1958: Australia’s eight-wicket victory over England in the first Test in Brisbane was notable for Trevor Bailey’s 357-minute fifty. In all, the Barnacle’s 68 used up a paint-drying 425 balls. It was brave stuff in a match where only two batsmen reached fifty – but the other, Norm O’Neill, trumped Bailey with an unbeaten 71 as the Aussies eased home. It was hardly thrilling fare for the audience at home in what was Australia’s first televised Test.
1968: West Indies triumphed by 125 runs in a classic first Test in Brisbane. Australia had looked to be in control after centuries from Bill Lawry and Ian Chappell (who were both eventually mugged by Clive Lloyd’s innocuous medium-pacers) but a startling collapse (from 217 for 1 to 284 all out) gave West Indies a first-innings lead of 12. Lloyd, in his first Test against Australia, nailed it with 129, and Garry Sobers (6 for 73) bowled them to victory. His haul included the crucial wicket of Chappell, caught brilliantly at short third man via the knee of first slip.
1971: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Milwaukee Bucks scored 55 points in a 120-104 win over the Boston Celtics.
1986: Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks scored 57 points in a 123-95 win over the Chicago Bulls.
1991: Howard Spira sentenced to 2½ years in prison for trying to extort money from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.
1993: Dikembe Mutombo of the Denver Nuggets blocked 10 shots in a 107-98 win over the Utah Jazz.
1995: Ricky Ponting makes 96 on Test Cricket debut (Aust v Sri Lanka, WACA).