Bengaluru, July 22: Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa speedster Allan Donald recently got inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame.

It is a massive honour for both the individuals who served the game in their own capacities for years to enrich it and also cement their own places in the annals of history.

While Tendulkar scored over 34,000 international runs in a career spanning 24 years, Donald took 602 international wickets in 12 years to go down as one of the best fast bowlers the game has seen.

Donald would still consider that he missed some crucial three-four years and could begin his international career at 25 when South Africa returned to international cricket after Apartheid ban.

Tendulkar and Donald had their share of rivalry on the 22 yards in 11 Tests between 1992 and 2000. Donald had dismissed Tendulkar no less than five times, including the last time the duo clashed in India in the 1999-2000 series that the Proteas won to make a record. However, the Master Blaster also had his moments in between as he slammed memorable hundreds while playing the 'White Lightning'.

First game after return

However, even as the two legends had their healthy rivalry, something unique had happened the first time South Africa played India in an ODI game. It was at the Eden Gardens on November 10, 1991, when Clive Rice's Proteas made a return to international cricket after Apartheid and took on Mohammad Azharuddin's India.

The Indian captain won the toss and sent the visitors to bat first. A fifty from Kepler Wessels and 43 from Adrian Kuiper saw SA posting 177 for eight in 50 overs. Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar took two wickets each. Tendulkar, just around two-year-old in international cricket then, took the wicket of Wessels.

Donald's burst made it tough for India

After the interval, India came out to chase what looked a moderate target but found something sinister. Donald, who made his debut along with the rest of the team, was unleashed and he rattled the Indian top order in no time. The top three - Ravi Shastri, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sanjay Manjrekar - were back into the pavilion with only 20 on board. Azharuddin was also back when the team score read 60 and with 118 runs still needed, India required a solidity. It was granted by Tendulkar who at No.5 slammed 62 in 73 balls while debutant Pravin Amre made 55. The duo added crucial 56 runs before Tendulkar fell to Donald. Amre yet held on but also fell when India required just one run, he too was trapped leg before by Donald and he finished with five for 29 in 8.4 overs. India limped to a three-wicket win despite Donald's heroics.

The organisers decided to pick both Tendulkar and Donald as men of the match for their key contributions in the game. On their day of induction in the ICC Hall of Fame, the two gentlemen certainly would have remembered that special occasion Eden had seen 28 years ago.