Zulu earns World Cup hero status (20 June 1999)

20 June 1999

Zulu earns World Cup hero status

Trevor Chesterfield

London (England) - It was not as good as stepping up to receive a gold medal and lay a hand on the trophy but Lance Klusener's role in the World Cup final at Lord's yesterday was as significant as any innings he played during the tournament when he was named man of the series. It was also, in some way, a moment of compensation for the man who had done as much as anyone to capture the spirit of the tournament and whose several swashbuckling innings captured more headlines than he would shyly care to acknowledge during the past five weeks.

The 27-year-old beat off a late charge by Shane Warne, the competitive Australian leg-spinner whose four wickets in the final enabled him to equal Geoff Allott's record 20 wickets for a World Cup tournament; which could disappear in 2003 with extra matches added to a six weeks schedule. Although he arrived with a world-class reputation he departed with the most devastating record any player might hope to possess in a tight finish.

`When it came to making the award we did not have to look too far,' said Ian Chappell on behalf of the selection panel charged with the decision of the man of the match award. `It needed a special talent to do what Lance Klusener did match after match: often under pressure. He was a man who would solve a crisis when South Africa needed him most,' Chappell added when making the award on the upper members' balcony during the presentation ceremony after the most lop-sided final which saw Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets.

What captured the public interest, however, was the sheer romance of Klusener's heroic role. It was the one shining inspiration and repeating event which also had any number of young fans of all races flocking to grounds where South Africa played. Jonty Rhodes had his cheer leaders, Allan Donald his supporters, and Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock their admirers, but it was Klusener who won the matches. Klusener wielded his broadsword of willow as if it was some latter day excalibur as he smashed Shoaib Akhtar and other bowlers around the venues of England during World Cup 1999.

Not only in South Africa and England but also on the teeming Asian sub-continent his hero status has created a special niche in the game's history. Rumours were circulating on Saturday morning that he had been asked by the tournament organisers to remain for the for the final, which could have only meant that it would need a special performance.

There were those who thought the award would go to someone who had played in the final: Steve Waugh, the Australian captain who scored 398 runs and Warne. But the selection panel of former Test stars David Gower (England), Michael Holding (West Indies) and Chappell had it seems, no doubts.

Raised on a sugar estate in Eshowe, northern Natal, able to fluently speak Zulu and Xhosa, he was educated at Durban High School from where Barry Richards and Trevor Goddard emerged, Klusener is seen in the international sense as an example of a top sportsman.