1979 — The Australian Cricket Board announces an exclusive TV deal with Kerry Packer’s Channel Nine network, a decision that effectively ended the rebel World Series tournament created by the broadcaster in 1977 that featured a few South African stars, including Barry Richards, Mike Procter, Clive Rice and Garth le Roux. The two-season series had a major impact on world cricket, ushering in higher pay for players as well as day-night matches, coloured clothing, white balls and even helmets.
1988 — Wendy Botha becomes the first non-American to win the women’s professional surfing crown, wrapping up the season at the US Coca Cola Classic at Manley Beach. The 21-year-old Botha was knocked out in the quarterfinals, but had enough points after former world champion Kim Mearig of the US was eliminated in the semifinals. Botha received her Australian citizenship a week later and competed under her new flag thereafter, winning three more crowns in 1989, 1991 and 1992, which coincided with the first victory by American superstar Kelly Slater.
1993 — South Africa’s soccer players, thumped 1-4 by Zimbabwe in their away leg, hold their neighbours to a 1-1 draw in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Soccer City in Johannesburg. Marks Maponyane scored in sixth minute to the hosts a lead they held until Benjamin Nkonjera equalised in the 80th minute.
1994 — Phil Masinga strikes in the 75th minute to give South Africa’s soccer team its first win over Zimbabwe. The friendly in Mmabatho was the third meeting between the two teams.
1996 — African champions Bafana Bafana are beaten 2-3 by world champions Brazil in a friendly at Soccer City in Johannesburg. Phil Masinga and Doctor Khumalo scored to give South Africa a 2-0 lead at halftime. But the South Americans hit back with three goals, Bebeto slotting the winner in the 85th minute.
2003 — Paul Adams takes 5/37 as the Proteas bowl out Bangladesh for 173 on the first day of the first Test in Chattogram.
2004 — Corrie Sanders takes on Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the WBC heavyweight crown vacated by Lennox Lewis. Sanders puts on a brave show, but he is outgunned before the fight is stopped in the eighth round, with the South African still on his feet. But Sanders wasn’t the same fighter who had demolished the younger Klitschko brother, Wladimir, for the WBO version of the world title a year earlier. Sanders’ training for the Vitali bout had been hampered by a hand injury caused when he punched through a glass window during an argument with his girlfriend at the time.
2005 — Andre Nel takes 6/32 — and 10/88 for the match — as the Proteas bowl out the West Indies for 166 to win the third Test in Bridgetown by an innings and 86 runs and claim an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
2016 — Brad Binder claims the first Moto3 victory of his career, taking the chequered flag at the Spanish motorcycle grand prix at the Jerez circuit to the south of Seville.
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