da wazamba： All Today’s Yesterdays – July 23 down the years July 22 | July 24 1953 Birth of a batsman who took a while to find his feet in Test cricket butwent on to become the best of his generation
Wisden CricInfo staff23-Jul-2003
All Today’s Yesterdays – July 23 down the years
July 22| July 24
1953
Birth of a batsman who took a while to find his feet in Test cricket butwent on to become the best of his generation. Graham Gooch scored 8,900runs in Tests, a record for England – after being dismissed for a pairon his debut, against Australia at Edgbaston in 1975. Pick of the bunch,333 and all, was his 154 not out against West Indies at Headingley in1991. According to the Wisden 100, only Don Bradman and Brian Lara haveplayed greater innings in a Test. He was also the first player with amoustache to play Test cricket for England since Peter Smith in 1946-47.
1994
The day Mike Atherton put some dirt in his pocket – and nearly lost hisjob. With England taking one hell of a beating against South Africa atLord’s, Atherton used the dirt to dry one side of the ball and so helpDarren Gough get some reverse-swing. Having dirt in his pocket was notillegal, but rubbing it on the ball contravened Law 42.5, and the matchreferee Peter Burge called him to explain his actions. Burge acceptedAtherton’s explanation, but the following day Atherton admitted lying toBurge. For that, he was fined £2000 by Ray Illingworth – half for lying,half for having dirt in his pocket – and crucified by the press. Illylater told anyone who’d listen that the fines saved Athers’ job. Lost inthe furore was a real spanking for England: they lost by 356 runs, andwere bowled out for only 99 in the second innings. That was a poignantnumber: Atherton weathered the storm and made a brilliant, bloody-minded99 in the next Test at Headingley.
1949
Birth of a world-class allrounder who lost a Test career because SouthAfrica were banned. By the time South Africa were re-admitted, Clive Rice was past his best – but his best had been considerable. A hardhitting batsman and aggressive pace bowler, he formed a famouspartnership with Richard Hadlee that bowled Notts to the CountyChampionship in 1981 and 1987. He was South Africa’s first captain afterthe ban, in three one-day internationals in India in 1991-92 – but itwas hardly a consolation.
1998
On the first day at Trent Bridge, Hansie Cronje scored acentury in his 50th Test, and launched a famous pre-planned assault onthe recalled Ian Salisbury, but South Africa went on to lose the match.
1851
Birth of pioneering Test batsman Charles Bannerman. Against England atMelbourne in 1876-77, Bannerman faced the first ball in Test cricket,scored the first run, the first fifty and the first hundred. By the timehe retired hurt with a damaged finger, he’d made 165 of Australia’stotal of 245, still the highest percentage of a completed innings in allTests. His highest score in his two subsequent Tests was an unremarkable30 – but his place in Test history is secure. His brother Alick, afamous stonewalling batsman, also played for Australia.
1949
Brian Close made his Test debut, against New Zealand at Old Trafford. At18 years 149 days, he’s still the youngest ever to play Test cricket forEngland. In 1976 he became one of the oldest: 45 years 140 days.
1934
On his favourite English ground, Don Bradman completed his second triplecentury in a Headingley Test, making 304 and sharing a stand of 388 withBill Ponsford, who hit 181.
1938
If it’s Headingley, it must be a big score by Bradman. The Don made 103against England. No triple century this time, but the pitch was trickierthan those in 1930 and 1934.
1884
On the last day of the first Test ever played at Lord’s, George Ulyettcompleted figures of 7 for 36 to bowl Australia to an innings defeat.
1942
Death of a double international. Andy Ducat died as he wouldprobably have wanted to die: batting in a match at Lord’s. He playedfootball and cricket for England, scoring the only goal of the gameagainst Wales in 1910 and making 3 and 2 in his only Test, against theall-conquering Australians at Headingley in 1921.
Other birthdays
1950 Alan Turner (Australia)
1952 Paul Hibbert (Australia)
1972 Floyd Reifer (West Indies)