THIS DAY IN HISTORY

2001: Bafana Bafana are beaten 0-1 by Italy in a friendly in Perugia. Goalkeeper Hans Vonk made a couple of good saves but couldn’t stop Vicenzo Montella’s effort in the 53rd minute.

2003: Former marginal world champion Gary Murray, a Scotland-born Capetonian, engages in his final boxing bout, getting knocked out in the second round by novice Sandile Ngwenze, boasting three wins and a loss. Murray held the WBU welterweight title from 1995-1996, and was already considered a spent force after getting stopped in the first round by then SA champion Peter Malinga in 1998 when trainer Harold Volbrecht threw in the towel. Volbrecht advised him to quit, but Murray had eight more bouts, losing five. As for Ngwenze, he went on to engage in two title shots within a few years and was stopped in both.

2007: The Proteas lose yet another World Cup semifinal, this time getting hammered by Australia at Gros Islet in the Caribbean. Only three batsmen managed double figures — Justin Kemp (49 not out), Herschelle Gibbs (39) and AB de Villiers (15) — as they were bundled out for 149. Apart from losing Adam Gilchrist with one run on the board, Australia were never in trouble as they cruised to a seven-wicket victory.