Murali came back in the 41st, and bowled himself out (3/34 in 10) with Kallis and Pollock grimly focused on keeping him wicketless. At the other end, Jayasuriya too completed a tight spell (1/34 in 10); once they were through, Vaas was the only decent option Jayawardene had left.

With South Africa ten runs away from the target, Pollock flicked another Malinga reverse-swinger angling onto pads through the midwicket region for four, and followed up with another brace. Malinga then produced a superb change of pace; on a tight wicket to wicket line. Pollock was completely foxed; he played the wrong line, and was finished with the shot when the ball went through to hit middle (13/24; 206/6).

Out came Andrew Hall - and for the second time in the innings, a batsman walked back on a golden luck, leaving the bowler on a hat-trick. Again, it was the slower delivery, superbly disguised. Hall had a hit, looking to pierce the off cordon for the four South Africa needed to finish it; the change down confused him, he was early into the shot, and only managed to scoop it up in the air for Tharanga to hold at cover (0/1; 206/7).

That was the last ball of the 45th. Vaas, bowling the 46th, nearly went through Peterson with a beautiful in-cutter; the batsman was lucky to get a faint endge onto pad, not once, but twice on the trot. He couldn't break through, but he did bowl with such immaculate control that he gave away just one.

And then Malinga came on at the other end, for his hat-trick ball - and, for only the fifth time in World Cups, did the trick. The ball was fast, very full, swinging late and outside off. The well set Kallis looked to finish it off, had a drive at it, managed only to touch, and Sangakkara kept his nerve and dived, to pull off a good catch. Kallis had grimly guided the innings through, in a display of high caliber batting; at the very end, his patience gave way (86/110; 207/9).

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