Anderson - knocked over Pakistan. (Getty Images)

Deep into the night they sang it, a simple but effective ditty. "Oh, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Anderson."

Hours after the game, the Barmy Army rearguard were singing it around an empty Newlands.

Later, as the cross of St George enveloped the magnificent Victoria and Albert Waterfront, they sang it even louder, though the simple lyrics were a little slurred.

This was the night a 20-year-old rescued England's World Cup with a display of swing bowling you're unlikely to see bettered with a boomerang.

England captain Nasser Hussain was positively glowing after perhaps the most imporant win of his reign.

Hussain, sporting a bandage around his still injured neck, said: "That gave me great satisfaction. It was a huge game.

"To be at Duncan Fletcher's old ground and bowl them out, it was a very special performance.

"Jimmy Anderson has gone from Burnley third eleven to regular international Man of the Match awards in a couple of years.

"He's bowling well, thinking well... and he listens. He's got a lot of work to do, he knows that. But he bowled the perfect yorker to Yohana.

"I won't get carried away, but that was an exeptional bowling performance.

"And the way Paul Collingwood is finishing the innings is very important to us. He's in superb form.

"On a given day Pakistan can beat anybody. But with India on Wednesday and Australia next Sunday, it was important to beat them so convincingly.

"It was like a home game for us with so many fans here in their shirts. We did a lap of the ground to thank them for turning up in such numbers."

And the man himself, Anderson, clearly over-awed by his startling rise to international world beater, said: "It's coming out quite nicely, swinging around. I bowled to Duncan Fletcher's plan.

"We knew a few of their bowlers were susceptible to the yorker.

"Sometimes at training I feel tired after six months of cricket but with all the adrenaline out there tonight, I never get tired.

“I keep pinching myself. My dad Michael was here to see it too."

Under pressure Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said: "That was one of the worst defeats I've suffered.

"Looking at the pitch I thought it was a total we could chase but Anderson bowled very, very well. He swung the ball so much.

"To keep England under 250 was a good effort from the bowlers. But we've got to think about our batting line-up now.

"It's not over yet. If we win our last three games, we'll still go through. I'm going to give it my best shot."