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Shane Warne proved at Edgbaston that form is temporary, but class is forever. He produced an amazing spell when Australia appeared to be dead and buried, not only taking wickets but inspiring his team-mates to produce a superhuman effort which saw them through to the final at Lord's to meet Pakistan.

It was like old times when he curved one through the air and then spun it sharply past Herschelle Gibbs's bat to hit the top of off-stump. This was redolent of the Mike Gatting ball at Old Trafford in 1993 as were Warne's shouts of ``come on'' as he pumped his fist, rallied the troops and made them believe a place at Lord's was still within their capabilities.

Not since the days of Dennis Lillee have I seen an Australian bowler inspire his team from a seemingly hopeless situation, the way Warne did at Edgbaston. It was almost a replica of his effort at Mohali in the 1996 World Cup semi-final, when he demolished the West Indies batting in taking four crucial wickets to push his team into the final at Lahore.

Warne is not only a top-class bowler, he is also a smart cricketer and an unselfish team man. His unbridled enthusiasm after taking his first three wickets inspired his team mates to the point where they began to believe victory was possible, but he then had to calm himself so that his mind was totally focused before bowling the next delivery.

Warne was totally dominant in his first spell as he wove a spell around the leaden-footed South African batsmen and despite taking some stick in the last couple of overs, he still had one more trick up his sleeve. He beat a determined Jacques Kallis through the air and caused him to loft a simple catch to Steve Waugh which brought about another Australian rally.

In the end the Australians held their nerve long enough against a Lance Klusener onslaught and it was enough to take them into the final.

It was ironic that South Africa were brought undone by spin bowling, an art they have shunned in order to stick with a regimented policy of building up pressure via accurate seam bowling. That will amuse Warne and he'll be hoping that, unlike the 1996 World Cup, his semi-final effort isn't in vain.