1973 — In what many observers described as the greatest boxing contest on South African soil, Arnold Taylor rises from four knockdowns and knocks out Mexican Romeo Anaya in the 14th round at the Rand Stadium in Johannesburg to lift the WBA bantamweight crown. There were six knockdowns in the bout, but in the eighth it looked as if Taylor was about to lose as he went down three times. Somehow he got up each time and fought his way back to victory, though he was assisted by a long count after Anaya didn’t retreat to a neutral properly. In 1996 The Ring magazine rated this contest the 15th greatest world title bout of all time.
1997 — Skipper Hansie Cronje hits 94 runs from 95 balls to guide the Proteas, chasing 298, to a five-wicket victory over West Indies in a four-nations tournament day-nighter in Lahore. Opener Gary Kirsten struck 64 and Jonty Rhodes 53 not out. Cronje’s knock made him the first South African to pass 2,500 runs in ODI cricket.
2018 — The Springboks go down 11-12 to England in a controversial match at Twickenham. Right wing Sbu Nkosi scored the only try of the match, but South Africa were denied the chance of victory after referee Angus Gardner refused to penalise England captain Owen Farrell for an armless charge on Andre Esterhuizen in a kickable position in the dying moments of the game.
2019 — Brad Binder wins his second consecutive Moto2 race, taking the chequered flag in the Malaysian motorcycle grand prix at Sepang.
2022 — Anrich Nortje takes 4/41, but with only four batsmen making double figures, topped by captain Temba Bavuma’s 36, the Proteas are restricted to 108/9 to lose their rain-shortened T20 World Cup group 2 contest against Pakistan in Sydney by 33 runs. Pakistan made 185/9, but South Africa’s target was revised to 142 from 14 overs.
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