'Is it me you're looking for?'

Stuart Carlisle: Zimbabwe's utlity batsman © Getty Images Enlarge

1958
An unsung hero is born. Pakistan's Tauseef Ahmed tended to be overshadowed by his more illustrious colleagues, Abdul Qadir and Iqbal Qasim, but he was a skilled and cunning offspinner, even if his afro and moustache did make him look like Lionel Richie. He took seven wickets on his debut, after being plucked from nowhere to play against Australia in 1979-80. And he played a huge role in Pakistan's famous 16-run victory over India in Bangalore in 1987, when he and Qasim took nine wickets each, and Sunil Gavaskar wound up his Test career with a masterful 96. Two years later, against Australia in Karachi, Tauseef had match figures of 47.4-28-44-3, par for the course for this thrifty performer, whose average was superior to the great Qadir's.

1972
Birth of Stuart Carlisle, Zimbabwe's utility batsman who was moved up and down the batting order without getting a good run in any spot. He was also an excellent fielder, particularly square of the wicket, where he held many stunning catches in one-day cricket. Carlisle inherited the captaincy at the end of a turbulent five-week period in early 2002, after Brian Murphy, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak and Alistair Campbell had all been removed from the post for one reason or another. He lost five out of his six Tests in charge and was sacked and dropped for the 2003 World Cup. He returned for the England tour later that year, and though he broke his hand during the NatWest series he bounced back with his first Test century in October 2003, against Australia in Sydney.

1944
An unforgettable debut for Pakistan wicketkeeper Abdul Kadir, who was born today. Pitched in to open against Australia in Karachi in 1964-65, Kadir was run out for 95, after adding 249 for the first wicket with his fellow debutant Khalid Ibadulla. A long career looked assured, but instead Kadir only got three more Tests. The last two were as a specialist batsman, and in his final innings, against New Zealand in Auckland later that winter, he ground out a five-hour 58. In most countries, players aren't considered for Test cricket until they've reached manhood; Kadir's top-level career was over before he turned 21.

1867
Wicketkeeper James Kelly, born today, played 36 Tests for Australia between 1896 and 1905. Thirty-three of those were against England and on his first tour there, in 1896, he took 37 catches and effected 22 stumpings. On the 1899 tour there, he scored a battling 33 in Leeds after Australia had slipped to 39 for 5. He was never in the same league as Jack Blackham as a keeper but kept impressively to the fast Ernie Jones, Hugh Trumble, Jack Saunders, Monty Noble, Warwick Armstrong and Bill Howell on wickets that varied in pace from day to day.

1956
Birth of Chris Kuggeleijn, the New Zealand offspinner who is best remembered for one piece of fielding. His first significant act as a Test player, against India in Bangalore in 1988-89, was to take a slip catch to get rid of Arun Lal and make Richard Hadlee the highest wicket-taker in Tests. Kuggeleijn, whose middle name is Mary, was 32 when he made his debut, but bowling in India is a pretty thankless task for a spinner: he was given only 16.1 overs in his two Tests, and took just the one wicket.

Other birthdays
1897 Dalton Conyngham (South Africa)
1914 Molly Flaherty (Australia)
1963 Haafiz Shahid (Pakistan)
1969 Marcel Schewe (Holland)
1973 Vijay Dahiya (India)