symcox opened the bowling in the days when spinners and new balls were still largely unacquainted while Darryl Cullinan (69) opened the batting and top scored with further 60s coming from Cronje (67) and Jonty Rhodes who finished the match with an unbeaten 61.
Next up was a formidable Sri Lankan team in a game reduced to 39 overs per side by some monsoon showers, no more than a minor irritation to Jacques Kallis who made light work of an attack featuring Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitheran and Sanath Jayasuriya to finish with an unbeaten 113 in a total of 240-7.
The Sri Lankans had won the World Cup just two years earlier and were strong favourites to advance to the final but Jayasuriya’s 22 was the top score as they were bundled out for just 132 with stars Aravinda de Silva (5), captain Arjuna Ranatunga (4) and Roshan Mahanama (10) all failing as Symcox (3-27) and Steve Elworthy (3-21) ended the run-chase in just 23.4 overs.
The West Indies, meanwhile, had comfortably beaten Pakistan and India in their opening two matches to set up the final against the Proteas and, although their great fast bowlers had all reached the end of their careers, a batting line-up featuring Brian Lara, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made them many peoples’ favourites.
As it transpired their modest total of 245 was built on a century (103) from opener Philo Wallace with 49 from Hooper and just 11 from Lara, bowled by offspinner Derek Crookes. Kallis confirmed his rising status as one of the best young allrounders in the world with figures of 5-30.
Cullinan (21) and opening partner Mike Rindel (49) were both run out in the run-chase but Kallis (37) and Cronje (61*) stabilised the middle overs before Dale Benkenstein (27) and Crookes (24*) saw South Africa to the title. It was no wonder that so many people believed the Proteas were favourites for the World Cup when they arrived in England just a year later. They had, of course, also won the Commonwealth Games gold medal beating Australia in the final in 1998.
It may feel like ancient history now with most of Temba Bavuma’s current squad just toddlers when that victory was achieved – some weren’t even born. Some are even as guilty as many fans at forgetting it even happened, reinforcing the narrative that South Africa have never won a major, global trophy.
The name and format have changed, the Wills Trophy now having morphed into the Champions Trophy and revived after an absence of over seven years. Two groups of four teams before the semifinals and final mean that everyone has a ‘second chance’ if they lose one of their group games before the knockout games. But it is still a 15-day sprint rather than the 50-day marathon that is the ‘full’ 50-over World Cup.
Bavuma is unconcerned about the six-match losing streak heading into the tournament pointing out that his team were rarely, if ever at full strength in any of those games. He also knows the power and experience of his top-six batsmen and that Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj are two of the best bowling attack leaders in the world.
The 1998/99 team was packed with allrounders – as many as seven in every starting line-up. An unusual shortage of them in recent years has contributed to South Africa’s inconsistent results but now, although nowhere near the riches of 27 years ago, they do look a lot more balanced with Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulde rin the lower middle order.
Could this be the year the Proteas win their second ICC trophy?
SA FIXTURES:
Friday 21: Afghanistan
Tuesday 25 – Australia
Saturday, March 1 – England
Wednesday, Thursday, 4 & 5 – Semi Finals
Sunday 9 - Final