Simply marvellous
To a new generation of cricket fans Richie Benaud, who was born today, is simply the best commentator in the business. But in his time he was also a marvellous allrounder: dashing batsman, brilliant fielder, ingenious legspinner and peerless captain (he lost only four of 28 Tests as captain and Australia never lost a series when he was in charge). His finest hour came at Old Trafford in 1961. Bowling into the rough outside leg stump, he took 6 for 70 to help Australia retain the Ashes after England had looked set to go one up with one to play. As a journalist he is held in the highest regard. Economical and authoritative, Benaud is also the only person in the world who could get away with describing a loose stroke as a "windy woof", as he did when Nathan Astle was caught behind at Edgbaston in 1999.
Born in South Africa, the son of a Scottish father, captain of England and now settled in Australia - Test cricket has never seen anybody quite like Tony Greig, who was born today. A muscular allrounder with a taste for the big occasion Greig was never far from controversy. He played a leading role in the setting-up of World Series Cricket, and he also notoriously ran out Alvin Kallicharran after the last ball of the day had been bowled at Port-of-Spain in 1973-74. Greig apologised and the appeal was later retracted. And then there was his "We'll make them grovel" comment that came back to haunt him so spectacularly against West Indies in 1976. His zealous style is not everyone's cup of tea, but Greig remains a successful TV commentator.
When he was given a central contract for the 2000 season, Chris Schofield, who was born today, looked set to end England's desperate search for a decent legspinner. But Zimbabwe took him apart on a Trent Bridge shirtfront and the England selectors, fearful of a Lara savaging, got the jitters and dropped him. After that he went through a phase where he struggled at times to get a game for Lancashire. And though he was picked for the Academy squad, one feared that if Rod Marsh could not get him ready for international cricket, nobody could.
That intrepid hooker Les Favell was born. He was a dashing opener who had little time for the forward defensive, and once scored 22 off the first four balls of Australia's innings against Trinidad in 1955. But ironically his only Test century came when he did offer a straight bat: Favell batted throughout the first day for the 101 that set Australia up for an innings victory at Madras in 1959-60. His 12,379 first-class runs are the highest aggregate for an Australian who never toured England. A legend in Adelaide (he was born in New South Wales but played for South Australia), he died of cancer in 1987.
1887
Only a fool messed with the fearsome figure of George Brown, who was born today: in a county match he purposefully took successive bumpers on the chest, with his bat held out of the way, before bursting into laughter. The striking-looking Brown was a genuine allrounder who batted left-handed, bowled right-handed and kept wicket in all of his seven Tests. He made over 25,000 runs and took over 600 wickets in first-class cricket for Hampshire, and when he died in 1964 his ashes were scattered over the ground at Southampton.
Birth of the tireless Morris Nichols, who did the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets eight times for Essex between 1929 and 1939. Nichols was a useful allrounder whose batting average was higher than his bowling at both Test and first-class level. But he only played 14 Tests, and saved his most famous performance for his county. At Huddersfield in 1935, Nichols took 11 for 54 and scored 146 as Essex thrashed Yorkshire, the champions, by an innings. He died in Nottingham in 1961.
1956
Only three Tests for slow left-armer Murray Bennett, who was born today, but at least he got to play Goliath. At Sydney in 1984-85, he and Bob Holland spun the mighty West Indies to defeat in Clive Lloyd's last Test. It was their first defeat for three years and 28 Tests, but Bennett only tasted life at the top level once more, when he was taken to the cleaners at The Oval in 1985 as England regained the Ashes. Bennett was also a pioneer of the shades that are commonplace in cricket today.
Other birthdays
1867 Victor Barton (England)
1957 Shahzad Altaf (UAE)
1965 Ian Allen (West Indies)
1975 Reon King (West Indies)
1976 Sanjay Raul (India)