When South Africa took the field for the 1992 World Cup game against Australia in Sydney under the captaincy of Kepler Wessels, the Proteas were playing in their first mega-event. At that time, South Africa had just comeback to international cricket after 22 years of isolation by playing an ODI series against India, a few months before the World Cup. In fact, the palpating anxiety of the 11 players before the first ball was bowled was a true reflection of their nerves.
Allan Donald, South Africa's spearhead, who was even then known for his ability to bowl at a venomous pace, took the new ball. With zinc cream smeared on his face and adrenaline pumping, the redoubtable pacer charged into the crease to bowl a crunching delivery that pitched on a length and nipped away from Geoff Marsh, the Australian opener, to produce the edge and for Dave Richardson, the wicket-keeper, to take an easy catch.
There was unfettered celebration in the camp, as the South African players thought they had snared a wicket off the first ball of the match. Marsh had a forlorn look on his face as even the batsman would have expected the standing umpire from New Zealand, Brian Aldridge, to raise the finger. To everyone's surprise though, Aldridge was unmoved. Here was a delivery that had clearly taken the edge and almost carried to the first slip fielder, but the umpire didn't give the batsman out!
The entire South African team looked shell-shocked. In particular, Donald had a stunned looked on his face. South African cricketers though, recovered from the shock quickly. Donald bowled a fiery spell and Jonty Rhodes' athletic fielding meant that Australia were bowled out for a paltry 170. South Africa chased down the target with nine wickets in hand. The significance of the victory could be seen by the fact that the South African line-up received congratulatory messages from then President F. W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela.
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