Of all the many one-day disappointments of recent touring England teams, perhaps the most dramatic took place on South African soil four years ago.

A close and intensely fought Test series had just been won by South Africa with the only result of the series, at Cape Town.

The seven-match one-day series offered England not only the possibility of revenge but vital preparation, too, for the World Cup, which was only a matter weeks away.

By this stage of the tour, however, England were an emotionally spent force.

This was evident as early as the first match, again at Cape Town, when they had South Africa by the throat at 106-6, and later 152-7.

Typically, South Africa recovered to 211-8, with Shaun Pollock striking a run-a-ball 66 not out.

Even then, the target was a more than gettable one for England, particularly when they reached 155-3.

And then the downward spiral began, to 205 all out with Graham Thorpe, who could only watch as wickets tumbled at the other end, being the penultimate man out for 62

But wait. What's this? England came straight back at Bloemfontein, overcoming a stiff target of 263 and an mid-innings delay for 50 minutes when the floodlights failed, to win by five wickets with ten balls to spare.

Mike Atherton scored 85, Thorpe 72 not out and Graeme Hick 55, of which his first 50 came in 33 balls. Was this the start of the England renaissance so badly needed before the World Cup? If only.

From Bloemfontein it was back to Johannesburg where South Africa shaded a close match by three wickets. It was the last time England had even a sniff of victory.

England's seemingly formidable total of 272 in the fourth match at Centurion Park was cruelly brushed aside as the stuff of playgrounds, with Gary Kirsten scoring a century, as South Africa wrapped things up by seven wickets and with two overs to spare.

All out for 184 in Durban, South Africa coasted home by five wickets and then, the ghastliest of them all, in East London where England bowled South Africa out for 129 only to be dismissed in turn for 115.

From 1-1 it had become 5-1 and surely the humiliation was complete.

That would be to discount the final match, however, at Port Elizabeth, where a target of 218 might as well have been 518 the way England capitulated by 64 runs.

Not surprisingly the World Cup was an embarrassment, where England lost to everyone - yes, you guessed it, including South Africa - apart from the United Arab Emirates and Holland.