1966
One of the mainstays of Sri Lanka's Test batting was born. With his bushy black beard and solid batting, Asanka Gurusinha was one of the most recognisable figures in world cricket for a decade. The highest of his seven Test centuries was 143 at Melbourne in 1995-96, and he was just as good at the one-day game. He scored two ODI centuries and played a big part in Sri Lanka's World Cup win of 1996, in which he averaged 51.16 and hit two 80s. According to the Wisden Almanack, his 65 in the final "provided steadily accelerating support" for Aravinda de Silva's matchwinning hundred. Gurusinha later fell out with the Sri Lankan board and went to live in Australia, the same country he'd helped to beat in the final.

1959
One of South Africa's best Test wicketkeepers was born. In his 42 Tests, Dave Richardson made 152 dismissals. A reliance on pace bowling meant that only two of them were stumpings. In fact he took 120 catches before stumping Venkatesh Prasad off the bowling of Paul Adams at Cape Town in 1996-97. A more than useful batsman, Richardson scored nine Test fifties as well as a century against New Zealand at Cape Town in 1994-95. In his next Test, against Pakistan at Johannesburg, he made a king pair, a minor blip in a highly successful career. In January 2002 he became ICC's first general manager.

1988
Restored to the captaincy, Javed Miandad proved yet again what a master batsman he was by hitting 211 against Australia at Karachi. After putting on 196 with Shoaib Mohammad (94), he declared at 469 for 9. Australia, dismissed for 165 and 116, lost by an innings and 188. It was the fifth of Javed's six Test double-centuries. Only Wally Hammond (7) and Don Bradman (12) have scored more.

2000
Chris Cairns completes figures of 5 for 31 to help New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets in the Bulawayo Test.

1932
Birth of an England team manager whose son played in the team. Micky Stewart, who was born today, played in eight Tests himself, hitting 86 against Pakistan at Headingley in 1962 and 87 at Old Trafford in an otherwise disappointing series against West Indies in 1963. In his last Test, at Bombay in 1963-64, he caught dysentery at tea and couldn't bat. He's better known as a team manager whose partnership with captain Graham Gooch produced a strict regime that wasn't especially successful. And for being Alec's dad.

1979
Gritty batting by bowlers saved the opening Test of a series. Geoff Dymock and Rodney Hogg survived for over an hour to deny India at Madras. Australia finished 177 runs ahead with three wickets left.

1974
Birth of that modern rarity, a Scottish World Cup hero. Although Scotland lost all five matches in the 1999 tournament, one player stood out. Allrounder Gavin Hamilton, who was born today, made their only two fifties – 76 v Pakistan and 63 not out v Bangladesh – and a defiant 24 out of 68 all out v West Indies. He scored 217 runs in the tournament, more than any England batsman could manage. After all that, Test cricket was a bit of rude awakening. In his only match for England so far, at Johannesburg in 1999-2000, Hamilton made a pair and took 0 for 63 in 15 overs. County cricket applied some balm to the wound: in 2001 he helped Yorkshire win the Championship for the first time since 1968.

1996
In a Sahara Cup ODI at Toronto, Sachin Tendulkar hit 89 in 89 balls to help beat Pakistan by eight wickets.

Other birthdays
1863 John Trumble (Australia)
1877 Robert Graham (South Africa)
1885 Dick Young (England)
1954 Roger Woolley (Australia)
1956 Cornelius Henry (Canada)
1967 Barrington Browne (West Indies)

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