1984
The day the tide turned on England's all-conquering tour of India, as they squared the series with an eight-wicket win in the second Test at Delhi. Most of them still had no answer to young leggie Laxman Sivaramakrishnan - he took seven of the 11 English wickets to fall - but Tim Robinson did. Playing in only his second Test, he anchored England's first innings with a magnificent eight-hour 160. England's old-stagers Phil Edmonds and Pat Pocock (combined match figures: 160-57-306-13, combined age: 72) gave India a taste of their own medicine.

1992
A staggering performance from Trinidad's Phil Simmons, who was thrift personified as he hurried Pakistan to defeat in the World Series match at Sydney with amazing figures of 10-8-3-4 - the most economical in one-day international history. In pursuit of West Indies' 215, Pakistan were 14 for 5 after Simmons took out Messrs Sohail, Mujtaba, Malik and Miandad, and though they recovered to something resembling respectability - Rashid Latif played perhaps the dullest ODI innings ever, a 72-ball 8 - they were still all out for 81. They didn't learn many lessons though; when the teams next met - 26 days later - Pakistan were cleaned up for 71.

1974
More misery for England at the raw hands of Jeff Thomson. He took seven wickets in Australia's nine-wicket victory in the second Test at Perth. It put them 2-0 up after two in a series they would eventually win 4-1, and took Thommo's series tally to 16. The match was notable for Colin Cowdrey being flown out to open at the age of 41, for his first Test in almost four years, but after some typically brave resistance the irresistible Thomson did for him twice.

1903
The most prolific batting debut of all. RE "Tip" Foster cracked 287 in the first Test at Sydney; it remains the highest score by an Englishman in a Test in Australia, and is one of only three debutant Test double-hundreds. England took a huge first-innings lead, and though Australia fought back with a brilliant 185 not out from Victor Trumper, England sealed a five-wicket victory on the sixth day of what was a timeless Test.

1881
The modern South African XI are is notable for their its frightening array of allrounders, but the record of Aubrey Faulkner, who was born today, bears favourable comparison with Messrs Pollock, Kallis, Boucher and Klusener. He averaged 40 in the middle order and 26 with his legbreaks at a time when South Africa were still finding their feet at Test level. His most famous performance came in the victory over England at Johannesburg in 1909-10, when he added eight wickets to scores of 78 and 123. He committed suicide in his indoor school in 1930.

1958
A big victory for West Indies in the second Test at Kanpur, despite the best efforts of Indian legspinner Fergie Gupte. He took 9 for 102 in the first innings, but after both sides managed 222 first up, Garry Sobers creamed 198 (his fifth century in as many Tests), and Wes Hall - 11 for 126 in the match - nailed India on the final day.

1914
Birth of the graceful Indian batsman Mushtaq Ali, who overcame a propensity to toss his wicket away to average 32 from his 11 Tests, spread over 18 years. He formed a fine opening partnership with Vijay Merchant, and in the second Test at Old Trafford the pair added 203 for the first wicket in 150 breathtaking minutes. His last Test, against England at Madras in 1951-52, was India's first victory, at the 25th attempt.

Other birthdays
1910 Keki Tarapore (India)
1933 Bruce Morrison (New Zealand)
1946 Albert Padmore (West Indies)

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