June 8 down the years
New Zealand make 491 in an ODI
Bates and Green put Ireland to the sword
Suzie Bates and Maddy Green during their partnership • Sportsfile/Sebdaly
2018
The biggest ODI team total ever in women's cricket - 491 for 4 by New Zealand Women against Ireland Women in Dublin. The architects of the mammoth score were captain Suzie Bates, with 151 (off 94 balls) and No. 3 Maddy Green (122 off 77). Seventeen-year-old Amelia Kerr chipped in with 81 at the end, as they gunned for 500 in the last over. It was a hard day on the field for the Ireland players, who lost by 347 runs, but for none more so than legspinner Cara Murray (also 17) who, on debut, ended up conceding 119 runs from her ten overs - the most expensive in all ODIs.
The biggest ODI team total ever in women's cricket - 491 for 4 by New Zealand Women against Ireland Women in Dublin. The architects of the mammoth score were captain Suzie Bates, with 151 (off 94 balls) and No. 3 Maddy Green (122 off 77). Seventeen-year-old Amelia Kerr chipped in with 81 at the end, as they gunned for 500 in the last over. It was a hard day on the field for the Ireland players, who lost by 347 runs, but for none more so than legspinner Cara Murray (also 17) who, on debut, ended up conceding 119 runs from her ten overs - the most expensive in all ODIs.
1945
A deadly left-arm spinner is born. No modern bowler has been quite as lethal on a sticky wicket as Derek Underwood, making his nickname utterly apposite. He was a spinner in name if not in nature - he was close to medium pace, and a few books still classify him as "LM". No England spinner can match his 123 wickets in victories. In those games, he averaged 15, with ten five-fors in 27 matches. His finest hour was against Australia at a soggy Oval in 1968, when he took 7 for 50 in the second innings and sealed a glorious victory when John Inverarity padded up to an arm ball with only five minutes of the match left. He was also a legend at Kent, where he formed a spinner-keeper partnership with Alan Knott that served England well, and that perhaps only Ian Healy and Shane Warne can match for sustained excellence and devastation. Underwood managed a couple of big milestones for his county too: in 1963, aged 18, he became the youngest person to take 100 wickets in a season. And in 1984, aged 39, he finally made his only first-class hundred, against Sussex in Hastings.
A deadly left-arm spinner is born. No modern bowler has been quite as lethal on a sticky wicket as Derek Underwood, making his nickname utterly apposite. He was a spinner in name if not in nature - he was close to medium pace, and a few books still classify him as "LM". No England spinner can match his 123 wickets in victories. In those games, he averaged 15, with ten five-fors in 27 matches. His finest hour was against Australia at a soggy Oval in 1968, when he took 7 for 50 in the second innings and sealed a glorious victory when John Inverarity padded up to an arm ball with only five minutes of the match left. He was also a legend at Kent, where he formed a spinner-keeper partnership with Alan Knott that served England well, and that perhaps only Ian Healy and Shane Warne can match for sustained excellence and devastation. Underwood managed a couple of big milestones for his county too: in 1963, aged 18, he became the youngest person to take 100 wickets in a season. And in 1984, aged 39, he finally made his only first-class hundred, against Sussex in Hastings.
1932
The birth of the first English captain to regain the Ashes in Australia since Douglas Jardine. Ray Illingworth's Test career was a modest one until he took charge for the first time at the age of 37, against West Indies in 1969. Within 18 months he had led England to a famous 2-0 victory in Australia. He overcame all sorts of obstacles, not least a public who wanted Colin Cowdrey as captain. A quintessential Yorkshireman, Illingworth didn't exactly endear himself when he led his team off the field in the decider in Sydney after John Snow was attacked on the boundary. As an offspinning allrounder, Illy was cussed and miserly. Throughout his career he went for less than two runs per over, and his batting benefited from his over-my-dead-body mentality more than any technical brilliance. Despite being recognised by many as having a peerless cricket brain, Illingworth went down in many people's estimation after an ill-fated reign as England coach. He took the reins in 1994 but never saw eye to eye with his captain, Mike Atherton, and had an unedifying public falling out with Devon Malcolm in South Africa in 1995-96.
The birth of the first English captain to regain the Ashes in Australia since Douglas Jardine. Ray Illingworth's Test career was a modest one until he took charge for the first time at the age of 37, against West Indies in 1969. Within 18 months he had led England to a famous 2-0 victory in Australia. He overcame all sorts of obstacles, not least a public who wanted Colin Cowdrey as captain. A quintessential Yorkshireman, Illingworth didn't exactly endear himself when he led his team off the field in the decider in Sydney after John Snow was attacked on the boundary. As an offspinning allrounder, Illy was cussed and miserly. Throughout his career he went for less than two runs per over, and his batting benefited from his over-my-dead-body mentality more than any technical brilliance. Despite being recognised by many as having a peerless cricket brain, Illingworth went down in many people's estimation after an ill-fated reign as England coach. He took the reins in 1994 but never saw eye to eye with his captain, Mike Atherton, and had an unedifying public falling out with Devon Malcolm in South Africa in 1995-96.
1950
The Test debut of West Indies' spin twins, Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine. They had only played two first-class matches each before this tour, but were pitched in for the first Test on an Old Trafford turner. Valentine had a sensational start, with 8 for 104 in the first innings, and 11 wickets in the match. But it was another debutant left-armer, England's Bob Berry, who won the match with 9 for 116. Despite that, Berry only played one more Test - he went wicketless at Lord's, while Ramadhin and Valentine shared 18 wickets to inspire a famous victory.
The Test debut of West Indies' spin twins, Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine. They had only played two first-class matches each before this tour, but were pitched in for the first Test on an Old Trafford turner. Valentine had a sensational start, with 8 for 104 in the first innings, and 11 wickets in the match. But it was another debutant left-armer, England's Bob Berry, who won the match with 9 for 116. Despite that, Berry only played one more Test - he went wicketless at Lord's, while Ramadhin and Valentine shared 18 wickets to inspire a famous victory.
1857
James Grundy, playing for MCC v Kent at Lord's, became the first man to be given out handled the ball.
James Grundy, playing for MCC v Kent at Lord's, became the first man to be given out handled the ball.
1906
Birth of Syed Nazir Ali, who played alongside his brother Wazir in India's inaugural Test, at Lord's in 1932. Nazir was a fine allrounder who also played for Sussex, and made two Test appearances. He died in Lahore in 1975.
Birth of Syed Nazir Ali, who played alongside his brother Wazir in India's inaugural Test, at Lord's in 1932. Nazir was a fine allrounder who also played for Sussex, and made two Test appearances. He died in Lahore in 1975.
Other birthdays
1866 Punch Philipson (England)
1891 Fred Susskind (South Africa)
1901 Archibald Palm (South Africa)
1903 Leslie Townsend (England)
1919 Guy Overton (New Zealand)
1924 Ian Colquhoun (New Zealand)
1929 Venatappa Muddiah (India)
1946 Richie Robinson (Australia)
1990 Beuran Hendricks (South Africa)
1866 Punch Philipson (England)
1891 Fred Susskind (South Africa)
1901 Archibald Palm (South Africa)
1903 Leslie Townsend (England)
1919 Guy Overton (New Zealand)
1924 Ian Colquhoun (New Zealand)
1929 Venatappa Muddiah (India)
1946 Richie Robinson (Australia)
1990 Beuran Hendricks (South Africa)