July 10 down the years
Sunny days are here
A genius with immaculate technique and unending powers of concentration
Sunil Gavaskar: the first to 10,000 Test runs • Adrian Murrell/Getty Images
1949
Sunil Gavaskar, one of the greatest openers of all time, was born in Bombay on this day. A genius whose technique was absolutely immaculate and powers of concentration unending, Gavaskar had a career chock-full of highlights. He began with the most sensational debut series imaginable, in the West Indies in 1970-71: four Tests, four centuries, 774 runs at an average of 154. That started Gavaskar's Caribbean love-in. In 13 Tests there he made seven hundreds and averaged over 70. (By contrast, he averaged only 38 against England, his lowest against any country.) He made a record 34 Test hundreds - 22 of them in draws - although that doesn't include one of his greatest knocks. In his last Test innings, in the series decider against Pakistan on a raging Bangalore turner in 1986-87, Gavaskar made a brilliant 96, and India lost by a heartbreaking 16 runs. There was the odd lowlight too - that infamous go-slow in the first World Cup match at Lord's in 1975, being dismissed by the first ball of a Test a record three times, and a Test bowling average of 206. Zaheer Abbas made for a decent sole wicket, mind you.
Sunil Gavaskar, one of the greatest openers of all time, was born in Bombay on this day. A genius whose technique was absolutely immaculate and powers of concentration unending, Gavaskar had a career chock-full of highlights. He began with the most sensational debut series imaginable, in the West Indies in 1970-71: four Tests, four centuries, 774 runs at an average of 154. That started Gavaskar's Caribbean love-in. In 13 Tests there he made seven hundreds and averaged over 70. (By contrast, he averaged only 38 against England, his lowest against any country.) He made a record 34 Test hundreds - 22 of them in draws - although that doesn't include one of his greatest knocks. In his last Test innings, in the series decider against Pakistan on a raging Bangalore turner in 1986-87, Gavaskar made a brilliant 96, and India lost by a heartbreaking 16 runs. There was the odd lowlight too - that infamous go-slow in the first World Cup match at Lord's in 1975, being dismissed by the first ball of a Test a record three times, and a Test bowling average of 206. Zaheer Abbas made for a decent sole wicket, mind you.
1976
Eighty minutes of sheer hell for Brian Close and John Edrich. England needed the small matter of 552 to beat West Indies at Old Trafford, with two days and a bit left. That bit turned out to be one of the most terrifying passages of play in Test history. West Indies' over-zealous pace attack landed virtually everything in their own half of the pitch, and Close, in particular, took some sickening blows - his penchant for chesting the ball like a centre-back didn't help. The venerable pair - at 45 and 39 respectively, playing their last Test innings - were still there at the close, though. Edrich's 24 was the highest by an England player in the whole match. The Wisden Almanack called it "disquieting cricket ... [the bowling] was frequently too wild and too hostile to be acceptable". "Our fellows got carried away," West Indies' captain, Clive Lloyd, said.
Eighty minutes of sheer hell for Brian Close and John Edrich. England needed the small matter of 552 to beat West Indies at Old Trafford, with two days and a bit left. That bit turned out to be one of the most terrifying passages of play in Test history. West Indies' over-zealous pace attack landed virtually everything in their own half of the pitch, and Close, in particular, took some sickening blows - his penchant for chesting the ball like a centre-back didn't help. The venerable pair - at 45 and 39 respectively, playing their last Test innings - were still there at the close, though. Edrich's 24 was the highest by an England player in the whole match. The Wisden Almanack called it "disquieting cricket ... [the bowling] was frequently too wild and too hostile to be acceptable". "Our fellows got carried away," West Indies' captain, Clive Lloyd, said.
2019
A second successive World Cup final appearance for New Zealand, and it came after a thrilling semi-final, which hung in the balance till a direct hit from Martin Guptill ran out MS Dhoni and broke the back of India's chase of 240. By the end of the fourth over on the reserve day, India were 5 for 3, courtesy Matt Henry and Trent Boult's tight lines and swing. (Rain had left New Zealand's innings unfinished on the first day.) Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya led a brief recovery, and then Ravindra Jadeja took the fight to New Zealand with a fearless, if chancy, 59-ball 77. Alongside him was Dhoni, grimly delaying the denouement in his usual style. But when Jadeja skied a catch in the 48th over, India still needed 32 to win. Dhoni fell four balls later, going for a second run, and that was that. The previous day Kane Williamson, New Zealand's batting rock, had made his fourth 50-plus score of the tournament, and with Ross Taylor's help had set up a total that at first had seemed way too low to deter India's powerful batting line-up.
