Today in SA sports history: April 8
1989 — Running barefoot, Evette de Klerk breaks the South African 200m record as she clocks 22.06 sec in Polokwane, then known as Pietersburg. On the same day she crossed the line in a 100m race in 10.99, but wind assistance of 2.3m a second deemed it unofficial. Her 11.06 100m record from 1990 fell only in 2018.
1994 — In the closest match of the eight-ODI series, Australia beat SA by one run in Bloemfontein to tie the series 4-4. The visitors scored 203/6 in their 50 overs, with three batsmen getting into the forties. SA got off to a good start, with Andrew Hudson (84) and captain Kepler Wessels putting on 82 for the opening partnership. But the batsmen lost momentum and eventually ended on 202/8 at the end of their innings.
1997 — Australia take a 3-2 lead in the seven-match ODI series when they beat the Proteas by eight runs in the fifth ODI at the Wanderers. Opener Michael Di Venuto scored 89 to anchor the visitors to 258/7. Daryll Cullinan (53), Jacques Kallis (55), Hansie Cronje (40 not out) and Shaun Pollock (40) kept SA in the hunt before the innings ended with eight wickets down.
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