April 4 down the years
Mind your head
An English beanpole is born
Steven Finn: youngest Englishman to 50 Test wickets • Getty Images
1989
Birth of the 6ft 7in Steven Finn, who made his county debut at 16, the youngest to do so since Fred Titmus in 1949. In his third Test, at Lord's against Bangladesh in 2010, he took nine wickets, and finished with 28 Test wickets that summer. He found himself in the Ashes squad in Australia, and impressed with six at the Gabba and three more in the win in Adelaide. He became the youngest Englishman to 50 Test wickets in 2011, though he only played one Test that year and saw Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett move up the pecking order. It didn't help that he struggled with a problem with knocking the bails over in his run-up. In trying to fix it, Finn lost a fair bit of pace. He made a comeback to Test cricket during the 2015 Ashes, taking 14 wickets. Six months later later he took 11 wickets in three Tests on England's victorious tour of South Africa, but that was the last high point: seven Tests and 12 wickets later, his career was over.
Birth of the 6ft 7in Steven Finn, who made his county debut at 16, the youngest to do so since Fred Titmus in 1949. In his third Test, at Lord's against Bangladesh in 2010, he took nine wickets, and finished with 28 Test wickets that summer. He found himself in the Ashes squad in Australia, and impressed with six at the Gabba and three more in the win in Adelaide. He became the youngest Englishman to 50 Test wickets in 2011, though he only played one Test that year and saw Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett move up the pecking order. It didn't help that he struggled with a problem with knocking the bails over in his run-up. In trying to fix it, Finn lost a fair bit of pace. He made a comeback to Test cricket during the 2015 Ashes, taking 14 wickets. Six months later later he took 11 wickets in three Tests on England's victorious tour of South Africa, but that was the last high point: seven Tests and 12 wickets later, his career was over.
1960
Birth of Jonathan Agnew, whose career as the BBC's cricket correspondent has been so successful, it's easy to forget that he ever played the game. As a thrusting seam bowler in the 1980s, he turned out in three Tests for England before taking up his position in the commentary box. Agnew embodies the authoritative but endearingly juvenile approach of the Test Match Special team.
Birth of Jonathan Agnew, whose career as the BBC's cricket correspondent has been so successful, it's easy to forget that he ever played the game. As a thrusting seam bowler in the 1980s, he turned out in three Tests for England before taking up his position in the commentary box. Agnew embodies the authoritative but endearingly juvenile approach of the Test Match Special team.
1999
The third part of Brian Lara's Australian trilogy, and in the best cinematic traditions it did not quite match up to the first two. This one, in Antigua, was a pretty maniacal affair. It came off just 82 balls (the second 50 from 21) and lacked the artistic integrity of his 213 in Jamaica and his unbeaten 153 in Barbados. And unlike those two, it could not provide a happy ending: Australia, despite dropping Shane Warne, won comfortably, by 176 runs, to square the series 2-2 and retain the Frank Worrell trophy.
The third part of Brian Lara's Australian trilogy, and in the best cinematic traditions it did not quite match up to the first two. This one, in Antigua, was a pretty maniacal affair. It came off just 82 balls (the second 50 from 21) and lacked the artistic integrity of his 213 in Jamaica and his unbeaten 153 in Barbados. And unlike those two, it could not provide a happy ending: Australia, despite dropping Shane Warne, won comfortably, by 176 runs, to square the series 2-2 and retain the Frank Worrell trophy.
1957
Birth of Paul Downton, the England wicketkeeper whose career ended prematurely when a bail hit him in the eye in 1990, permanently impairing his vision, although by then he had lost his Test place to Jack Russell. The erudite Downton, who played 30 Tests, was earmarked for the top from a young age, and went on his first tour at the age of 20, to Pakistan and New Zealand in 1977-78. He made four Test fifties, including an important 74 in Delhi in 1984-85. He worked as a banker after retirement and was appointed the ECB's managing director in 2013.
Birth of Paul Downton, the England wicketkeeper whose career ended prematurely when a bail hit him in the eye in 1990, permanently impairing his vision, although by then he had lost his Test place to Jack Russell. The erudite Downton, who played 30 Tests, was earmarked for the top from a young age, and went on his first tour at the age of 20, to Pakistan and New Zealand in 1977-78. He made four Test fifties, including an important 74 in Delhi in 1984-85. He worked as a banker after retirement and was appointed the ECB's managing director in 2013.
2022
South Africa's first win in Durban for nearly a decade came after Keshav Maharaj took 7 for 32 in the fourth innings to despatch Bangladesh for 53 all out. No one expected the visitors to pull off a miracle after they sank to 8 for 3 chasing 274 near the close of day four but they folded in less than 14 overs on the final day. It was the first time South Africa had bowled a side out using only two bowlers; none of their seamers was called on in the second innings.
South Africa's first win in Durban for nearly a decade came after Keshav Maharaj took 7 for 32 in the fourth innings to despatch Bangladesh for 53 all out. No one expected the visitors to pull off a miracle after they sank to 8 for 3 chasing 274 near the close of day four but they folded in less than 14 overs on the final day. It was the first time South Africa had bowled a side out using only two bowlers; none of their seamers was called on in the second innings.
1933
India's answer to Trevor Bailey is born. Bapu Nadkarni was their jack of all trades in the 1950s and '60s: a dogged, dour left-hand bat, a metronomic left-arm spinner, and a brave close fielder. Nadkarni made one Test century - a match-saving 122 not out against England in Kanpur in 1963-64 - and with the ball he returned figures of 34-24-24-1 and 52.4-38-43-4 (v Pakistan in Delhi in 1960-61), and 32-27-5-0 against England in Madras three years later, when he bowled 131 balls without conceding a run.
India's answer to Trevor Bailey is born. Bapu Nadkarni was their jack of all trades in the 1950s and '60s: a dogged, dour left-hand bat, a metronomic left-arm spinner, and a brave close fielder. Nadkarni made one Test century - a match-saving 122 not out against England in Kanpur in 1963-64 - and with the ball he returned figures of 34-24-24-1 and 52.4-38-43-4 (v Pakistan in Delhi in 1960-61), and 32-27-5-0 against England in Madras three years later, when he bowled 131 balls without conceding a run.
1935
Opening batter Easton McMorris, born today, played 13 Tests for West Indies between 1958 and 1966. He scored his only century against India in Kingston. He toured England in 1963 and 1966 but averaged 13.38 in his four Test appearances, struggling to come to terms with the slower, greener pitches. But McMorris continued to score heavily for Jamaica in the Shell Shield, in latter years as their captain.
Opening batter Easton McMorris, born today, played 13 Tests for West Indies between 1958 and 1966. He scored his only century against India in Kingston. He toured England in 1963 and 1966 but averaged 13.38 in his four Test appearances, struggling to come to terms with the slower, greener pitches. But McMorris continued to score heavily for Jamaica in the Shell Shield, in latter years as their captain.
Other birthdays
1895 Charlie Hallows (England)
1899 William Brann (South Africa)
1908 Vincent Valentine (West Indies)
1944 Arthur Barrett (West Indies)
1945 Bryan Andrews (New Zealand)
1958 Derek Kallicharran (USA
1895 Charlie Hallows (England)
1899 William Brann (South Africa)
1908 Vincent Valentine (West Indies)
1944 Arthur Barrett (West Indies)
1945 Bryan Andrews (New Zealand)
1958 Derek Kallicharran (USA