A second successive World Cup final appearance for New Zealand, and it came after a thrilling semi-final, which hung in the balance till a direct hit from Martin Guptill ran out MS Dhoni and broke the back of India's chase of 240. By the end of the fourth over on the reserve day, India were 5 for 3, courtesy Matt Henry and Trent Boult's tight lines and swing. (Rain had left New Zealand's innings unfinished on the first day.) Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya led a brief recovery, and then Ravindra Jadeja took the fight to New Zealand with a fearless, if chancy, 59-ball 77. Alongside him was Dhoni, grimly delaying the denouement in his usual style. But when Jadeja skied a catch in the 48th over, India still needed 32 to win. Dhoni fell four balls later, going for a second run, and that was that. The previous day Kane Williamson, New Zealand's batting rock, had made his fourth 50-plus score of the tournament, and with Ross Taylor's help had set up a total that at first had seemed way too low to deter India's powerful batting line-up.
1940
In Victoria, Keith Stackpole is born. A sanguine opener whose idea of seeing off the new ball involved hooking and cutting the life out of it, Stackpole actually started his Test career at No. 8. That nonsense didn't last long, though. His highest score was a punishing 207 in Brisbane in the first Test of the 1970-71 Ashes series, although he should have been given run-out on 18. If Stackpole made a century - there were seven in 43 Tests - Australia did not lose. But he ended his Test career with a pair, against New Zealand in Auckland in 1973-74. In 78 previous innings he had made only three ducks.
In Victoria, Keith Stackpole is born. A sanguine opener whose idea of seeing off the new ball involved hooking and cutting the life out of it, Stackpole actually started his Test career at No. 8. That nonsense didn't last long, though. His highest score was a punishing 207 in Brisbane in the first Test of the 1970-71 Ashes series, although he should have been given run-out on 18. If Stackpole made a century - there were seven in 43 Tests - Australia did not lose. But he ended his Test career with a pair, against New Zealand in Auckland in 1973-74. In 78 previous innings he had made only three ducks.
1971
The slowest day of Test cricket in England. England and Pakistan crawled to only 159 runs off 107.4 overs on this, the third day of the third Test at Headingley. In a masterful piece of understatement, the Wisden Almanack described it as "poor fare for the Saturday crowd".
The slowest day of Test cricket in England. England and Pakistan crawled to only 159 runs off 107.4 overs on this, the third day of the third Test at Headingley. In a masterful piece of understatement, the Wisden Almanack described it as "poor fare for the Saturday crowd".
2017
A huge moment for 11th-ranked Zimbabwe when they won an ODI series in Sri Lanka 3-2 - their first bilateral series win away from home against a Full Member in 16 years and first series win away since they beat Kenya in 2009. In the series decider in Hambantota on this day, allrounder Sikandar Raza took 3 for 21 to restrict Sri Lanka to 203 and then finished off the historic chase with a six. It was Sri Lanka's third consecutive series defeat, but the first ever against a lower-ranked team at home.
A huge moment for 11th-ranked Zimbabwe when they won an ODI series in Sri Lanka 3-2 - their first bilateral series win away from home against a Full Member in 16 years and first series win away since they beat Kenya in 2009. In the series decider in Hambantota on this day, allrounder Sikandar Raza took 3 for 21 to restrict Sri Lanka to 203 and then finished off the historic chase with a six. It was Sri Lanka's third consecutive series defeat, but the first ever against a lower-ranked team at home.
1990
The last day of Test cricket for Sir Richard Hadlee - and a rare series win for England, their first at home for five years. They beat New Zealand by 114 runs, with the unlikely pair of Devon Malcolm and Eddie Hemmings sharing 15 wickets. Hadlee bowed out with an immaculate performance - his 5 for 53 in the second innings gave the Kiwis a sniff after they trailed by 186 on first innings. And his last ball produced a wicket: Malcolm, lbw for 0. Hadlee nailed Malcolm for 0 in each innings - and then signed Malcolm's rather bald run-chart.
The last day of Test cricket for Sir Richard Hadlee - and a rare series win for England, their first at home for five years. They beat New Zealand by 114 runs, with the unlikely pair of Devon Malcolm and Eddie Hemmings sharing 15 wickets. Hadlee bowed out with an immaculate performance - his 5 for 53 in the second innings gave the Kiwis a sniff after they trailed by 186 on first innings. And his last ball produced a wicket: Malcolm, lbw for 0. Hadlee nailed Malcolm for 0 in each innings - and then signed Malcolm's rather bald run-chart.
