1974 — Gary Player wins the second US Masters crown of his career, 13 years after he had landed his first. The South African, one shot off the third-round lead, shoots a final-round 70 to end on 10-under-par 278, two strokes clear of Dave Stockton and Tom Weiskopf. The winner’s cheque was $35,000.
1979 — Nkosana “Happy Boy” Mgxaji challenges for the world title, taking on Samuel Serrano of Puerto Rico for the WBA junior-lightweight title at the Goodwood showgrounds in Cape Town. Mgxaji, from East London, has the satisfaction of putting the champion down in the fifth round, but he visits the canvas three rounds later and the referee waves it over in the eighth. The bout was the first — and so far only — mainstream world title bout to be staged by a black promoter, Stanley Vokwana.
1996 — Gary Kirsten scores 106 and Hansie Cronje 90 as South Africa, on 288/6, trounce India by 80 runs in a triangular ODI match in Sharjah, UAE. Shaun Pollock took 3/42.
2000 — Brothers Shane and Brett Lee take five wickets between them as Australia thump the Proteas by five wickets in the second ODI at Newlands to draw level in the three-match series at 1-1. South Africa were restricted to 144/9 in their 50 overs, with Gary Kirsten and Lance Klusener top-scoring on 34. Jacques Kallis struck three times to have Australia struggling on 21/3 early on, but Damien Martyn struck 50 runs from 32 balls to race to a comfortable victory in the 25th over.
2003 — The Proteas smash hosts Bangladesh by 83 runs in an ODI triangular tournament in Dhaka. Boeta Dippenaar scored 66 and Herschelle Gibbs 62 in South Africa’s 294/3. Shaun Pollock took four wickets and Alan Dawson three as the visitors bowled out Bangladesh for 211.
2007 — The Proteas lose to New Zealand by five wickets in a World Cup Super Eight match in St George’s. Herschelle Gibbs’ 60 was the top score in the South African total of 193/7. Shaun Pollock kept South Africa in the hunt with 1/30 in 10 overs, but Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming hit 50 and Scott Styris 56 to steer their team to victory with 10 balls remaining.
2021 — The Proteas are blown away in the third T20 against Pakistan at Centurion, with the visitors’ captain, Babar Azam, hammering 112 runs from 59 balls as Pakistan reach the 204 target with two overs remaining for a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
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