1955 — South Africa’s cricketers blow a first-innings lead of 171 to lose the second Test against England at Lord’s by 71 runs, going down 0-2 in the five-match series. Debutant Peter Heine took five wickets and Trevor Goddard four as SA bowled out the hosts for 133 in their first knock, and then Roy McLean scored 142 as the visitors amassed 304. But the home team made 353 in their second innings and then bowled out SA for 111.
1960 — South Africa is bowled out for 137 as they lose the second Test at Lord’s by an innings and 73 runs. In two innings, replying to the home team’s 362/8 declared, only three SA batsmen managed to get beyond the teens. Pom Pom Fellows-Smith did it twice, top-scoring with 29 in the first innings of 152 before hitting an unbeaten 27 in SA’s second turn of 137, which lasted 57 overs.
1968 — Bruce Dalling finishes second out of nearly 50 entrants in the third edition of the international Plymouth-to-Newport solo yacht race, a 3,000-mile (4,828km) adventure across the North Atlantic. Sailing the 50-foot (15.2 metre) ketch Voortrekker, Dalling took 26 days 13 hours 42 minutes to make the journey, ending 17 hours behind the winner, Geoffrey Williams of Britain. Dalling endured a storm he described as the worst he’d ever seen. His main boom sheared away from the mast and water flooded his generator, which forced him into radio silence. Dalling was honoured at a black-tie event thrown by the Johannesburg mayor at the city hall, where he cut short his speech saying: “I want to do some serious drinking.”
1998 — The Springboks score their biggest victory over Wales to date, hammering them 96-13 at Loftus Versfeld. Left wing Pieter “Slap Chips” Rossouw scored three of South Africa’s 15 tries. Welsh flyhalf Arwel Thomas scored all his team’s points, including a try.
2009 — South Africa fight back from 5-16 down against the British and Irish Lions to win the second Test 28-25 at Loftus Versveld, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The turnaround came after flank Heinrich Brussow and flyhalf Morne Steyn came onto the field. The Springboks won the try count 3-1, but it was Steyn’s penalty conversion on the hooter that secured the triumph.
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