On this day: December 22, 2013 – South Africa nearly pull off a miracle

Sport360 staff 12:40 22/12/2015
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  • Heroic: Proteas.

    The first Test between South Africa and India in 2013 at the Wanderers was a humdinger.

    India dominated the first four days of the match, setting the Proteas a target of 458.

    On the final day, the hosts went for the target in stupendous fashion with Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers carving superb centuries. The two took the team past the 400-run mark but were dismissed at critical points.

    South Africa needed 16 to win off the final 19 deliveries with three wickets in hand but fell short by eight runs as tailenders Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn fought valiantly. It would have been the highest successful chase in Test history.

    1974: Boston Bruins’ Phil Esposito becomes the sixth NHL player to score 500 goals.

    1985: Sweden defeat Germany in Munich 3-2 to win the Davis Cup.

    1986: India amass 676 for seven against Sri Lanka in the Kanpur Test with Mohammad Azharuddin scoring 199. At the time, it was India’s highest total against any country.

    1990: Shrewsbury’s Gary Shaw scores a hat-trick in four minutes and 32 seconds against Bradford.

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