1975
The end of Mike Denness' troubled reign as England captain was as good as assured once he put Australia in to bat after winning the toss in the first Test, at Edgbaston. Australia rattled up 359 and then even the elements seemed to conspire against Denness. Heavy rain left the pitch treacherous, and seven wickets each for Dennis Lillee and Max Walker and five for Jeff Thomson sealed an innings victory. Denness resigned and was replaced by Tony Greig. It was also the debut for a moustache-less Graham Gooch, who bagged a pair.
The end of Mike Denness' troubled reign as England captain was as good as assured once he put Australia in to bat after winning the toss in the first Test, at Edgbaston. Australia rattled up 359 and then even the elements seemed to conspire against Denness. Heavy rain left the pitch treacherous, and seven wickets each for Dennis Lillee and Max Walker and five for Jeff Thomson sealed an innings victory. Denness resigned and was replaced by Tony Greig. It was also the debut for a moustache-less Graham Gooch, who bagged a pair.
1976
New Zealand's Iain O'Brien, born today, took his first five-for against Bangladesh in Wellington in 2008 and followed it up with a career-best 6 for 75 against West Indies in Napier. By 2009, O'Brien was a popular blogger who wrote his accounts of the day's play soon after stumps. In November that year, Shane Bond and O'Brien (bowling in the second innings with a dislocated finger) led the team to a win against Pakistan in Dunedin - when they received a double blow. Bond got injured after the Test, which turned out to be his last, and O'Brien announced his retirement at the end of the series. He took six each in the next two Tests and then signed up full-time with Leicestershire to settle down with his English wife.
New Zealand's Iain O'Brien, born today, took his first five-for against Bangladesh in Wellington in 2008 and followed it up with a career-best 6 for 75 against West Indies in Napier. By 2009, O'Brien was a popular blogger who wrote his accounts of the day's play soon after stumps. In November that year, Shane Bond and O'Brien (bowling in the second innings with a dislocated finger) led the team to a win against Pakistan in Dunedin - when they received a double blow. Bond got injured after the Test, which turned out to be his last, and O'Brien announced his retirement at the end of the series. He took six each in the next two Tests and then signed up full-time with Leicestershire to settle down with his English wife.
1900
South Africa may have been a poor side in the 1920s and '30s, but that didn't affect the approach of Bob Catterall, who was born today. He went after the bowling from the start, and was a high-class driver through the off side. He made back-to-back 120s in England in 1924, at Edgbaston and Headingley, even though South Africa lost on both occasions. Four years later Catterall did help win a Test against England, with 119 in Durban. He died in Transvaal in 1961.
South Africa may have been a poor side in the 1920s and '30s, but that didn't affect the approach of Bob Catterall, who was born today. He went after the bowling from the start, and was a high-class driver through the off side. He made back-to-back 120s in England in 1924, at Edgbaston and Headingley, even though South Africa lost on both occasions. Four years later Catterall did help win a Test against England, with 119 in Durban. He died in Transvaal in 1961.
1975
A debut centurion is born. New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris was originally marked down as a bit of a one-day player, and made 45 appearances before his Test debut. That finally came in Grenada in 2002, and he marked it with 107, 69 not out - and the wicket of Brian Lara. Had rain not intervened on the final day, he might well have been only the second man after Lawrence Rowe in 1971-72 - ironically for West Indies, against New Zealand - to make two centuries on Test debut.
A debut centurion is born. New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris was originally marked down as a bit of a one-day player, and made 45 appearances before his Test debut. That finally came in Grenada in 2002, and he marked it with 107, 69 not out - and the wicket of Brian Lara. Had rain not intervened on the final day, he might well have been only the second man after Lawrence Rowe in 1971-72 - ironically for West Indies, against New Zealand - to make two centuries on Test debut.
1884
Persistent rain ruling out any play on the scheduled first day of a Test in England isn't exactly unusual. But this one was to be the first day of Test cricket at Old Trafford. Washouts don't come much more prescient - Tests in Manchester have been dogged by the weather ever since.
Persistent rain ruling out any play on the scheduled first day of a Test in England isn't exactly unusual. But this one was to be the first day of Test cricket at Old Trafford. Washouts don't come much more prescient - Tests in Manchester have been dogged by the weather ever since.
Other birthdays
1874 Austin Diamond (England)
1906 James Langridge (England)
1928 Jack Nel (South Africa)
1934 Munir Malik (Pakistan)
1970 Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk (Holland)
1974 Chris Drum (New Zealand)
1874 Austin Diamond (England)
1906 James Langridge (England)
1928 Jack Nel (South Africa)
1934 Munir Malik (Pakistan)
1970 Klaas-Jan van Noortwijk (Holland)
1974 Chris Drum (New Zealand)