May 29 down the years
Chennai Super Kings' five-for
A fifth title for Dhoni's men in yellow
MS Dhoni hugs Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a six and a four off the last two balls of the rain-shortened 2023 IPL final to give Chennai Super Kings their fifth title • BCCI
2023
Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title, equalling Mumbai Indians. A spell of rain set in after Gujarat Titans made an imposing 214 in the final, engineered by newbie batter Sai Sudharsan, who made 96 off 47 balls. When CSK chased, they needed 175 off 15 overs. They motored along at a fair clip, their top five all scoring in double digits, at strike rates of 152 and above, but it still came down to a daunting 13 to get off the last over. It became tighter still when Mohit Sharma conceded only three runs off his first four balls. Enter CSK stalwart Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the fifth ball for six over long-on and a four off the last delivery. Small consolation for Titans: the top three wicket-takers of the season, Mohammed Shami, Mohit, and Rashid Khan (82 wickets between them), were all from their ranks. As was top run-scorer Shubman Gill, who stormed to the top of the charts with 890 runs - over 500 of which came in his last seven games as Titans scorched a path to the final.
Chennai Super Kings won their fifth IPL title, equalling Mumbai Indians. A spell of rain set in after Gujarat Titans made an imposing 214 in the final, engineered by newbie batter Sai Sudharsan, who made 96 off 47 balls. When CSK chased, they needed 175 off 15 overs. They motored along at a fair clip, their top five all scoring in double digits, at strike rates of 152 and above, but it still came down to a daunting 13 to get off the last over. It became tighter still when Mohit Sharma conceded only three runs off his first four balls. Enter CSK stalwart Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the fifth ball for six over long-on and a four off the last delivery. Small consolation for Titans: the top three wicket-takers of the season, Mohammed Shami, Mohit, and Rashid Khan (82 wickets between them), were all from their ranks. As was top run-scorer Shubman Gill, who stormed to the top of the charts with 890 runs - over 500 of which came in his last seven games as Titans scorched a path to the final.
2000
West Indies needed 216 to beat Pakistan in Antigua, but looked dead in the water at 197 for 9 as Courtney Walsh strode out swinging his arms. But his captain, Jimmy Adams, was still there, and drip by drip (Adams' 48 not out came in almost six hours, with not a single boundary) they saw West Indies to the ninth one-wicket win in Test history. It shouldn't have been so: replays showed Walsh was caught via bat and pad off Saqlain Mushtaq, who then missed two clear run-out chances, one of them a sitter when Adams and Walsh ended up at the same end. Wasim Akram, who had put the burgeoning match-fixing scandal aside to bowl heroically for figures of 11 for 110, was the unluckiest of losers.
West Indies needed 216 to beat Pakistan in Antigua, but looked dead in the water at 197 for 9 as Courtney Walsh strode out swinging his arms. But his captain, Jimmy Adams, was still there, and drip by drip (Adams' 48 not out came in almost six hours, with not a single boundary) they saw West Indies to the ninth one-wicket win in Test history. It shouldn't have been so: replays showed Walsh was caught via bat and pad off Saqlain Mushtaq, who then missed two clear run-out chances, one of them a sitter when Adams and Walsh ended up at the same end. Wasim Akram, who had put the burgeoning match-fixing scandal aside to bowl heroically for figures of 11 for 110, was the unluckiest of losers.
2022
A new IPL winner. In their debut season, Gujarat Titans won the title after beating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in a home final in Ahmedabad in front of over 100,000 spectators. Titans captain Hardik Pandya starred with ball and bat, dismissing big hitters Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer, and then scoring 34 in a low chase. Royals could only limp to 130 after Pandya's strikes and Titans needed just over 18 overs to get there, opener Shubman Gill leading the way with an unbeaten 45. This was the first final since 2016 won by a team other than Mumbai Indians or Chennai Super Kings.
A new IPL winner. In their debut season, Gujarat Titans won the title after beating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in a home final in Ahmedabad in front of over 100,000 spectators. Titans captain Hardik Pandya starred with ball and bat, dismissing big hitters Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer, and then scoring 34 in a low chase. Royals could only limp to 130 after Pandya's strikes and Titans needed just over 18 overs to get there, opener Shubman Gill leading the way with an unbeaten 45. This was the first final since 2016 won by a team other than Mumbai Indians or Chennai Super Kings.
1902
The beginning of the inaugural Test at Edgbaston, and England picked an XI who all had first-class centuries to their name. It was also, according to some very good judges, including Frank Keating, the greatest team they have ever picked: Archie MacLaren, CB Fry, Ranji, FS Jackson, Johnny Tyldesley, Dick Lilley, George Hirst, Gilbert Jessop, Len Braund, Bill Lockwood and Wilfred Rhodes. Rhodes - a man who scored almost 40,000 first-class runs - was some No. 11. He made 38 not out, and with Tyldesley cracking 138, England made 376 for 9 declared. That was worth plenty more on a pitch so poor that Australia were then skittled for 36, their lowest Test score. Rhodes took 7 for 17, but as England moved in for a quick second-innings kill, rain ruined the last day and the match was drawn.
