The day a cricket match united a nation
Former president, Nelson Mandela said once said sport brought people together regardless of skin colour, religion, age or social standing
POLOKWANE –Â Who can forget the time the national cricket team, the Proteas, was faced with the massive task of beating Australia after they had put a massive total of 434?
It was 12 March, 2006, more than a decade after Australia broke the record for the most runs ever scored in a one day international by scoring a total of 434, a score that left the South African spectators hopeless as they fought it was an impossible score to chase, but no one told the Proteas that it was impossible.
No team has ever attempted to chase such a large score, and race, age, religion and social standing was all forgotten as a whole nation came together to see the brave Proteas chase the score down relentlessly.
Protea captain, Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs put up a massive partnership of 187 runs, and Herschelle even went further to score a total of 175 runs of just 111 balls.
After some extreme nail biting action throughout the whole match the spectators were on the edge of their seats as South Africa lost another wicket and were standing at a total of 433 runs for the loss of 9 wickets.
Cricket legend Makhaya Ntini joined fellow legend Mark Boucher at the crease as the last two batsmen to chase the massive score. They needed two runs for the victory, but Ntini who is not really known for being a good batsmen faced a massive task of surviving the highly potent Australian bowler Brett Lee. Ntini however did it and he survived by scoring one run and getting fellow teammate, Mark on the strike.
With only one run left to score Mark hit a four straight after, leaving the crowd in cheers as he and his team just did the impossible and set the new record for a One Day International of 438 runs.
According to Wikipedia, the victory sparked off wild celebrations, and many South African spectators broke down in tears of joy.
Tony Greig, the commentator of the game, sounded emotionally exhausted as he said: “look, there are tears, they are crying out there! The South Africans at the Bullring today have seen the best one day international ever played”.
The Proteas were a team filled with different races, but they were completely colour blind and worked together to make history, the nation also came together to witness one of the greatest moments in not only cricket history, but in sport history.
