1960 — Gert Potgieter celebrates his 23rd birthday in style by breaking his own 440-yard hurdles world record at the South African championships in Bloemfontein, clocking 49.3 sec. His previous mark from 1958 had been 49.7. Converted into metres it equated to 49.0, quicker than American Glenn Davis’ 400m hurdles record of 49.2. That was Potgieter’s third and final world record.
1968 — Willie Ludick’s bid to win the world welterweight title ends when he’s stopped in the fifth round by WBA and WBC champion Curtis Cokes in Dallas. Cokes came to South Africa a few months later and beat Joe Ngidi and Joseph Sishi in non-title bouts. He also faced Ludick in a rematch in Maputo, winning in the third round. Cokes, who would lose his crown to José Nápoles in 1969, returned to South Africa in 1998 as the trainer of then WBO junior-middleweight champion Winky Wright for his defence against Harry Simon.
1996 — Opener Andrew Hudson scores 94 from 86 deliveries as the Proteas, needing 189, beat Pakistan by eight wickets in an ODI in Sharjah. Fanie de Villiers took 3/28.
2000 — Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener produce a late onslaught against Australia to lead South Africa to a four-wicket victory at the Wanderers, giving South Africa a 2-1 series win as well as a morale boost after the recent sacking of skipper Hansie Cronje. This was the first series captained by Shaun Pollock, who took 4/37 to help the Proteas bowl out the visitors for 205. South Africa were 122/6 when Boucher (55 not out) and Klusener (52 not out) came together.
2006 — Makhaya Ntini takes five wickets as the Proteas bowl out New Zealand for 327 in the first Test at Centurion, a first-innings deficit of 51 runs
2021 — South Africa matchplay champion Caitlyn McNab becomes the first amateur to win on the South African women’s professional circuit in 14 years when she takes the Jabra Ladies Classic at the Glendower golf club by eight strokes. She had started the final round one shot ahead, but nailed five birdies on the back nine to seal the victory.
2021 — Only the Proteas’ top order reach double figures as South Africa lose the fourth and final T20 to Pakistan by three wickets and with it the series 1-3. Rassie van der Dussen made 52, Janneman Malan 33 and Aiden Markram 11 in South Africa’s total of 144 at Centurion. Pakistan reached the target with one ball remaining.
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