The Champions Trophy has produced some captivating moments and storylines over the years. How many of these do you recall?
Andrew McGlashan29-May-2017When Sachin and Glenn sledged
These two titans of the game had many great encounters. This one, in the 2000 Champions Trophy, was a feisty little affair. Sachin Tendulkar’s final tally was 38 off 37 balls – useful but not in itself defining – but it was an enthralling battle while it lasted. In later years Tendulkar recalled how, in a rare example of him having a few words to a bowler, he told Glenn McGrath he would “hit him out of the ground”. McGrath responded with a chirp, then Tendulkar launched a thrilling attack. After skewing an edge over third man in the third over, he then twice waltzed down the pitch in the fifth – sending McGrath for a straight six and then a four. More was to follow in the seventh, when McGrath dropped a touch short and was dispatched over deep square leg. A trademark back-foot square drive completed the collection before Tendulkar fell to Brett Lee, but he wasn’t done. Tendulkar’s subsequent dismissal of Ricky Ponting would prove instrumental in a 20-run victory, as Australia, the reigning world champions, were eliminated in the quarter-finals.Yuvraj Singh made his debut in the 2000 Champions Trophy, and 17 years later is back again•AFPYuvraj’s beginning
It was a match with more than a few subplots. After the McGrath-Tendulkar joust, India slipped to 90 for 3 and the game was in the balance. Up stepped 18-year-old Yuvraj Singh, playing his second ODI but batting for the first time, having not been needed on debut against Kenya. He would go on to plunder 12 boundaries in a thrilling 80-ball 84. There was a chance offered when he edged through Mark Waugh at slip, but he went to his half-century with arguably the shot of his innings – a pristine on-drive off McGrath. Such was his dominance that he had been at the crease less than 20 overs and a century was beckoning when he fell to Shane Lee. However, Yuvraj’s day wasn’t done. In the 32nd over of Australia’s chase he pulled off a direct hit run-out to remove Michael Bevan. Seventeen years later, he is the only player from the 2000 event who will take part in 2017.Cairns downs India
The 2000 tournament – still called the ICC Knockout – provided New Zealand with their one piece of global silverware. The side that had competed strongly at the 1999 World Cup remained together, but victory in the final over against India was largely down to one man. Chris Cairns, who had missed the semi-final against Pakistan with a knee injury, came in at 82 for 3 chasing 265 and New Zealand were soon 132 for 5. Cairns and Chris Harris then added 122, skilfully keeping the required rate in sight while knowing they couldn’t afford further slips. Cairns struck two sixes, one a glorious straight drive off Anil Kumble, before reaching his hundred in the penultimate over. Although Harris fell next ball, victory was within New Zealand’s grasp and Cairns swung a full toss through square leg to seal it.The first victim of the early DRS
The review system is now an accepted part of international cricket – when money allows – so much so that even India have come around to it. These days, there is a multitude of technology (not all of which works perfectly) available to the umpire, but in the early days of expanding TV’s decision-making role, it was rather more rudimentary. The first tentative steps were taken at the 2002 Champions Trophy when on-field umpires – not the players – were given the opportunity to check lbws with the third umpire. A little bit of history befell Shoaib Malik when he was given out against Sri Lanka. Chaminda Vaas struck him on the pads and Daryl Harper went upstairs to ask Rudi Koertzen whether it pitched outside leg: only that and height were within the third umpire’s remit; there was no predictive element. After about 30 seconds, Malik was given out, when Koertzen relayed his decision back to Harper. The system took a while – and numerous trials – to evolve but the technological tide had turned.The scoreboard did not make pretty reading for USA against New Zealand in 2004•AFPAmerica come a cropper
Once a great hope for the game, USA are now more fragmented than ever, and seem on the verge of expulsion from the ICC. In 2004, they had their one moment in the global spotlight, having qualified by winning the ICC Six Nations Challenge on net run rate. The two matches at the Champions Trophy remain their only one-day internationals. Not unexpectedly, they were a sobering experience. USA opened against New Zealand, who piled up 347 for 4 – the fifth-wicket stand of 136 between Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan coming off 46 balls. An opening partnership of 52 in nine overs showed some gumption, but USA then collapsed to 137, with former West Indies opener Clayton Lambert top-scoring on 37. That, though, wasn’t a patch on three days later against Australia: USA 65 all out, and the runs were knocked off with 253 balls remaining. At 191 balls in total, it remains the shortest completed ODI in England or Wales.Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne wrested the Champions Trophy away from England in 2004•AFP / Getty ImagesWest Indies dance in the dark
