1938
England captain Wally Hammond finally deigned to declare the innings closed – although if he'd let it run its course it might have really amounted to something. As it was, 903 for 7 was quite enough to destroy an injury-hit Australia by the ludicrous margin of an innings and 579 runs. The head groundsman at The Oval, "Bosser" Martin wasn't impressed. In a Test with no time limit, he felt England should have gone for the 1000. Instead that 903 was a Test record until Sri Lanka amassed 952 for 6 against India in 1997-98.

1972
Birth of an England batsman who was the son of another. Mark Butcher's father Alan played in one Test, against India at The Oval in 1979. His son Mark has played in rather more, scoring centuries against South Africa in 1998 and in Australia the following winter. He was England's best batsman in the 2001 Ashes series, his several good scores culminating in a fulminating 173 not out, his highest Test score, which gave England an unlikely, restorative win at Headingley. Since then he has reinvented himself as a sober, secure No. 3.

1974
Another Test double-century in England for Zaheer Abbas. Strangely enough, his 240 at at The Oval was his first Test ton since his equally epic 274 at Edgbaston in 1971. England had less trouble drawing the match this time.

1963
Slow left-armer Richard Illingworth was born. No great terror to Test batsmen, he nevertheless wrote his line in the record books with his very first ball, against West Indies at at Trent Bridge in 1991. Phil Simmons jammed it into the ground, it skidded back and hit the stumps - and Illingworth was the first England bowler to take a wicket with his opening delivery in Tests since Dick Howorth in 1947. He took only another 18 Test wickets while conceding just 2.48 runs an over.

1911
Kent wicketkeeper Fred Huish set a first-class record that still stands by making his ninth stumping of the match against Surrey at The Oval.

1993
A Test match special. The last day behind the microphone for Brian Johnston. England rewarded his longevity by beating Australia by 161 runs, ending a sequence of ten matches without a win. Johnners died the following winter.

Other birthdays
1909 Syd Buller (English Test umpire)
1921 Cecil "Sam" Cook (England)
1967 Richard Petrie (New Zealand)
1973 Kerry Walmsley (New Zealand)

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