1911
One of the great figures in world cricket was born. Lala Amarnath's century on debut, against England in 1933-34, was India's first in Test cricket. A dashing batsman and versatile bowler, he twice took five wickets in an innings in the 1946 series in England – ten years after being sent home from a shambolic tour of the same country. He captained India to victory in their first official series against Pakistan (1952-53) – and his Test career lasted 19 years to the day. His sons Mohinder and Surinder also played for India.

1985
One of Sri Lanka's greatest days. The match at Colombo's Sara Stadium was their 14th in Test cricket – and their first win. Thanks to Rumesh Ratnayake's 5 for 49 and Amal Silva's five dismissals, India were all out for 198 and lost by 149 runs. A draw in the next Test gave Sri Lanka a series for the first time.

1999
Another big one for Sri Lanka, this time at Kandy. Led by new captain Sanath Jayasuriya, they beat Australia in a Test match for the first time, at the 11th attempt. Once the visitors had been dismissed for only 140 on an uneven pitch, Sri Lanka won comfortably by six wickets.

1912
West Indies' youngest Test cricketer was born. When he made his debut, against England at Bridgetown, Derek Sealy was only 17 years 122 days old, the youngest Test cricketer from outside the subcontinent. A strong attacking batsman, he made 58 in his debut innings and went on to score 92 and 91 in different Tests against the same country in 1934-35. He didn't do so well away from home, averaging only 10.00 in Australia in 1930-31 and 23.75 in England in 1939.

1999
A new member joins a relatively exclusive club. Tasmanian batsman Jamie Cox scored a double-century and a century in the same first-class match, making 216 and 129 not out for Somerset v Hampshire at Southampton. On what the Wisden Almanack described as "a perfect batting wicket", he was dropped twice in the first innings but "his second was chanceless".

1995
Much better known as an opening batsman who scored 205 at Old Trafford in 1992, Aamir Sohail was an occasional slow left-arm bowler who did the trick on this occasion. His 4 for 54 helped dismiss Sri Lanka for 233 at Peshawar and win the first Test by 40 runs.

1849
A long-lived great-grandfather was born today. When William Henry Cooper died in 1939, he was 89 years old. He liked to take his time with other things too: when he played first-class cricket for the first time, he was already 27. In the first of his two Tests, against England at Melbourne in 1881-82, he bowled 98.2 overs in the match, finishing with 9 for 200. His main claim to fame is ancestral: the only player whose great-grandson was also a Test cricketer. Paul Sheahan played his first Test for Australia in 1967-68.

Other birthdays
1874 Charles Prince (South Africa)
1907 Oscar da Costa (West Indies)
1976 Murali Kartik (India)

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