2003 World Cup - South Africa

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The 2003 Cricket World Cup was held in South Africa for the first time and was unfortunately dogged by a number of pre-tournament controversies, including the possible refusal of many Indian players to play due to their inability to promote their personal sponsors (many of whom provide most of the players' income, but whose products clash with those of the tournament sponsor).

The Indian situation was by no means the most serious problem organisers faced pre-tournament, that fell to the political unrest in Zimbabwe. At the time Robert Mugabe's regime was causing serious worldwide problems, not only in sport but in human suffering. Two Zimbabwean players, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga (the former white, the latter black) wore black armbands for their opening game, and issued a strong statement explaining that they were "mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe". Both men subsequently retired from Zimbabwean cricket, and began playing overseas, Olonga stating that to continue "would be condoning the grotesque human rights violations that have been perpetrated - and continue to be perpetrated - against my fellow countrymen."

England refused to travel to Harare and play in their pool A match and Zimbabwe were awarded the win as a walkover. Similarly New Zealand refused to play Kenya in Nairobi and they too were awarded the win as a walkover. Both countries benefited from these choices and made it through to the Super Six competition. kenya went one stage further making the semi final but lost out to India by 91 runs.

Australia didn't escape controversy either when Shane Warne was sent home from the cup in disgrace, only the day before their opening game, after a positive drug test in a lead-up competition in Australia. The Victorian had tested positive to taking weight loss enhancing drugs in a bid to return back to fitness.

Australia clinched their third Cricket World Cup with a thumping 125-run victory over India.

Captain Ricky Ponting hit a blistering 140 as the Aussies scored a massive 359 for two - their highest-ever one-day total.

Despite a fighting 82 from Virender Sehwag, India could only make 234.

And in securing their third World Cup triumph, Australia also became the only side to win all of their matches in a World Cup tournament.

Captain Sourav Ganguly's decision to bowl first when he won the toss backfired spectacularly.

Ponting and Damien Martyn shared a partnership of 234 to take Australia well past the previous highest score in a final - the West Indies' 291 (off 60 overs) in 1975.