Sky Sports continues its countdown of the top sporting moments of the decade with a look at numbers 30-21.
We continue countdown of the decade's top sporting moments
The first decade of the 21st Century has served up its fair share of sporting drama and historic moments.
With the final days of the Noughties ticking away, we at Sky Sports decided it was time to cast our minds back over the last ten years and look at the most memorable sporting moments.
We asked all at Sky Sports to submit their finest sporting memories and have narrowed them down to 100.
Over the next few days we will be counting down from 100 to number one and will reveal Sky Sports' top ten moments on New Year's Eve.
Today we continue our back at the last decade by unveiling the choices from 30 down to 21.
30: South Africa chase 435 against Australia to win ODI
Set 435 to win the fifth and decisive one-day international against world champions Australia at the Wanderers in March 2006, few gave South Africa a prayer. Fortunately, Herschelle Gibbs was never noted for his conventional thinking and it was his 111-ball innings of 175 that set the Proteas on course. Gibbs was out in the 32nd over with 136 still required but Mark Boucher clubbed South Africa to an incredible one-wicket victory from the penultimate delivery. Spare a thought for Australia seamer Mick Lewis, who finished with figures of 10-0-113-0 and never played international cricket again. Ricky Ponting's 164 had earlier helped Australia pile up 434-4, which was the highest total in one-day international history - for about three hours.
29: Lennox Lewis knocks out Mike Tyson
Lennox Lewis had bossed the heavyweight division for three years, but with Mike Tyson still on the scene the Briton yearned for that one career-defining moment. Lewis was still in his prime but despite being 'washed-up' following a series of mis-matches and farcical fights, Tyson needed to pay his huge debts and was still 'box office'. So the fight went ahead in Memphis in 2002 despite an unhinged Tyson biting his opponent at a pre-fight press conference. When the real fight began, Lewis took control early on, and handed the former champion a beating that ended in the eighth round.
28: Europe win 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry
Probably the most eagerly-awaited of the 34 stagings of the match to that point. Postponed for a year due to the September 11 terrorist attacks, the teams met at the Belfry with the Americans hot favourites to retain the Cup they had won in such controversial circumstances at Brookline in 1999. History suggested Sam Torrance's Europe would need a lead heading into the singles and with the match tied at 8-8 on Sunday morning, the visitors looked sure to prevail. But led in the top match by Colin Montgomerie's 5&4 demolition of Scott Hoch, Europe lost just two of the 12 singles to prevail 15½-12½ and went on to keep the trophy until 2008.
27: Eli Manning throws to David Tyree to win Super Bowl for NY Giants
Super Bowl XLII was meant to see the New England Patriots create NFL history. With a perfect season just one win away, the Pats' high-powered offence, led by record-breaking quarterback Tom Brady, was meant to be too strong for the New York Giants. Somehow, though, the men from the Big Apple came out on top. The crucial moment of the contest came when Giants quarterback Eli Manning somehow avoided being sacked before launching a pass to David Tyree that the receiver clung on to by squeezing the ball against his helmet. Just four plays later the Giants scored the winning touchdown with only 35 seconds left - the rest, as they say, is history.
26: Lance Armstrong wins a record seventh Tour De France
The Texan had already broken the record jointly held by Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx in 2004 but went one better with another totally dominant ride a year later at the age of 34. He could not match his five individual stage wins of 2004, but impressive wins in the individual time trial and from his Discovery Channel team in the team time trial ensured a victory by 4m 40s from Italian Ivan Basso. The Texan announced his retirement shortly afterwards but returned in 2009 to finish third behind Alberto Contador.
25: Tiger Woods Winning 2008 US Open with injured knee
Tiger Woods produced arguably his most remarkable performance ever to win his 14th major title at the 2008 US Open. Hobbling more noticeably with each passing day, the world number one remained in contention throughout, with the drama going down to the 72nd hole. In typical style, Woods converted a pressure-laden 15-footer for birdie to force an 18-hole play-off with Rocco Mediate. Still level after 90 holes, a fascinating contest finally came to an end when a Woods par was good enough for victory at the first sudden death hole. But Tiger's triumph was given an astonishing new dimension when shortly afterwards he revealed he had played with ligament damage and a stress fracture in his left leg that would require reconstructive knee surgery that kept him out for the remainder of the 2008 season.
24: Manchester Utd win Champions League 2008
They say victory tastes sweeter when it is snatched from the jaws of defeat and that was certainly the case for Manchester United in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. It was the first time two English sides had met in the final of Europe's premier competition and the clash didn't disappoint. With the scores level at 1-1 after 120 minutes, after Frank Lampard had cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's opener, the game went to penalties. Chelsea skipper John Terry had the chance to win for the Blues but his slip let United back in and the Red Devils didn't need asking twice as they secured their third ever European crown.
23: Zinedine Zidane's red card in the 2006 World Cup final
That one of the Beautiful Game's greatest ever players signed off the most distinguished careers in the most brutal and ugly fashion is at once disappointing and fascinating in equal measures. Heading into the
tournament Zidane had been cast as a has-been by many that predicted an early elimination for a French side collectively past its sell-by date. Such critics had underestimated Zidane's genius. A brilliant individual
goal in the second round saw off Spain, before the most virtuoso of performances almost single-handedly disposed of Brazil. He then netted against Portugal in the semi-finals to set up the most fitting of swansongs.
It all seemed to be going to the script when his penalty, his third goal in a World Cup final, gave France the lead. Italy equalised to take the game into extra-time before in the 110th minute Zidane demonstrated that
the line between genius and madness is at times wafer thin. Like a bull exasperated by a matador, Zidane charged at Azzurri defender Marco Materazzi before plunging his head into his opponent's chest. It was an
act of violence that left the viewer open mouthed and Materazzi, who played up to his pantomime villain persona to perfection, writhing around in (mock) agony. Zidane explained his behaviour as being a revenge
mission after his family's name had been besmirched by the Italian. His mother's response: "I want Materazzi's balls on a plate!
22: Phil Taylor's Nine Darter live on Sky Sports
Phil Taylor has re-written the record books on many occasions in darts, but one of his proudest achievements came in 2002 when he completed the first nine-darter screened live on UK television. Although John Lowe and Paul Lim had hit nine-darters on TV, they were not live, and after Shaun Greatbatch had done it on Dutch TV, the
Sky Sports cameras captured the historic event in Blackpool. 'The Power' hit two 180s before taking out 141 with double 12 to send the crowd, and commentator Sid Waddell, wild with another slice of history on the oche made.
21: Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals in Beijing
Four years earlier in Athens, Michael Phelps' bid to eclipse Mark Spitz's seven-gold performance at the 1972 Munich Games had come up just short as he claimed six golds. But the irrepressible American was not to be denied in Beijing as he produced arguably the greatest Olympic performance of all-time to finish with eight gold medals. Phelps won five individual disciplines and three team events, ending the Games with no fewer than seven new world records to his name. His eighth and final gold arrived in the 4x100 medley relay and was confirmed when Jason Lezak touched home just ahead of Australia, sparking wild celebrations as Phelps wrote his name into the history books.
Missed the earlier parts of the Sky Sports Hot 100? Then click here to see numbers 100-91 and here for numbers 90-81. You can access numbers 80-71 here and numbers 70-61 here. If you want to check out what made numbers 60-51 then click here, or for the countdown from 50-41 click here. What made numbers 40-31? You can find out by clicking
here
What was your favourite sporting moment of the last ten years? Let us know using the form below
