The Magic Ticket part three: A free pass to the best moments in Sydney sporting history

Ayoung Brian Lara smashing his first double century? Front-row seats to watch tennis twins Ken Rosewall and Lew Hoad take on America’s best? An epic Rugby World Cup final?

We gave staff a Magic Ticket which enabled them to attend any sporting event in the history of Sydney. We’ve already revealed several picks over the past two days, here is the next set of selections.

The event: Bledisloe Cup

Where: Sydney Football Stadium
When: August 17, 1994

As my Rabbitohs are throwing away another season (yes, by August!) my attention turns to the other sport in the household, rugby union. My old man, a diehard Kiwi who has never become bored with the continued success of their national obsession, is devastated that his ‘ocker’ son has turned to the Wallaby gold.

We were watching at home on TV and despite Australia leading 17-6 at half-time it looked like the same old story as the All Blacks launched a comeback and New Zealand winger Jeff Wilson appeared to be heading for the match-winning try. Until “who the hell made that tackle?!”

George Gregan (with hair!), fresh and spritely in only his fourth Test, sprints from one sideline to dive desperately at the other and knock the ball from Wilson’s grasp.

George Gregan makes THAT tackle.Credit: Tim Clayton

It was the first real “Why didn’t we go?!” game I can remember watching on TV. I should have been there to see the look of shock on all those Kiwi faces. Even the old man might have enjoyed it.
Christian Stokes

The event: Brian Lara’s maiden Test century, Australia v West Indies, third Test

Where: Sydney Cricket Ground
When: January 4 and 5, 1993

By the time a 23-year-old Brian Lara strode to the wicket in just his fifth Test at the SCG, the West Indies’ invincible aura had faded. Australia’s star was rising. A leg-spinner called Shane Warne had emerged; the Waugh twins had both, together, found a place in the Australian team. But this day – or days – did not belong to a Waugh nor Warne, rather a young left-hander who could somehow see the ball so early it would matter nought how well any of the Australians bowled.

The dancing feet were already in place. Lara’s maiden Test century – also his maiden Test double-century – of 277 would be a portent of things to come. The following year, Lara would set an individual Test innings record of 375 runs against England.

Brian Lara on his way to an imperious 277 at the SCG.Credit: Tim Clayton/Fairfax Media

Australian opener Matthew Hayden stole the record in 2003 with a 380 against Zimbabwe – and Lara took it back with 400 (England again) the following year. Lara also holds the first-class record of 501 not out (1994). Both records still stand. They named gates at the SCG after Lara and his Indian contemporary Sachin Tendulkar. Lara named his daughter Sydney.
Kathryn Wicks

The event: Sydney International

Where: White City
When: January 11, 1999

By tennis standards, a first-round match in a tournament which serves mostly as a warm-up for the year’s first grand slam is a nothing event. In the context of sport over the past 200 years, it does not even register. But I was a ’90s kid and a Pat Rafter tragic, and I would have given my right (serving) arm to watch him play Lleyton Hewitt for the first time.

Rafter had just won back-to-back US Opens and was at the peak of his powers; Hewitt was a teenager in too-big clothes, some two years before he became world No.1. The serve-volley specialist against the baseline warrior. Ponytail against ponytail. They went at it hell for leather over the course of a tight first set, which Hewitt took in a tie-breaker before running away with the second to win 7-6, 6-1 in front of a full house.

Lleyton Hewitt returns a serve to Patrick Rafter during the match in 1999.Credit: AP/Brendan Esposito

I suppose 1999 was actually kind of special, in that it was the final time the tournament was played at White City before it moved to Olympic Park. I had been to the iconic venue the previous year to attend the finals with my family, and it was a huge treat. Arantxa Sanchez Vicario defeated Venus Williams in the women’s singles and the Woodies won the men’s doubles. But my hope to see Rafter in the men’s singles was scuppered when he was knocked out in the semis by Tim Henman, so we instead watched the Brit throw a tantrum en route to losing the decider to Karol Kucera. It meant I followed extra closely from afar the following year, and I still recall the experience of watching the Rafter-Hewitt encounter, wishing I could transport myself through the television into the stands.
Emma Kemp

The event: Rugby World Cup final, Wallabies v England

Where: Stadium Australia
When: November 22, 2003

Full disclosure, I’m English. Not only that, I was backpacking through Sydney in late 2003 and was offered a ticket to this game at the time. But as a penny-pinching Pom living in a six-bed dorm, $100 felt like silly money. “Besides,” I reasoned. “If I go, they’re bound to lose.”

But they didn’t lose. At the end of an epic contest, with seconds left in extra time and the scores locked at 17-17, the ball was passed back to Jonny Wilkinson. From 30 metres out, England’s hero sealed victory with a last-gasp drop goal in one of the great World Cup climaxes.

Instead of witnessing history unfold inside Stadium Australia, I watched it on the big screens at Darling Harbour with hundreds of other fans; myself and a few dozen disbelieving Poms in white jerseys bouncing up and down in a static sea of gold.

Jonny Wilkinson kicks the winning drop goal against Australia.Credit: Getty

I’ve always regretted not buying that ticket, but who knows, maybe I was right all along. Maybe if I’d been in the crowd at Olympic Park, England would have lost. Maybe Wilkinson – right at the point his laces touched the ball – would have been momentarily distracted by the backpacker with the giant ginger beard behind the posts.

