1949 — Boxer Vic Toweel makes his professional debut, knocking out Johannes Landman in the second round at Wembley Stadium in Johannesburg, where he went on to win the undisputed world bantamweight championship 16 months later. Toweel was a member of the great South African Olympic boxing team that won all the country’s medals — two gold, a silver and a bronze — at the 1948 Games in London, though Toweel himself was eliminated in the first round amid a controversial decision. He remains the only South African to have won an undisputed title.
1953 — Jackie McGlew makes 54 to help South Africa to 177/6 at stumps to draw the fourth Test against Australia in Adelaide, with the hosts leading the five-match series 2-1.
1964 — Openers Eddie Barlow and Trevor Goddard, the captain, knock off the required 82 runs in 17 overs to lead South Africa to a 10-wicket victory over Australia in the fourth Test in Adelaide, drawing level in the five-match series at 1-1.
1997 — Gary Kirsten scores 55 as the Proteas, needing 227, beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in a triangular series ODI at Newlands.
2000 — Ellis Ferreira and American Rick Leach win the Australian Open men’s doubles crown after a marathon contest, downing Australian Andrew Kratzmann and Zimbabwean Wayne Black 6-4 3-6 6-3 3-6 18-16. The final set took just more than two hours and Leach, who had four slam titles already, broke down in tears afterwards, proclaiming the South African the best player he’d ever played with.
2011 — Nkosinathi Joyi retains his IBF strawweight crown after his bout against Katsunari Takayama of Japan at Emperors Palace is halted. The challenger had been struggling before suffering a cut from a clash of heads in the third round.
2021 — Temba Bavuma offers the only resistance on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan in Karachi, scoring 40 before South Africa are bowled out for 245 runs, leaving the hosts a target of 88. Pakistan reached it in just under 23 overs to win by seven wickets for a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
2021 — Tazmin Brits scores an unbeaten 52 as the South African women, needing 125, beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the first T20 at Kingsmead. Marizanne Kapp took 3/24.
2023 — Captain Temba Bavuma scores 109 off 102 deliveries as the Proteas chase down a 343-run target to beat England by five wickets in the second ODI in Bloemfontein and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
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