'Is that you, John Wayne?'
1995 A memorable duel between Curtly Ambrose and Steve Waugh, as West Indies took control of the third Test in Trinidad.
Wisden CricInfo staff
23-Aug-2005
1995
A memorable duel between Curtly Ambrose and Steve Waugh, as West Indies took control of the third Test in Trinidad. On a brutal, moist pitch, Waugh made an outstanding 63 not out - the only fifty of the match - as Australia were cleaned up for 128. At one point Ambrose eyeballed Waugh, who, according to Wisden, "stood his ground like John Wayne" and asked him what he was looking at, though in less polite terms. Ambrose was furious, and had to be dragged away by his captain Richie Richardson. West Indies and Ambrose (9 for 65 in the match) won the battle with a three-day, nine-wicket victory, but the war went to Steve and the Aussies: his magnificent 200 underpinned their innings victory in the winner-takes-all clash in Jamaica that followed.
A memorable duel between Curtly Ambrose and Steve Waugh, as West Indies took control of the third Test in Trinidad. On a brutal, moist pitch, Waugh made an outstanding 63 not out - the only fifty of the match - as Australia were cleaned up for 128. At one point Ambrose eyeballed Waugh, who, according to Wisden, "stood his ground like John Wayne" and asked him what he was looking at, though in less polite terms. Ambrose was furious, and had to be dragged away by his captain Richie Richardson. West Indies and Ambrose (9 for 65 in the match) won the battle with a three-day, nine-wicket victory, but the war went to Steve and the Aussies: his magnificent 200 underpinned their innings victory in the winner-takes-all clash in Jamaica that followed.
1946
A cricketer-turned-umpire is born. Younger readers may not realise that Srinivas Venkataraghavan - Venkat to you and me - was one of India's finest offspinners. He played 57 Tests between 1964-65 and 1983-84, and was renowned for his unflinching accuracy and briskish delivery, although he lacked the mischief and penetration of his offspinning rival Erapally Prasanna. His one ten-wicket haul came in only his fourth Test, 12 for 152 to win the match and the series against New Zealand at Delhi in 1964-65. He captained India - most notably on their tour of England in 1979 - and upon retirement became coach and manager of his country before turning successfully to umpiring.
A cricketer-turned-umpire is born. Younger readers may not realise that Srinivas Venkataraghavan - Venkat to you and me - was one of India's finest offspinners. He played 57 Tests between 1964-65 and 1983-84, and was renowned for his unflinching accuracy and briskish delivery, although he lacked the mischief and penetration of his offspinning rival Erapally Prasanna. His one ten-wicket haul came in only his fourth Test, 12 for 152 to win the match and the series against New Zealand at Delhi in 1964-65. He captained India - most notably on their tour of England in 1979 - and upon retirement became coach and manager of his country before turning successfully to umpiring.
1922
Allan Watkins, who was born today, was a key member of Glamorgan's first Championship-winning side, in 1948, and in the same summer he became their first player to appear in an Ashes Test. He was a genuine allrounder at county level, but in his Test career the popular Watkins delivered only as a batsman, even though he opened the bowling on his debut. Thirteen of his 15 caps came against India and South Africa, and both his centuries came overseas against them: 111 at Johannesburg in 1948-49, and 137 not out at Delhi three years later. Watkins was a serious asthma sufferer, and doctors eventually advised him to give up first-class cricket.
Allan Watkins, who was born today, was a key member of Glamorgan's first Championship-winning side, in 1948, and in the same summer he became their first player to appear in an Ashes Test. He was a genuine allrounder at county level, but in his Test career the popular Watkins delivered only as a batsman, even though he opened the bowling on his debut. Thirteen of his 15 caps came against India and South Africa, and both his centuries came overseas against them: 111 at Johannesburg in 1948-49, and 137 not out at Delhi three years later. Watkins was a serious asthma sufferer, and doctors eventually advised him to give up first-class cricket.
1987
Given that he is bracketed as one of the four great allrounders of the 1980s, it's a bit of a surprise that Richard Hadlee made only two Test hundreds. His highest was this spanking 151 not out, against a modest Sri Lankan attack in Colombo. In a match notable only for the funereal tempo - Brendon Kuruppu crawled to the slowest double-hundred in first-class history on the first three days - Hadlee's 240-ball innings livened things up a bit at the finish, and it was also New Zealand's 100th Test century. He added a national-record 246 for the sixth wicket with his captain Jeff Crowe.
Given that he is bracketed as one of the four great allrounders of the 1980s, it's a bit of a surprise that Richard Hadlee made only two Test hundreds. His highest was this spanking 151 not out, against a modest Sri Lankan attack in Colombo. In a match notable only for the funereal tempo - Brendon Kuruppu crawled to the slowest double-hundred in first-class history on the first three days - Hadlee's 240-ball innings livened things up a bit at the finish, and it was also New Zealand's 100th Test century. He added a national-record 246 for the sixth wicket with his captain Jeff Crowe.
1996
Zimbabwe's domestic competition isn't usually much to write home about, but the final of the Lonrho Logan Cup that ended in Bulawayo on this day, with Matabeleland beating Mashonaland by six wickets, was utterly extraordinary for the performance of occasional Test wicketkeeper Wayne James. He made nine dismissals in the first innings - equalling the world record - and added four in the second (his 13 broke that world record too). Not content with that, he cracked 99 in the first innings, and was stranded on 99 not out in the second. To top it all, the winning runs were four byes.
Zimbabwe's domestic competition isn't usually much to write home about, but the final of the Lonrho Logan Cup that ended in Bulawayo on this day, with Matabeleland beating Mashonaland by six wickets, was utterly extraordinary for the performance of occasional Test wicketkeeper Wayne James. He made nine dismissals in the first innings - equalling the world record - and added four in the second (his 13 broke that world record too). Not content with that, he cracked 99 in the first innings, and was stranded on 99 not out in the second. To top it all, the winning runs were four byes.
Other birthdays
1934 Martin Horton (England)
1976 Shabbir Ahmed (Pakistan)
1976 Shabbir Ahmed (Pakistan)