After many failed international tournament attempts in the past ? too many to recall ? South African cricket fans can finally crack a smile of sort, writes Jacob Nienaber.

This past weekend saw the 15th edition of the Hong Kong Sixes.

Nestled inside the Hong Kong skyline, lies the Kowloon Cricket Club, host to all but two Sixes tournaments since its inception in 1992.

It is all about entertainment value ? something that the city of Hong Kong is renowned for.

Kowloon's relatively short rectangular shaped boundary puts the spectators close to the action, while the unique rule set provides for a fast-paced match ? basically, for batsman, it's all about clearing the boundary!

So what are the rules exactly?

Five overs per innings, six players per team.

Each player, except the wicketkeeper, must bowl one over. When five wickets have fallen and one batsman is left stranded, that batsman keeps on batting, while the fifth batsman out stays on the pitch, acting as a non-batting runner. A batsman must retire when reaching a score in excess of 30, except if he is the last man standing.

The Cricket Sixes format can be roughly compared to Rugby Sevens ? hence the prestige of the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament.

Sixes games last approximately 45 minutes and at the end of the two-day weekend one team 'came and conquered'.

What happened during the tournament?

This year's South African team consisted of seven established provincial cricketers ? captained by regular Warriors skipper Davey Jacobs and including Proteas gun-slinger, Loots Bosman, in the squad.

South Africa were slow out of the blocks ? losing to Hong Kong in their opening match by five wickets and eight balls to spare ? a hammering from the host team.

But SA made amends with victories over New Zealand and Australia, thereby reaching the second pool stage of the competition.

SA's first game in the second stage was against the tough Sri Lankans, and a 14-ball 44 from last man standing Bosman ? who has just been recalled to the Proteas T20 squad ? was required to achieve victory.

In their second match, England scored a formidable 102 runs from their allotted five overs, but South Africa reached 103 with three wickets standing.

With a place already booked in the final, SA again lost to Hong Kong ? the same team they were scheduled to meet in the final ? albeit by a closer margin.

All set for an exciting finish

In the final, South Africa won the toss and chose to field. Considering that the final is played with the special rule of eight balls per over, Hong Kong's 97/4 was a 'modest' total.

But we, as South Africans, all know how tense finals can be...

South Africa were in early trouble when Bosman, Jacobs and Rory Kleinveldt fell to Hong Kong paceman Tanvir Afzal in the second over.

Titans pair David Wiese and Farhaan Behardien then steadied the ship ? but there was still work to do, as SA needed 18 runs off the final over.

The tension came down to one golden ball ? a make-or-break moment for the bowler, batsman and their respective teams.

South Africa needed five runs with one ball remaining ? a 'six or a nix' as they say.

Hong Kong's Mark Wright trundled in and bowled a half volley ? which Behardien confidently, and nonchalantly, launched out of the ground ? handing South Africa the win in, arguably, the most dramatic fashion possible.

Now who said South African cricketers do not have big match temperament?

Davey Jacobs for Proteas captain? Maybe not just yet... but it's nice to win a trophy ? for once, isn't it?