A Bradmanesque year

Andy Flower: a glorious run © Getty Images Enlarge

2000
The start of one of the most amazing runs in Test history. Andy Flower lashed an unbeaten 183 for Zimbabwe in the first Test against India in Delhi, and in the following 13 months he scored 1466 runs with an average of 133.27, including five hundreds and seven fifties. Flower ended the year as the world's No. 1 batsman in the PWC ratings, but he returned to mortality as his first four innings in 2002 produced just 20 runs.

1988
A familiar story on the first morning of the Australia-West Indies series in Brisbane, where Australia were demolished for 167 inside 70 overs. The wiles of Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh were all too much for the Aussies, while Carl Hooper chipped in with the wicket of top-scorer Mike Veletta. Gordon Greenidge and Des Haynes put things in context by adding 135 for the first wicket, their 13th century opening partnership in Tests. West Indies cruised to a nine-wicket win with a day and a half to spare.

1995
A deluge in Centurion meant that no play was possible on the third day of the first Test - the inaugural one at the venue - between England and South Africa. And there was none on the last two days either. It was all very frustrating for England, who had worked themselves into a good position (381 for 9) on a lively surface. Their dominance was thanks mainly to a majestic 141 from Graeme Hick, perhaps his best Test innings.

1993
A rare one-day tie. Zimbabwe needed 249 to beat India in their Hero Cup match in Indore, but they looked dead in the water at 212 for 8. Then Stephen Peall and Heath Streak (batting right down at No.10) took them to within 12 of victory, and Streak and John Rennie were left needing 10 off Manoj Prabhakar's final over. Two were needed off the final ball, but Streak was run out going for a second leg-bye. It was only the seventh tied ODI.

Other birthdays
1862 George Wood (England)
1892 Rustomji Jamshedji (India)
1922 Una Paisley (Australia)
1933 Joan Hawes (England)
1937 Rajinder Pal (India)
1954 Evan Gray (New Zealand)
1973 Nic Pothas (South Africa)