The most famous day (and almost night) in Champions Trophy history. It had been a largely triumphant season for England, who won all seven of their Tests, and in the damp and chill of a autumn, they had shown enough nous to reach the final of this tournament. Although they could only muster 217 – Marcus Trescothick made 104 – Steve Harmison, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood reduced West Indies to 147 for 8. A first global trophy was within England’s grasp, only for Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw to play the innings of their lives. As the evening closed in, a partnership that began as an irritant then turned the game on its head. Darren Gough struggled to revive his glory days, and with Michael Vaughan having thrown his lot in with Harmison and Flintoff earlier, only Collingwood and Alex Wharf (or the unbowled Ashley Giles) remained for the conclusion. By then, the West Indies pair were in and defying the conditions. Off the penultimate ball of the 49th over, Bradshaw flayed Wharf to spark wild celebrations.Thanks, Sharad, it’s time for us to celebrate•AFPAustralia get pushy
Australia had lost their opening match of the 2006 tournament against West Indies, but pulled themselves together – including an impressive victory over India – and gained revenge with a thumping victory in the final. As is often the case for events such as these, the presentation was not a swift affair. Australia wanted nothing more than to just celebrate, and when they were eventually handed the trophy, Damien Martyn proceeded to give Sharad Pawar, the president of the BCCI, a little nudge to urge him off stage. It didn’t go unnoticed. “They are supposed to be aggressive, even rude on the field. On Sunday, Australia showed they are not exactly polite off it too,” said the . Even Sachin Tendulkar had his say: “I was not watching the proceedings, but from what I heard, it was unpleasant and uncalled for.” Ricky Ponting, Australia’s captain, tried to calm tensions. “I’ll be doing the best I can to get my point across to the concerned people in India and let them know we were not trying to embarrass them or anything like that.”Run out: Graeme Smith was not impressed when he was denied a runner in 2009•Getty ImagesCramped up
England had flayed their way to 323 on the Highveld – their innings included 12 sixes, with Owais Shah making 98 off 89 balls and Eoin Morgan 67 off 34 – but in reply Graeme Smith forged a magnificent century that kept South Africa firmly in the hunt of a demanding chase. His hundred came off 104 balls and they began the last ten overs needing 94; steep, but certainly chaseable in the conditions. Then Smith started to struggle with cramp, and at the end of the 44th over – with him on 124 – he called for a runner. However, England captain Andrew Strauss refused, arguing cramp was a conditioning issue rather than one of fitness. This did not go down well with Smith, who eventually carved into the deep for 141. England won, and the ICC came out in support of Strauss’ stance, banning runners full stop from international cricket a couple of years later.West Indies were sent out of the 2013 tournament by the narrowest possible margin•Getty ImagesThe rain falls in South Africa’s favour
Rain has followed South Africa around global tournaments: they were stuffed by the weather at the 1992 World Cup, had only themselves to blame in 2003, when they misread the Duckworth-Lewis sheet and crashed out of their own event, and cursed the heavy shower in Auckland that interrupted their charge in the 2015 semi-final. In 2013, though, the calculations smiled on them. Kieron Pollard had taken West Indies to the brink of victory – which would have knocked South Africa out – when he fell to Ryan McLaren. The wicket meant that the teams were tied in the DL reckoning (like it had been for South Africa in Durban ten years previously). There was no chance for Darren Sammy to face before the players left the field. The two teams got a point apiece, and so South Africa progressed by virtue of their better net run rate.That’s done it: Ishant Sharma turned the tables at Edgbaston•AFPIshant Sharma’s trophy-winning double whammy
The Champions Trophy final was reduced to 20 overs a side due to rain. With Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara together, England appeared on track to chase 130, having been struggling on 46 for 4. The early damage was caused by spin, but then pace changed the game for India. With consecutive deliveries, Ishant Sharma had Morgan caught at midwicket, then Bopara was snaffled at square: c Ashwin b Sharma had derailed England. When Jos Buttler was bowled first ball by Ravi Jadeja in the penultimate over, there was too much left to do for the lower order. India, under MS Dhoni, had added the title to their wins in the 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup.