The beginning of the inaugural Test at Edgbaston, and England picked an XI who all had first-class centuries to their name. It was also, according to some very good judges, including Frank Keating, the greatest team they have ever picked: Archie MacLaren, CB Fry, Ranji, FS Jackson, Johnny Tyldesley, Dick Lilley, George Hirst, Gilbert Jessop, Len Braund, Bill Lockwood and Wilfred Rhodes. Rhodes - a man who scored almost 40,000 first-class runs - was some No. 11. He made 38 not out, and with Tyldesley cracking 138, England made 376 for 9 declared. That was worth plenty more on a pitch so poor that Australia were then skittled for 36, their lowest Test score. Rhodes took 7 for 17, but as England moved in for a quick second-innings kill, rain ruined the last day and the match was drawn.
1999
Having already qualified for the Super Six stage by demolishing all comers, South Africa were probably not overly concerned when they lost their final group game against Zimbabwe in Chelmsford. But the repercussions were considerable: as well as knocking England out, it meant that South Africa carried two fewer points to the Super Six stage. With those two points, they would have finished above Australia in the Super Sixes and things might have turned out quite different.
Having already qualified for the Super Six stage by demolishing all comers, South Africa were probably not overly concerned when they lost their final group game against Zimbabwe in Chelmsford. But the repercussions were considerable: as well as knocking England out, it meant that South Africa carried two fewer points to the Super Six stage. With those two points, they would have finished above Australia in the Super Sixes and things might have turned out quite different.
1950
But for his namesake Deryck, David Murray, the West Indian keeper, who was born today, would surely have played many more than 19 Tests. He was talented behind the wicket and a capable batter who made three Test fifties and a first-class double hundred, in Jamshedpur on the 1978-79 tour of India. He took over from Deryck Murray - they were not related - in 1980-81, and was briefly No. 1, but he was banned from playing cricket in the West Indies after he went on a rebel tour to South Africa, and his last Test appearance came in Sydney in 1981-82.
But for his namesake Deryck, David Murray, the West Indian keeper, who was born today, would surely have played many more than 19 Tests. He was talented behind the wicket and a capable batter who made three Test fifties and a first-class double hundred, in Jamshedpur on the 1978-79 tour of India. He took over from Deryck Murray - they were not related - in 1980-81, and was briefly No. 1, but he was banned from playing cricket in the West Indies after he went on a rebel tour to South Africa, and his last Test appearance came in Sydney in 1981-82.
2016
A maiden IPL title for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who beat Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Sunrisers were led from the front by David Warner, who finished with 848 runs in the tournament, and their bowlers - in particular Mustafizur Rahman and Bhuvneshwar Kumar - were stellar as well. Royal Challengers' path to the final was more dramatic, after they won only two of their first seven matches, and that they got there was thanks in large part to Virat Kohli, who scored a record four centuries in the season. But in the end it was Sunrisers who emerged victorious in a match in which over 400 runs were scored. Ben Cutting's tail-end 15-ball 39 was to prove vital.
A maiden IPL title for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who beat Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Sunrisers were led from the front by David Warner, who finished with 848 runs in the tournament, and their bowlers - in particular Mustafizur Rahman and Bhuvneshwar Kumar - were stellar as well. Royal Challengers' path to the final was more dramatic, after they won only two of their first seven matches, and that they got there was thanks in large part to Virat Kohli, who scored a record four centuries in the season. But in the end it was Sunrisers who emerged victorious in a match in which over 400 runs were scored. Ben Cutting's tail-end 15-ball 39 was to prove vital.
1950
Talat Ali, who was born today, played ten Tests for Pakistan in the 1970s, but he is better known as a match referee. Talat was a dogged opener who got his Test career off to a traumatic start when he fractured his thumb on debut, facing Dennis Lillee in Adelaide in 1972-73. Pakistan won only one of his ten matches, when he made 40 and a Test-best 61 in Christchurch in 1978-79.
Talat Ali, who was born today, played ten Tests for Pakistan in the 1970s, but he is better known as a match referee. Talat was a dogged opener who got his Test career off to a traumatic start when he fractured his thumb on debut, facing Dennis Lillee in Adelaide in 1972-73. Pakistan won only one of his ten matches, when he made 40 and a Test-best 61 in Christchurch in 1978-79.
1839
Birth of the first man to be dismissed in a Test. Australian allrounder Nat Thomson was bowled by Yorkshire's Allen Hill for 1 at the MCG in the inaugural Test in 1876-77, but within three weeks his Test career was over. Thomson was dropped after the second Test, despite having made 41 in the second innings of a match where no Australian reached 50. He died in his native Sydney in 1896.
Birth of the first man to be dismissed in a Test. Australian allrounder Nat Thomson was bowled by Yorkshire's Allen Hill for 1 at the MCG in the inaugural Test in 1876-77, but within three weeks his Test career was over. Thomson was dropped after the second Test, despite having made 41 in the second innings of a match where no Australian reached 50. He died in his native Sydney in 1896.
1839
On the same day that Thomson was born, so was Edward James "Ned" Gregory. He also played in that first Test, and became the first batter to fall for a duck in a Test. It was his only appearance. His son Syd, who was born on the site of the SCG, later captained Australia. Ned was curator at the SCG for 30 years, where he died in 1899.
On the same day that Thomson was born, so was Edward James "Ned" Gregory. He also played in that first Test, and became the first batter to fall for a duck in a Test. It was his only appearance. His son Syd, who was born on the site of the SCG, later captained Australia. Ned was curator at the SCG for 30 years, where he died in 1899.
Other birthdays
1953 Rangy Nanan (West Indies)
1953 Rangy Nanan (West Indies)