Second week of August

8 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Jack Ryder (1889-1977), Australian all-rounder and captain who was the first batsman to score six consecutive Test fifties; William 'Bill' Voce (1909-84), England's left-arm 'Bodyline' bowler who was Harold Larwood's bowling partner; Dilip Sardesai (1940-2007), right-handed Indian batsman who played a major role in India's series win in West Indies in 1971 and who has scored two double hundreds in Test cricket (He is the father of Rajdeep, the journalist and TV personality, who was himself an Oxford blue); Angus Fraser (1965-), English seam bowler who took 177 Test wickets in his career; Abey Kuruvilla (1968-), Indian pace bowler; and Shane Lee (1973-), Australian fast bowler who is the brother of Brett.

In 1850 Eleven gentlemen of Godalming and Distric played against Twelve Caesars at Broadwater Park, Godalming. The Caesars consisted of three brothers and their nine sons and included the Surrey player Julius Caesar (it was his real name and not an assumed one). It was a two-day match, which Eleven Gentleman won by 16 runs.

In 1956 T.W. Graveney made 200 for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan at Newport out of a total of 298. This is the lowest total to include a double hundred. Graveney also made more than 50 per cent of the total in each innings while playing for Gloucestershire against Essex at Romford in the same year (100 out of 153 and 67 out of 107).

In 1966 off-spinner Lance Gibbs took 6 for 39 at Headingley. England's innings defeat gave West Indies a winning 3-0 lead in the series.

In 2001 (Francis) George Mann, England captain (1948-49) died, aged 83. A forceful batsman he was an inspirational captain whose career was cut short by business commitments. He followed in his father's footsteps to lead first his country (Middlesex) and then his country. His brother J.P. Mann also played for Middlesex.

In 2002 Parthiv Patel at 17 years 185 days became the youngest wicket-keeper ever to make his Test debut, when he played in the second Test against England at Nottingham. He became the third Indian after Budhi Kunderan (1960) and Vivek Razdan (1989) to make his Test debut without playing in a single Ranji Trophy match. 


9 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Khurshed Meherhomji (1911-82), Indian wicket-keeper who played in only one Test in 1936 but played for many years for the Parsees in the Bombay Quadrangular and Pentangular tournaments; Denis Atkinson (1926-2001), West Indian all-rounder who is best remembered for his only Test Hundred against Australia when he put on 347 for the seventh wicket with Clairmonte Depezia – a record in first-class cricket (Atkinson scored 219, then took 5 for 65 to become the first to do that double in Tests); Terry Jenner (1944-), Australian leg-spinner (1971-75) who recognized and nurtured the talent of Shane Warne; and Hamilton Masakadza (1983-), Zimbabwe batsman who scored a century on Test debut for Zimbabwe aged only 17.

In 1946 Ernie Volger, one of the quartets of South African googly bowlers who toured England in 1907 died, aged 69. The first South African bowler to take all ten wickets in an innings in a first-class match (for Eastern province against Griqualand West at Johannesburg in 1906-07), his 36 wickets helped win the 1909-10 series against England. He was also the first batsman to be dismissed for a 'king pair' in Test Cricket, at Sydney in 1910-11.

In 1965 fast bowler Peter Pollock completed his second five-wicket haul of the match to bowl South Africa to a 94-run victory over England in the Trent Bridge Test. He took 5 for 34 in the second innings to add to his 5 for 53 in the first. It was South Africa's last Test victory in England until 1994.

In 1976 West Indies captain Clive Lloyd scored an unbeaten 201 against Glamorgan at Swansea in only 120 minutes. It equaled Gilbert Jessop's record set in 1903. In the next match of the tour, Lloyd's side completed a 3-0 series win over England.

In 1977 Chris Old hammered a century in only 37 minutes for Yorkshire against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. He hit six sixes and 13 fours and scored his second fifty in only nine minutes.

In 1992, David Gower in his last day of Test cricket, was bowled for one by Waqar Younis in the second innings. Pakistan won this Test at The Oval by ten wickets to take the series 2-1. 


10 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Alan ward (1947-), English fast bowler who played in five Tests; Jack Richards (1958-), English wicket-keeper in eight Tests (1986-88); Brendon Julian (1970-), Australian left-arm pace bowler (1993-990; and Chris Read (1978-), English wicket-keeper (1999-2007).

In 1976 Bert Oldfield one of the all-time great wicket-keepers, died, aged 81. He was Australia's best wicket-keeper throughout the 1920s and most of the 1930s and his 52 stumpings in Test cricket are still the record for any country. The ball from Harold Larwood that knocked him out at Adelaide in 1932-33 was one of the flashpoints of the notorious 'Bodyline' series – but he recovered to help regain the Ashes in 1934 and retain them in 1936-37.

In 1989 at the end of the first day of the fifth Test, Australia scored 301 without loss at Trent Bridge. Opening batsman Mark Taylor and Geoff Marsh, went on to make 329 for the first wicket, the highest stand for any wicket in a Trent Bridge Test. Allan Border's team declared at 602 for 6 and won by an innings to go 4-0 up in the series.

