May 15 down the years
Lord of the crease
A magisterial dasher is born
Ted Dexter also led Sussex to the first two Gillette Cups • Getty Images
1935
Lord Ted is born, in Milan, Italy. Ted Dexter was one of the most stylish batters England has produced, a magisterial dasher who loved to take on the very best bowlers. He frequently got England out of a hole - most notably with a marvellous 180 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1961 - and averaged 53 when they didn't lose, as against 28 when they did. Dexter's medium-pacers were good enough to claim 66 Test wickets too, and he was a brilliant all-round sportsman, excelling at golf as well. He also led Sussex to the first two Gillette Cups, and was a prime mover in setting up the PWC ratings.
Lord Ted is born, in Milan, Italy. Ted Dexter was one of the most stylish batters England has produced, a magisterial dasher who loved to take on the very best bowlers. He frequently got England out of a hole - most notably with a marvellous 180 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1961 - and averaged 53 when they didn't lose, as against 28 when they did. Dexter's medium-pacers were good enough to claim 66 Test wickets too, and he was a brilliant all-round sportsman, excelling at golf as well. He also led Sussex to the first two Gillette Cups, and was a prime mover in setting up the PWC ratings.
2017
The highest partnership in women's ODI history was made on this day by Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut of India in in Potchefstroom against Ireland. Their 320 was the first triple-century stand in the format (and 211 more than what the second-string Ireland team could manage all together). The 19-year-old Sharma made her maiden international hundred a big one, hitting a world-record 27 fours in her 188, the second highest individual score after Belinda Clark's 229 not out in the 1997 World Cup.
The highest partnership in women's ODI history was made on this day by Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut of India in in Potchefstroom against Ireland. Their 320 was the first triple-century stand in the format (and 211 more than what the second-string Ireland team could manage all together). The 19-year-old Sharma made her maiden international hundred a big one, hitting a world-record 27 fours in her 188, the second highest individual score after Belinda Clark's 229 not out in the 1997 World Cup.
2022
Former Australia allrounder ;Andrew Symonds died in a car accident, aged 46, in Queensland. The incident occurred outside Townsville, where he lived in retirement. Symonds played 26 Tests and 198 ODIs for Australia in an international career that ran from 1998 through 2009.
Former Australia allrounder ;Andrew Symonds died in a car accident, aged 46, in Queensland. The incident occurred outside Townsville, where he lived in retirement. Symonds played 26 Tests and 198 ODIs for Australia in an international career that ran from 1998 through 2009.
1948
If you think the pace at which cricket is played these days is markedly faster than in earlier times, try this: Australia smashed 721 runs on this day against Essex at Southend-on-Sea, a first-class record that remains and will surely never be broken. Those 721 came off only 129 overs, with Don Bradman's 187 - made in just 125 minutes - the highest score. Keith Miller didn't approve of the carnage and was out - some say deliberately - for 0. For good measure, the Aussies then bowled Essex out for 83 and 187 the following day.
If you think the pace at which cricket is played these days is markedly faster than in earlier times, try this: Australia smashed 721 runs on this day against Essex at Southend-on-Sea, a first-class record that remains and will surely never be broken. Those 721 came off only 129 overs, with Don Bradman's 187 - made in just 125 minutes - the highest score. Keith Miller didn't approve of the carnage and was out - some say deliberately - for 0. For good measure, the Aussies then bowled Essex out for 83 and 187 the following day.
2022
Stafanie Taylor's Tornadoes beat Suzie Bates' Falcons by eight wickets to win the inaugural FairBreak Invitational, a women's T20 tournament in Dubai that brought together players from over 30 countries, including the Philippines, Argentina, Botswana, Hong Kong, USA and Scotland, as well as England, New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. Sterre Kallis of Netherlands, Tornadoes' top scorer in the six-team tournament, made 44 in the final and added 76 with Sophie Devine (55) to comfortably chase down Falcons' 151.
Stafanie Taylor's Tornadoes beat Suzie Bates' Falcons by eight wickets to win the inaugural FairBreak Invitational, a women's T20 tournament in Dubai that brought together players from over 30 countries, including the Philippines, Argentina, Botswana, Hong Kong, USA and Scotland, as well as England, New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. Sterre Kallis of Netherlands, Tornadoes' top scorer in the six-team tournament, made 44 in the final and added 76 with Sophie Devine (55) to comfortably chase down Falcons' 151.
2011
In a low-scoring Test in Guyana, Ravi Rampaul and Daren Sammy bowled Pakistan out 40 short of the target. You had to feel for offspinner Saeed Ajmal, who took 11 wickets and ended on the losing side. It was a good game for debutant West Indies legspinner Devendra Bishoo, who took four wickets in the first innings and scored a vital 24 in the 48-run last-wicket stand with Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the second innings.
