Openers Darryl Cullinan (69 off 70 balls) and Mike Rindel made a blazing start, smashing 70 in the first 10 overs before reaching 95 by the 15th. They took their stand to 113 when England hit back with three wickets in the space of 22 runs to make South Africa 135-3 by the 27th over.
That did not deter Cronje and Jonty Rhodes, who set up South Africa's impressive victory with a 117-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Cronje made 67 before falling 30 runs short of the target, but Rhodes saw South Africa home with an unbeaten 61.
While England return home, the South Africans will have four days off before their semi-final against the winners of Monday's quarter-final between World Cup champions Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
South Africa's win overshadowed a brilliant unbeaten 83 off 91 balls by Hollioake, leading an under-strength team in place of Ashes captain Alex Stewart.
Hollioake and veteran Neil Fairbrother (56) put on 112 for the sixth wicket after England, electing to bat in the day-night game, lost three wickets in nine balls to slump from 80-1 to 95-5 by the 19th over.
South Africa watched helplessly as England took 57 off the last five overs after Jack Russell (19) helped Hollioake add 49 off 30 balls for the seventh wicket.
Cullinan, later named man of the match, and Rindel were particularly severe on Lancashire paceman Peter Martin, who conceded 31 runs in his first four overs, and Mark Ealham, who went for 35 in four.
Left-handed Rindel contributed 41 in the opening stand before holing out to mid-off against left-arm spinner Ashley Giles.
Cullinan, who raced to 50 off 40 balls with 12 boundaries, flicked Graeme Hick's off-spin uppishly to deep mid-wicket where Neil Fairbrother defied his 36 years to hold a low diving catch.
Jacques Kallis was the third to go in the 27th over, run out by Adam Hollioake and England suddenly found themselves back in the match.
Cronje and Rhodes, however took the sting out of the seven-man English attack with brisk running between the wickets puntuated with ferocious hits all around the wicket.
In the afternoon, Cronje's men would not have expected the late assault from England's batsmen after striking crucial blows earlier in the innings.
Spinner Pat Symcox, who shared the new ball with Alan Dawson, struck in his second over when Alistair Brown mistimed a drive into the hands of Jacques Kallis in the covers.
England's decision to send Mark Ealham at number three in place of Graeme Hick paid off as the hard-hitting allrounder smashed 44 off 37 balls.
Ealham hit Symcox out of the attack with two boundaries and a six in his fourth over and then added 64 for the second wicket with left-handed opener Nick Knight (32).
England were well-placed at 80-1 in the 14th over when Kallis applied the brakes with three quick wickets.
Kallis had Ealham caught by Jonty Rhodes at point, trapped Hick leg-before for two, before removing Knight through a brilliant low catch by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.
When Graham Lloyd was given out leg-before by Indian umpire Srinivas Venkataraghvan offering no stroke to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, England had lost three wickets in the space of one run.
On Monday, World Cup champions Sri Lanka take on New Zealand for a place
in the semi-finals.
Date-stamped : 25 Oct1998 - 15:59