No one knows more about the Proteas’ misfortune at World Cups than ex-fast bowler Allan Donald.
He was there when South Africa played in its first ever global showpiece in 1992 - a tournament that ended in the semifinal against England after rain interrupted play with SA needing 22 runs off 13 balls.
When play resumed, they needed 22 off one ball.
At the next tournament they were beaten by the West Indies at the quarterfinal stage, before playing to a 213 draw with Australia in the 1999 semis but lost the match because Australia finished higher at the Super Six stage.
He had one more shot as a player in 2003 on home soil, with the Proteas falling at the group stage.
But it’s for that '99 tournament that Donald will be best remembered.
With South Africa needing one run to win off four balls, Donald was run out with two balls to spare after an epic mix-up between him and Lance Klusener.
TOO LATE: Donald run out with Lance Klusener at the other end. Photo: Dan Chung/Reuters.
It’s a moment that will forever etched into cricket fans’ memory.
Of it, Donald says on In Conversation with Ali Bacher: “It’s probably the worst cricketing moment of my life.
“I reckon in 20-30 years from now, it will still be on Youtube.
“I had some well wishes, but I also had some bad ones - letters that came to my house that was pretty sickening to read.
“I looked at that incident over and over and over - the whole over.
“I confronted it and I thought well, one thing is we’re not going to blame each other
“It was a sporting mistake that will never be forgotten.
“I learned so much about it, I think I can help people with severe disappointment.
“I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”
Donald was also almost run out earlier in that final over and recalls: “When Darren Lehmann almost ran me out point-blank range, I remember sitting on my haunches.
“I took a stroll down the pitch and said to Lance: ‘Hey just hit the next thing out the ground’.
“Everyone was in.
“He just looked at me with his massive eyes and I could just tell that this guy has blitzed everyone at this World Cup, he’s in control.
“I looked at all the dejected faces of the Australians, they know this is Klusener.
“And then as he hit it back, I saw the ball coming towards me and I thought I was going back.
“No ways, I mean [Steve] Waugh and Lehmann are standing right there and the rest is history.
“As I looked around, the bat dropped out of my hand, you know the old dream where you can’t run - there was no way...
“I went straight to the physio room, sat in the corner and 20 minutes later Steve Waugh and Glenn McGrath walk in and sat with me in that corner.
“And Steve Waugh just said to me that you should never have been in out there; it’s not your job”
HARTSEER: Dale Steyn was smashed for a six in Kiwi defeat. Photo: Anthony Phelps/Reuters.
Donald returned in the Green and Gold when his playing days were over.
This time as bowling coach of the Proteas in 2015.
And he suffered heartbreak again, this time at the hands of New Zealand.
With the Kiwis needing five runs off two balls to beat South Africa, SA-born batsman Grant Elliot smashed Dale Steyn for a six.
Of that moment, Donald says: “I sat there next to Kyle Abott, I held his arm and I said: ‘This is it. This is the yorker right now’.
“And he [Steyn] bowls a back of a length delivery and goes for six.
“It was just heart-wrenching again.
“When you talk about the '99 dressing room, this was very close, people sitting in the dressing room just sobbing.
“It wasn’t meant to be yet again.
“It wasn’t good to watch.”