In 1990 Mohammad Azharuddin became the first Indian batsman to score a century in a session, when he made 103 runs (59 not out to 162 not out) between lunch and tea on the second day of the second Test against England at Old Trafford. Ranji had made a century before lunch but he was playing for England at the time.

In 1991 Phil Tufnell demolished West Indies at the Oval with a spell of 6 for 4 in 33 balls, and set England on their way to a series-levelling victory. The last six batsmen managed only four runs between them.

In 2000 this was the last day of Test cricket for Arjuna Ranatunga, whose 28 not out at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club helped draw the match and the series against South Africa. He was only 18 when he played in Sri Lanka's very first Test, against England in 1981-82 – and his appearance against Pakistan in 2000-01 made him the only man to play in his country's first and 100th Tests. The dominant figure in Sri Lanka cricket for the past two decades, he was captain in 56 Tests and scored 5,105 Test runs.

In 2007 Anil Kumble scored his first Test century, in his 118th match.

11 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Tom Richardson (1870-1912), English fast bowler who finished with 88 wickets in only 14 Tests and whose 809 first-class cricket wickets in the three season (1895 to 1897) makes him one of the all-time greats; Yashpal Sharma (1954-), Indian batsman who averaged 33.45 in his 37 Tests for India and is best remembered for his 140 in a partnership of 316 with Gundappa Viswanath against England at Madras in 1981-82; and Anju Jain (1974-), India's captain, wicket-keeper and opening bat in the 2000 Women's World Cup.

In 1884 Australians Billy Murdoch and H.J.H. 'Tup' Scott completed the first double century stand in Test cricket at The Oval. They put on 205 for the third wicket as Australia eventually made 551. England held out for a draw.

In 1901 Ranjitsinhji made 285 not out for Sussex against Somerset at Taunton. This was his highest score in a first-class match. The three-day match was drawn.

In 1909 by adding 130 to his 136 in the first innings, Australian Warren Bardsley became the first player to score a century in each innings of a Test. The draw at The Oval gave Australia the series 2-1. Bardsley, one of the great batsman of his generation, had to wait 17 years for his next hundred against England, when he made 193 not out at Lord's.

In 1965 Bill Woodfull one of Australia's finest captains and ambassadors died 11 days before his 68th birthday. An opening batsman known as 'The Unbowlable', Bill Woodfull who averaged 46.00 in Tests, was best known for his courageous captaincy during the 1932-33 'Bodyline' series, when he carried his bat at Adelaide and withstood the assaults of Harold Larwood, who hit him on the body several times. Woodfull captained Australia in England in 1930 and 1934, regaining the Ashes on his birthday each time.

In 1983 Lord's staged its 75th Test – England against New Zealand which the former won by 127 runs. In this Test Bob Willis became the first player in Test cricket to be not out 50 times (in his 115th innings).

In 1999 Ramnath Parkar, who played two Tests for India 1972-73 died, aged 52 after being in a coma for 43 months. He had been hit by a bus on New Year's eve 1995 and never recovered. A dashing right-handed opening batsman and an outstanding cover fielder, Parkar should have played more than just the two Tests he did. It is generally felt that he got a raw deal from the selectors.

In 2000 Shane Warne became the first man to take 600 wickets in Test cricket.


12 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Viscount Chelmsford (1868-1933), Viceroy of India (1916-21) who as the Hon. Frederic Thesiger won his blue at Oxford University in 1888, 1890-91 and also played for Middlesex; Eddie Barlow (1940-), bespectacled South African all-rounder who averaged 45.74 in Tests and hit seven centuries (Playing for the Rest of the World against England at Headingley in 1970, he took four wickets in five balls, including a hat-trick); Sidath Wettimuny (1956-), Sri Lankan opening batsman who opened the batting in Sri Lanka's debut Test against England at Colombo in 1981-82, and who in 1982-83 opened the innings together with his brother Mithra against New Zealand (His greatest moment was in batting all day in a Test match at Lord's, his 190 helping Sri Lanka to a draw); stuart Williams (1969-), West Indian opening batsman; and Pedro Collins (1976-), West Indian left-arm pace bowler.

In 1884 in a drawn match at The Oval, Australia's Billy Murdoch completed his innings of 211, the first double century in Test cricket. Murdoch went on to play one Test for England , at Cape Town in 1891-92.

In 1886 the innings of 170 by W.G. Grace was a new highest score for England. Easily the top score in the match at The Oval, it helped England win by an innings. His only other Test hundred (152 in 1880) was also scored against Australia at The Oval, and was also a highest score for England at the time.

In 1918 Frank A. Tarrant took 10 for 90 in the first innings while playing for Maharaja of Cooch-Behar's XI v Lord Willingdon's XI at Gymkhana Cricket Ground, Poona. This was the first time ten wickets had been taken in an innings in a first-class match in India. The match was drawn.

In 1972 Australia's captain Ian Chappell (118) and his brother Greg (113) became the first pair of brothers to score centuries in the same Test innings. Australia won this fifth Test at The Oval by five wickets to square the series.

