DJ's in da house

Zaheer Khan: second on India's fast-bowling charts © Associated Press Enlarge

1983
Allrounder Dwayne Bravo, who was born today, made his name in T20 cricket. He did well in Test cricket, scoring hundreds against South Africa and Australia, but gave up the format when it was clear he was going to have a glittering career as a T20 freelancer, particularly for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, topping the tournament wickets table in 2013 and 2015, and replicating that achievement in the CPL in 2015 and 2016, and the BBL in 2017-18. He was also a key member of West Indies' World T20-winning sides of 2012 and 2016 . Bravo was appointed the one-day captain in 2013, but fell out of favour after playing a role in the team's withdrawal from their 2014 tour of India over a payment dispute. He announced his international retirement in October 2018 but reversed his decision over a year later in order to defend West Indies' T20 World Cup title in 2021. After their early exit in the tournament, he walked away once more, at the age of 38.

2012
Marlon Samuels inspired West Indies to a World T20 title, their first global silverware in six years, with a scarcely believable victory over hosts Sri Lanka in Colombo. Choosing to bat, West Indies managed only 32 from the first ten overs, but Samuels went on to crash six sixes in his 56-ball 78 and helped them post a respectable 137. Sri Lanka were never in the hunt and folded, rather meekly, for 101 in what was their fourth loss in a big final since 2007.

2023
South Africa opened their 2023 World Cup campaign by racking up the biggest ever total in the tournament's history, and handing Sri Lanka a 102-run defeat in Delhi. There were no fewer than three hundreds in South Africa's 428, one each by Rassie van der Dussen and Quinton de Kock, and the then fastest ever century in a World Cup by Aiden Markram, off just 49 balls (Glenn Maxwell would better it three weeks later). Bowlers on both sides struggled to keep the run rate down; five Sri Lankans went for more than eight an over. Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka's fifties kept Sri Lanka in the game after the openers fell cheaply but the target proved a bridge too far after they fell. The match aggregate of 754 was the highest for any men's ODI World Cup match.

1887
English batters who average 50 in Tests are few and far between, making Charles "Jack" Russell, who was born today, one of a rare breed. A reliable, largely on-side player, Russell recovered from an inauspicious start (10 runs in four innings) to average 56.87. And he had a remarkable conversion-rate: he made five centuries despite making over 50 on only seven occasions. His finest hour came in his last Test, in Durban in 1922-23, when he became the first Englishman to make two hundreds in a Test. A tree was planted to mark the feat, but strangely Russell never played Test cricket again. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1923 but appeared in only ten Tests, the last eight of which yielded 900 runs at an average of 75. He was also a distinguished servant for Essex, where he died in 1961.

2004
Michael Clarke scored a glittering debut Test hundred on this day against India in Bangalore. He even got to wear his baggy green cap at the big moment. Not that he was distracted - he was finally out for 151 and Australia were on their way to a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

1984
Before he ruined his career through his involvement in spot-fixing in 2010, Salman Butt, born on this day, was a talented batter who made an impression with a match-winning century against India at Eden Gardens in 2004. He followed it up with a fifty and a century in the Test series in Australia, but though he was often compared to Saeed Anwar for his style of play, Butt struggled to remain consistent, averaging less than 30 between January 2006 and July 2009. On the tour of England in 2010, Butt led Pakistan to Test wins over Australia at Headingley and then against England at The Oval. However, things turned sour towards the end of the tour, when he was banned by the ICC after being found guilty of being involved in spot-fixing in the Lord's Test - for which he was later also jailed in England.

1952
The birth of the man who captained Australia to one of their heaviest Ashes defeats. Graham Yallop was extremely unfortunate to inherit a team gutted by Kerry Packer, and even Roy of the Rovers would have struggled to make a silk purse out of the sow's ear that lost 1-5 to Mike Brearley's England in 1978-79. He may not have been the most intuitive captain but Yallop certainly led by example. In the last Test, in Sydney, he made 121 in an innings where nobody else passed 16. His runs comprised 61.11% of the Australian total of 198, the ninth highest in a completed Test innings. Yallop was a punchy left-hander who made eight hundreds in 39 Tests, including 167 in Calcutta in 1979-80 in his first innings as an opener, and 268 against Pakistan in Melbourne in 1983-84. He married a Welsh girl and played for Glamorgan's 2nd XI in 1977.

1876
The best of the only trio of brothers to have played Test cricket for South Africa was born today. Louis Tancred was a scrapper of an opener, very much in the Tavaré mould, happy to grind down attacks so that the middle order could cash in. He made 97 on debut, against Australia in Johannesburg in 1902-03, but that remained his highest score in 14 Tests. He bagged a pair at Headingley in his first Test in England, in 1907, and played his last Test in 1913-14. His brothers Augustus and Vincent played three Tests between them. Louis died in Johannesburg in 1934.

1979
In Kanpur, Geoff Dymock became the third bowler and the first Australian to dismiss all 11 batters in a Test when he bowled Dilip Doshi. But his heroic performance - his match figures of 12 for 168 were his best in Tests - could not stop India winning by 153 runs. Australia needed 279 to win but collapsed dismally, with Kapil Dev and Shival Yadav each taking four wickets.

1870
Birth of a man who was captain in his only Test. South African Henry Taberer was a useful allrounder who took charge when he made his debut against Australia in Johannesburg in 1902-03. He was a powerful hitter and quick bowler, who once, for a bet, threw a cricket ball 100 yards while standing in a tub. Despite representing Oxford University against Cambridge in athletics and rugby, he did not gain his cricket Blue. He died in Colesberg in 1932.

1964
An unlikely turnaround gave Australia their third consecutive Test victory in Madras. India had taken a first-innings lead of 65, but after Australia set them 333 to win, the home side fell apart. They were 0 for 2 and then 24 for 4, and despite a defiant 94 from Hanumant Singh, Australia breezed home by 139 runs. Their star was that gentle giant Graham McKenzie, who returned match figures of 10 for 91.

Other birthdays
1896 Cyril Allcott (New Zealand)
1913 Victor Trumper Jr (Australia)
1937 Colin Guest (Australia)
1970 Rista Stoop (South Africa)
1973 Anne Linehan (Ireland)
1977 Michelle Goszko (Australia)
1979 Sujeewa de Silva (Sri Lanka)