Blast from the past: Proteas collapse in dramatic fashion against Windies

Today in SA sports history: April 23

1992 — South African cricket captain Kepler Wessels and Peter Kirsten resume with SA on 122/2 and needing just 79 more runs for victory on the final day of the first-ever Test against the mighty West Indies in Bridgetown. Wessels is on 74 and Kirsten 36. But then disaster struck. Courtney Walsh, who hadn’t taken a wicket in the first innings, dismissed Wessels for the addition of one more run. Kirsten reached his half century before being bowled by Walsh, but the rest of SA’s batsmen contributed just eight runs as they collapsed to 148 all out to lose by 52 runs. The last eight wickets fell for 25 runs. Walsh finished with 4/31 and Curtly Ambrose 6/34.

1998 — Lance Klusener takes five wickets as the Proteas thrash Pakistan by nine wickets at Newlands to win the final of the ODI triangular tournament that also featured Sri Lanka. The visitors were bowled out for 114 in 37.1 overs. Opener Gary Kirsten batted throughout the reply, that lasted all of 27.4 overs, top-scoring with an unbeaten 52.

2001 — The Proteas, having already won the away Test series against the West Indies, lose the final five-dayer in Kingston by 130 runs. Resuming on 140/3 still needing 246 more runs for victory, the visitors were all out for 255. Neil McKenzie, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis all made half-centuries.