In a low-scoring Test in Guyana, Ravi Rampaul and Daren Sammy bowled Pakistan out 40 short of the target. You had to feel for offspinner Saeed Ajmal, who took 11 wickets and ended on the losing side. It was a good game for debutant West Indies legspinner Devendra Bishoo, who took four wickets in the first innings and scored a vital 24 in the 48-run last-wicket stand with Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the second innings.
1966
Hardly a seismic change, but at Ilford Essex played Somerset in the County Championship, the first time that a match in the tournament had taken place on a Sunday.
Hardly a seismic change, but at Ilford Essex played Somerset in the County Championship, the first time that a match in the tournament had taken place on a Sunday.
1924
Birth of Worcestershire's greatest run scorer. Don Kenyon scored 34,490 runs for the county, more than even Graeme Hick, and played eight Tests for England in the 1950s. He struggled at Test level, apart from a dogged 87 in an innings victory over South Africa at Trent Bridge in 1955. Kenyon also captained Worcestershire to long-overdue County Championship wins in 1964 and 1965. He died in Worcester in 1996.
Birth of Worcestershire's greatest run scorer. Don Kenyon scored 34,490 runs for the county, more than even Graeme Hick, and played eight Tests for England in the 1950s. He struggled at Test level, apart from a dogged 87 in an innings victory over South Africa at Trent Bridge in 1955. Kenyon also captained Worcestershire to long-overdue County Championship wins in 1964 and 1965. He died in Worcester in 1996.
1999
A World Cup is usually a time for new-fangled tricks: pinch-hitters, spinners opening the bowling. But on this day at Hove, South Africa took innovation too far for the ICC's liking. Their captain, Hansie Cronje, came onto the field with an earpiece that was wired up to his coach, Bob Woolmer, in the dressing room. The first drinks interval was as far as it got, when the match referee, Talat Ali, ordered Cronje to remove the offending earpiece. South Africa won the game, though, with Jacques Kallis pummelling 96 in an efficient chase of 254 against India.
A World Cup is usually a time for new-fangled tricks: pinch-hitters, spinners opening the bowling. But on this day at Hove, South Africa took innovation too far for the ICC's liking. Their captain, Hansie Cronje, came onto the field with an earpiece that was wired up to his coach, Bob Woolmer, in the dressing room. The first drinks interval was as far as it got, when the match referee, Talat Ali, ordered Cronje to remove the offending earpiece. South Africa won the game, though, with Jacques Kallis pummelling 96 in an efficient chase of 254 against India.
1919
Birth of the author of one of first-class cricket's more remarkable spells of bowling. Charles Palmer did his best work as a flowing, free-scoring batter, but his medium pace could be decidedly useful. For Leicestershire against the champions Surrey in 1955 he took eight wickets without conceding a run, seven of them bowled. Palmer had only brought himself on for an over to switch the bowlers round. His final match figures were 27-24-8-8... and Leicester still lost. The bespectacled Palmer played one Test for England, against West Indies, in Barbados in 1953-54.
Birth of the author of one of first-class cricket's more remarkable spells of bowling. Charles Palmer did his best work as a flowing, free-scoring batter, but his medium pace could be decidedly useful. For Leicestershire against the champions Surrey in 1955 he took eight wickets without conceding a run, seven of them bowled. Palmer had only brought himself on for an over to switch the bowlers round. His final match figures were 27-24-8-8... and Leicester still lost. The bespectacled Palmer played one Test for England, against West Indies, in Barbados in 1953-54.
1917
An Invincible is born. New South Wales wicketkeeper Ron Saggers was deputy to the great Don Tallon in Australia's famous 1948 team. A tidy, unobtrusive keeper, and good enough to play for New South Wales as a specialist batter at times, Saggers played six Tests in all, the first at Headingley in 1948 and the rest in South Africa in 1949-50. He died in Sydney in 1987.
An Invincible is born. New South Wales wicketkeeper Ron Saggers was deputy to the great Don Tallon in Australia's famous 1948 team. A tidy, unobtrusive keeper, and good enough to play for New South Wales as a specialist batter at times, Saggers played six Tests in all, the first at Headingley in 1948 and the rest in South Africa in 1949-50. He died in Sydney in 1987.
Other birthdays
1875 Joseph Vine (England)
1875 Clem Wilson (England)
1929 Jack Flavell (England)
1941 BC Cooray (Sri Lanka)
1875 Joseph Vine (England)
1875 Clem Wilson (England)
1929 Jack Flavell (England)
1941 BC Cooray (Sri Lanka)