The kick goes wide, the Wallabies race down the field on the next play, and history is rewritten. Cue that Aqua song from Sliding Doors.
Richard Gadsby

The event: Davis Cup final, Australia v US

Where: White City
When: December 1954

The golden age of Australian men’s tennis might have faded into the sepia mists of time, but Ken Rosewall and Lew Hoad remain among our nation’s most storied players. Men whose guile, grace and integrity helped inspire a generation to take up the game.

In 1953, the preciously talented Sydneysiders – then both aged only 19 – led Australia to their fourth straight Davis Cup championship with a gripping 3-2 defeat of the US in the final at Kooyong. Going into the decisive final day with his team trailing 2-1, Hoad triumphed in a five-set epic against Tony Trabert before Rosewall overcame reigning Wimbledon champion and World War II veteran Vic Seixas to send the home crowd into a frenzy.

Left to right Australians Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall (Australia) and Vic Seixas and Tony Trabert (USA).Credit: Fairfax

A year later, the two great tennis nations had set up a dream rematch featuring the same illustrious quartet – but this time White City would host the final.

Public interest in Sydney was at fever pitch and on day one a massive crowd of 25,578, a world record for a sanctioned tennis competition, packed the tradition-steeped stadium hoping to watch “the tennis twins” – as Rosewall and Hoad were known – repeat their Kooyong heroics.

However, Trabert and Seixas flipped the script, defeating Hoad and Rosewall respectively in the opening singles rubbers before winning the doubles against their great rivals to give the US an unassailable 3-0 lead – and crush Australia’s hopes of a fifth straight crown.

While somewhat of an anticlimax with the US winning so convincingly, it would have been a “magic ticket” to watch legendary duo Rosewall and Hoad represent Australia in their home town and to be among a crowd so big it stood as a world record for the sport for 50 years until broken by the US v Spain Davis Cup final in Seville.

Footnote: Vic Seixas served as a pilot in the US air force during World War II and is the oldest living grand slam singles champion. He turned 100 in August 2023.
Phil Mitchell

The event: 1960 Inter Dominion Grand Final

Where: Harold Park
When: February 13, 1960

It was the biggest night for the famed ribbon of light at Harold Park when Caduceus finally took his Inter Dominion Grand Final victory on a Saturday night in 1960.

Back then, the trots was one of the only night-time sports and a world record 50,345 punters crammed every advantage point of the Glebe track to see the showdown between New Zealander Caduceus and local hero Apmat.

As the crowd surrounded the track inside and out, police were forced to shut the gates after the first race of the night.

Caduceus, the best pacer of his time, was running in his sixth Inter Dominion series and attempting to win his first grand final, which at the time was the richest race of any code.

Caduceus and his proud trainer-driver Jack Litten after the Inter Dominion triumph.Credit: Fairfax Media

The nine-year-old was faced with a 36-yard handicap from the standing start but was able to get to midfield with a lap to go and made his charge in the back straight to the roars of the crowd. He would have enough in hand to beat a fast-finishing Apmat, who came off a 12-yard mark, by half a length.

The drama didn’t finish there as Apmat’s driver Bert Alley protested against Caduceus after having to check when the winner made his run. It was quickly thrown out by stewards drawing boos from the crowd.

More than a decade later, Caduceus’ driver Jack Litten revealed he had a visit from a man the night before the final offering him a life-changing sum of money to pull up the champion in the Final, which he refused.
Chris Roots

The event: Women’s doubles tennis at Sydney Olympics

Where: Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre
When: September 2000

My family has never been a tennis family, but my favourite summer activity is lying on the couch in the scorching summer heat, stuck to the leather Chesterfields, watching the Australian Open.

For me, there were two tennis players that started it all: Venus and Serena Williams.

Sisters Venus and Serena Williams after winning gold in the women’s doubles at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.Credit: Pat Scala

Now, the Williams sisters are two of the greatest tennis players of all time, but if I could turn back the clock I’d take a two-for-one deal, and watch them win gold together in the doubles at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Back then, the two were just getting started. Serena had won her first grand slam at the 1999 US Open, and Venus was on a roll after winning Wimbledon and the US Open in the lead-up to the Olympics. Venus would go on to win gold in the singles, but watching them play together is where I’d want to be.

As a twin, I couldn’t imagine anything more rewarding than winning an Olympic medal alongside your sister.

The doubles final against Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans of the Netherlands was a bloodbath. Two sets, 6-1, 6-1, 49 minutes, and it was all over. To some, that would be boring. To me, it was a masterclass.

Venus served on match point, and Serena finished it off. Racquets were thrown in the air, they were overjoyed, celebrating together.

It was the first Olympic medal they won together, and they’d go on to win again at the Beijing in 2008 and the 2012 Games in London. What an experience to be there when it all started.
Billie Eder

The event: NSW v England

Where: Sydney Cricket Ground
When: February 8, 1879

A riot at a cricket match that pushed Ned Kelly’s Jerilderie raid off the front page, shirts torn and punches thrown, the England captain getting hit with a stick, and a lasting mystery. Who wouldn’t want to be there?

Two thousand spectators invaded the SCG after the local champion Billy Murdoch was given run out. Invaders attacked the England players, one of whom ran so far out of the ground that a cab had to be sent to bring him back.

The England captain, Lord Harris, who was hit to make him let go of someone’s collar, had the next Test match cancelled. But I wouldn’t have been on the ground. I’d have been lurking in the Members’ Stand near Dave Gregory, the NSW and Australia captain. There was heavy betting on the game, and it’s never been known what role the bookies and Gregory played in inciting the riot. I would like to find out.
Malcolm Knox

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