Christmas crackers
Players who were born or achieved fame during the festive season
Steven Lynch
27-Dec-2010
No one does Boxing Day like the "G" • Getty Images
Colin Cowdrey
The first man to play in more than 100 Tests was born on Christmas Eve in 1932. And he celebrated his 30th birthday by completing his highest score, 307, for MCC against South Australia in Adelaide. Cowdrey later acquired the car number plate MCC 307 to remind himself of his initials and his best score.
The first man to play in more than 100 Tests was born on Christmas Eve in 1932. And he celebrated his 30th birthday by completing his highest score, 307, for MCC against South Australia in Adelaide. Cowdrey later acquired the car number plate MCC 307 to remind himself of his initials and his best score.
Robert Christiani
The bespectacled Guyanese Robert Christiani started his Test career in bittersweet style, making 99 before being trapped lbw by England's Ken Cranston in January 1948. Three years later Christiani was part of the West Indian side that beat Australia in Adelaide, in the first Test ever to include play on Christmas Day - and it was Christiani who hit the winning runs, around halfway through the day, to ensure that he and his team-mates enjoyed their Christmas dinner.
The bespectacled Guyanese Robert Christiani started his Test career in bittersweet style, making 99 before being trapped lbw by England's Ken Cranston in January 1948. Three years later Christiani was part of the West Indian side that beat Australia in Adelaide, in the first Test ever to include play on Christmas Day - and it was Christiani who hit the winning runs, around halfway through the day, to ensure that he and his team-mates enjoyed their Christmas dinner.
Marcus Trescothick
"Banger" was born on Christmas Day 1975, and scored over 10,000 runs in international cricket - including 12 one-day hundreds, still the England record - before an insidious stress-related disease got the better of him. Trescothick remains an awesome prospect for opposing bowlers in county cricket.
"Banger" was born on Christmas Day 1975, and scored over 10,000 runs in international cricket - including 12 one-day hundreds, still the England record - before an insidious stress-related disease got the better of him. Trescothick remains an awesome prospect for opposing bowlers in county cricket.
Alastair Cook
England's current Ashes run-machine was also born on Christmas Day, in his case in 1984. At Lord's in 2006 he and Trescothick shared a stand of 127, the second-highest in Tests by two unrelated players who share a birthday (for the record, the highest is 163 by Vic Stollmeyer and Kenneth Weekes - both born on January 24 - for West Indies v England at The Oval in 1939).
England's current Ashes run-machine was also born on Christmas Day, in his case in 1984. At Lord's in 2006 he and Trescothick shared a stand of 127, the second-highest in Tests by two unrelated players who share a birthday (for the record, the highest is 163 by Vic Stollmeyer and Kenneth Weekes - both born on January 24 - for West Indies v England at The Oval in 1939).
Simon Jones
The third recent England player to be born on Christmas Day (1978) was Jones, one of the heroes of the 2005 Ashes series. Since then he's been hamstrung by various injuries, but back in the day he was a testing prospect with the ball and one of England (and Wales)'s leading exponents of reverse-swing.
The third recent England player to be born on Christmas Day (1978) was Jones, one of the heroes of the 2005 Ashes series. Since then he's been hamstrung by various injuries, but back in the day he was a testing prospect with the ball and one of England (and Wales)'s leading exponents of reverse-swing.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground
Others have tried Boxing Day Test matches, but nowhere does it quite like the MCG. Now a huge concrete bowl, the "G" still manages to create atmosphere like no other. England had famous successes here in 1982-83, 1986-87 and 1998-99 - but the first day, in front of a huge and partisan crowd, is a tester for anyone.
Others have tried Boxing Day Test matches, but nowhere does it quite like the MCG. Now a huge concrete bowl, the "G" still manages to create atmosphere like no other. England had famous successes here in 1982-83, 1986-87 and 1998-99 - but the first day, in front of a huge and partisan crowd, is a tester for anyone.
Clarrie Grimmett
The first man to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets (in 1935-36), the great Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett was born on Christmas Day 1891... in New Zealand. His native country didn't play Test cricket when Grimmett started, so he went to live in Australia in search of greater opportunities, and had to move around there too before he was finally taken seriously by South Australia. He made his Test debut at 33, took 11 wickets, and rarely looked back.
The first man to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets (in 1935-36), the great Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett was born on Christmas Day 1891... in New Zealand. His native country didn't play Test cricket when Grimmett started, so he went to live in Australia in search of greater opportunities, and had to move around there too before he was finally taken seriously by South Australia. He made his Test debut at 33, took 11 wickets, and rarely looked back.
Hedley Howarth
Another fine New Zealand-born spinner, who first saw the light of day on Christmas Day 1943 - and this one played for New Zealand. Howarth played in 30 Tests, looking like a star in the making at first until overwork dulled his attacking edge. His brother Geoff later captained New Zealand; Hedley sadly died of cancer in 2008.
Another fine New Zealand-born spinner, who first saw the light of day on Christmas Day 1943 - and this one played for New Zealand. Howarth played in 30 Tests, looking like a star in the making at first until overwork dulled his attacking edge. His brother Geoff later captained New Zealand; Hedley sadly died of cancer in 2008.
Geoff Allott
Another New Zealand left-armer, but a fast bowler this time - Allott was born on Christmas Eve 1971. He once batted for 101 minutes - and 77 balls - in a Test without getting off the mark: his duck, against South Africa in Auckland in March 1999, remains the longest in Test history. Allott would probably like to be remembered more for his success during the 1999 World Cup - his 20 wickets in that tournament, wobbling the white ball around in early-season England, was a record at the time.
Another New Zealand left-armer, but a fast bowler this time - Allott was born on Christmas Eve 1971. He once batted for 101 minutes - and 77 balls - in a Test without getting off the mark: his duck, against South Africa in Auckland in March 1999, remains the longest in Test history. Allott would probably like to be remembered more for his success during the 1999 World Cup - his 20 wickets in that tournament, wobbling the white ball around in early-season England, was a record at the time.
A tenth-wicket stand
Victoria's fielders were probably looking forward to putting their feet up with a mince pie or two after reducing New South Wales to 113 for 9 in their Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne on Christmas Day 1928. But NSW's last pair, Alan Kippax and Hal Hooker, had other ideas, and by stumps had taken the score to 367 for 9: next morning they extended their tenth-wicket stand to 307, still a first-class record. Kippax finished with 260 not out and Hooker - whose previous-highest score was 28 - made 62, which remained his career-best.
Victoria's fielders were probably looking forward to putting their feet up with a mince pie or two after reducing New South Wales to 113 for 9 in their Sheffield Shield match in Melbourne on Christmas Day 1928. But NSW's last pair, Alan Kippax and Hal Hooker, had other ideas, and by stumps had taken the score to 367 for 9: next morning they extended their tenth-wicket stand to 307, still a first-class record. Kippax finished with 260 not out and Hooker - whose previous-highest score was 28 - made 62, which remained his career-best.
Iqbal Siddiqui
The Maharashtra seamer Siddiqui, who was born on Boxing Day in 1974, played only one Test for India, but packed a lot into it: in Mohali in December 2001 he opened the bowling and took an important wicket (Graham Thorpe). Then, promoted to open when India needed only five to win, he slapped a four and a single off Matthew Hoggard.
The Maharashtra seamer Siddiqui, who was born on Boxing Day in 1974, played only one Test for India, but packed a lot into it: in Mohali in December 2001 he opened the bowling and took an important wicket (Graham Thorpe). Then, promoted to open when India needed only five to win, he slapped a four and a single off Matthew Hoggard.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2011. And Ask Steven is now on Facebook