Today in History: Proteas play their first-ever day/ night test match
South Africa thoroughly dominated the first-ever day/ night test match in Africa that began on this day last year.
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Exactly a year ago, South Africa clashed with Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth in a once-off test that was the first-ever day/ night test either nation took part in.
A controversial format of cricket's most traditional form of the game, day/ night test cricket was first played between Australia and New Zealand on 27 November 2015 at the Adelaide Oval. Australia would win the first day/ night test match by three wickets, as the pink-ball day/ night format took a while to catch on.
The next day/ night test was only played in October 2016, between Pakistan and the West Indies in Dubai, a game Pakistan won by 56 runs.
It would take even longer for day/ night test cricket to migrate to African shores, as the first day/ night test match in Africa was only played between South Africa and Zimbabwe in 2017, two years after the very first such match.
What made the already controversial format even more controversial was the fact that the match had been shortened to a four-day match. South Africa would need only two of those days, however, as Zimbabwe struggled to keep up with the quality of South Africa's bowling attack.
The pink ball also swung more than the traditional red ball would have, and simply wreaked havoc under the lights once the sun set. Zimbabwe not only struggled against the pace and bounce of Morné Morkel however, as Keshav Maharaj claimed five wickets in Zimbabwe's second innings.
The bulk of Zimbabwe's first innings problems came on the night of the first day, as they found themselves on 30 runs for 4 wickets at stumps. They skittled over for a total of 68 in their first innings, still trailing South Africa's 309 by 241 runs.
Their second innings was only marginally better however, as they were bowled out for 121, leaving South Africa to claim a phenomenal innings and a 120-run victory.
In all, the match lasted 907 balls, which made it the third-shortest Test match since World War II. It was also the first two-day finish since 2005. Zimbabwe were the losing side then too, by an innings and 294 runs against New Zealand.
