Pre-match comment was a simple observation

The Aussie captain has never been one for Mohammed Ali-style banter and he is certainly not the type of person who publicly big notes or belittles his own team or his opposition.

The facts are that in the last few one-day tournaments that have involved these two outstanding cricket teams, the South Africans have tended to win the lead-up games comfortably but for some reason fall short in the finals or business end of the competitions. In one-day cricket this can easily happen and from Steve Waugh and the Aussies' point of view, this is a situation that must be presenting them with great delight.

After the heart-stopping semi-final yesterday, Steve made it clear that he felt a little bit sorry for the South Africans who once again fell to the finals voodoo against their rivals.

There is utmost respect between the two teams and I would say the Australian camp would have been as much relieved, as anything, last night to have beaten their toughest one-day opponents in a photo-finish on the line. Now that the cricket world has had time to catch its breath, the memory of yesterday's incredible contest will remain for many, many years to come.

From my point of view, the most fascinating aspect, apart from the ultimate result, was the way the champion players made an impact on the game. As so often happens in international cricket, it is the trump cards which make a difference to the course of a battle.

Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock were superb with the ball, putting the Australian batting line-up under enormous early pressure. From the doldrums stormed batting supremo Steve Waugh who again stamped his influence on the game with a dynamic and confident rear guard action.

The universe's number one ranked one-day player Michael Bevan followed this. He walked to the crease and shrugged off the pressure with a blatant disregard as though he was having a leisurely stroll in the park.

When it came time for the South Africans to chase, the world's greatest ever leg spinner, who is fighting the cruel media who have a very, very, very short memory, was on a stage of his own.

Pumped up! Yes he was pumped up and why shouldn't he be! With a World Cup opportunity within grasp and wearing his country's colours, "Warney" proved once again why he's a champion in every form of the word. Not only did he bowl one of the most spectacular deliveries of the modern era, he also halted an early Springbok rampage with his own hands. Maybe now some ignorant members of the media core may decide again that a player like Shane Warne is an integral part of the welfare of the international game.

Emerging-great Jacques Kallis played his part with the entertainment machine Jonty Rhodes, and although they both fell short of the total, the man of the World Cup Lance Kluesner almost stole a remarkable victory.

Thanks to Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming (from an Australian point of view of course) the Aussies survived this final onslaught but not before the greatest player who has ever played raised his bat to the whole cricket-loving world. Like the other fantastic individual efforts achieved under intense pressure yesterday, one more player stood alone.

Like the "big man" called pressure, yesterday's unanimous player of the match was a man called cricket. He was the winner again yesterday in what was one of his best performances of all time.

Roll on World Cup Final day!

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