In 1991 it was the last day in Test cricket for three giants of West Indies cricket and unfortunately it ended in defeat at The Oval. Jeff Dujon finished with 272 dismissals, the record for a West Indies wicket-keeper, Malcolm Marshall with 376 wickets at only 20.94 each – and Vivian Richards hit 60 to keep his Test batting average over 50. West Indies lost by five wickets.

In 1997 in a drawn match against India at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club, Sanath Jayasuriya became one of only five batsmen to be dismissed for 199 in a Test innings. The others have been Mudassar Nazar in 1984-85, Mohammad Azharuddin in 1986-87, Matthew Elliott in 1997, and Steve Waugh in 1998-99. Andy Flower was stranded on this score when he ran out of partners in the first Test against South Africa at Harare in September 2000.

In 2002 Pakistan played South Africa at Tangier – the first ever ODI played in Morocco. South Africa won by 54 runs. The brainchild of Abdul Rahman Bukhatit, the man behind the Sharjah success, the Morocco Cup brought South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to Tangier for North Africa's first top-level cricket tournament.


13 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Bruce French (1959-), English wicket-keeper who played in 16 Tests; Robin Jackman (1945-), English fast-medium bowler whose maiden Test was cancelled because he had been picked to play in it and who is now a TV commentator (He was born in one country (India), played for another (England), and was banned from a third (West Indies), for playing in a fourth (South Africa)); and Shoib Akhtar (1975-), Pakistani pace bowler who is arguably fastest bowler in the world.

In 1902 this was the concluding day of the most dramatic Test matches of all time. Gilbert Jessop scored 104 in only 77 minutes, with 17 boundaries. He went in to bat when the score was 48 for 5 and could not have chosen a better time to score his only Test hundred. England beat Australia thanks to Yorkshire all-rounders George Hirst and Wilfred Rhodes, who made 15 for the last wicket. The famous quote 'We'll get' em in singles' is apocryphal.

In 1976 Vivian Richards completed his highest Test score, a mammoth 291 in the fifth Test at The Oval. It gave him a total of 829 runs in the series, which West Indies won 3-0. Richards eventually scored 1,710 Test runs in 1976, still easily the record for any calendar year.

In 1982 a round 200 from Mohsin Khan, the first double century in a Lord's Test since 1949, set Pakistan on their way to a ten-wicket win over England. The unlikely matchwinner was Mohsin's opening partner Mudassar Nazar, who took 6 for 32 in the second innings with his gentle medium-pacers.

In 2007 India beat England 1-0 in England.


14 AUGUST

Born on this day were: Jack Gregory (1895-1973), Australian all-rounder in the post World War I years who was a hostile fast bowler, hard-hitting batsman and superb close fielder; Ramiz Raja (1962-), Pakistani batsman who is now CEO of the Pakistan Cricket board and well-known TV commentator (His brother Wasim Raja, an all-rounder, also played Test cricket); Pravin Amre (1968-), Indian middle-order batsman who scored a century in his debut Test innings, in Durban in 1992-93; Pramodya Wickremasinghe (1971-), Sri Lankan seamer; and David Obuya (1979-), Kenyan wicket-keeper.

In 1938 this day marked the passing of Hugh Trumble, one of the great cricketers of his time. A thrifty off-spinner, all of his 141 wickets for Australia, a world record at the time, were taken against England. He was the last player to hold world records for most catches (45) as well as wickets in Tests.

In 1948 England were bowled out for 52 against Australia at The Oval. But this was overshadowed by the most famous duck in Test cricket. Needing to score only four runs to reach 7,000 in Tests and an average of 100, Don Bradman was bowled second ball by Eric Hollies. England lost by an innings, and so Bradman did not get a second chance in his final Test. ('It was an incredibly dramatic moment, and it was so silent in the ground when he walked back to the pavilion that you could almost hear his footsteps' – Denis Compton.)

In 1962 the first postage stamp to depict a cricket scene by a cricket-playing nation was a 40 paise stamp, depicting a bat-ball and the Ayub Trophy, issued by Pakistan.

In 1981 one of South Africa's greatest batsmen died. Arthur Dudley Nourse averaged 53.81 in his 34 Tests, carrying his country's batting in any number of series. He stood alone in Australia in 1935-36, averaging 57.55 and hitting 231 at Adelaide, and scored 621 runs in the 1947 series in England. But he saved his most heroic performance for 1951: his 208 at Trent Bridge, made with a broken thumb.

In 1984 Clive Lloyd's West Indies dismissed England for 202 at The Oval to win the Test by 172 runs before lunch on the last day. This is the only time England have lost a series 5-0 at home.

In 1990 Sachin Tendulkar was just 17 years 112 days when he made his maiden Test century, 119 not out against England at Old Trafford. He is the third youngest to do so, behind Mushtaq Mohammad and Mohammad Ashraful of Bangladesh, who broke the record in September 2001 against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar and Manoj Prabhakar batted through the last two-and-a-half hours with India six-down and seemingly heading for defeat.

In 2006 Claire Taylor made 156 not out v India, the highest by a man or woman in a one-day international at Lord's.

An inquest in South Africa blames pilot error for the air crash that killed Hansie Cronje in 2002.