West Indies v South Africa, 2004-05

At Bridgetown, May 11, 2005. South Africa won by one run. Toss: West Indies.

After two routine South African wins, the one-day series burst outrageously into life. With seven balls remaining, West Indies, chasing 285, were easing towards victory at 281 for six. Although Ntini found the leading edge of Browne's bat, losing a seventh wicket seemed no more than a hiccough. Singles off the first two balls of the last over, from Langeveldt, appeared to confirm it: just two from four now. But Bradshaw swung and missed - and the ball hit. Next ball Powell did the same, with the identical result. And then Langeveldt produced a wicked inswinger that rapped Collymore on the pads, and the umpire's finger went up. Somehow, South Africa had won the game, and with it the series, by one run, courtesy of an unassisted hat-trick. Someone should call Steven Spielberg. Langeveldt's heroics eclipsed a measured 123 from Dippenaar, who set up South Africa's weighty total, and a surprisingly restrained 132 from Gayle, who hit just seven fours and two sixes. The ICC, however, could not leave alone the unadulterated glee generated by Langeveldt's hat-trick and fined him and Ntini for celebrating before checking the umpire's verdict. They also fined the entire team for a slow over-rate, an offence which resulted in Graeme Smith - who had committed the same crime during the Champions Trophy in England the previous September - being docked 30% of his fee and banned for four one-day internationals.

Man of the Match: C. K. Langeveldt.