Bob Massie, the Australian swing bowler immortalised for one of the most startling debuts in Test history. At Lord's in 1972, the mutton-chopped Massie swung the ball devilishly and demolished England with eight wickets in each innings, and his figures of 16 for 137 were the best by a Test debutant until Narendra Hirwani spun West Indies to defeat 15 years later. But Massie's star fell as quickly as it had risen: he played only five more Tests, and within 18 months of his Lord's debut he was dropped by his state side, Western Australia. Two years before that debut, Massie had been rejected after a trial with Northants.
1870
An Australian captain is born, in the Sydney Cricket Ground. Syd Gregory came to England on eight different tours, and in all played 58 Tests between 1890 and 1912, a record 52 of them against England. He was a wristy right-hander, and a New South Wales boy who marked Sydney's inaugural Test - when England were the visitors in 1894-95 - with a memorable 201, although the match is best remembered for England winning despite being forced to follow on. Gregory eventually led a depleted Australia in the Triangular Tournament in England in 1912, his last bow as a Test player. He died in Sydney in 1929.
1960
Birth of Pat Symcox, South Africa's tall, in-your-face offspinner, whose 20-Test career was most notable for his lower-order biffing: Symcox became only the third No. 10 to make a Test hundred against Pakistan at Johannesburg in 1997-98 … and was promptly dropped. His signature performance came earlier that winter though. In a series decider in Faisalabad he whacked 81 and 55 before cleaning up Pakistan with 3 for 8 in the second innings to seal a famous South African victory.
1965
Despite being their chairman of selectors, Gerry Gomez umpired in West Indies' fourth Test against Australia in Guyana after Cecil Kippins pulled out on the eve of the match in a row over the appointment of Cortez Jordan of Barbados as the other umpire. Though Gomez held an umpiring certificate, he had never before officiated in a first-class match.
1931
A debut centurion is born. The bespectacled Jamaican Bruce Pairaudeau started off in style with 115 for West Indies against India in Trinidad in 1952-53, but his Test career nosedived with a vengeance after that. In 20 further innings he only got into double figures six times, and he was bowled in over a third of his innings. His last appearance came against England at Headingley in 1957. He later went to live in New Zealand.
Other birthdays
1876 Murray Bisset (South Africa)
1904 Lionel Birkett (West Indies)
1905 Jack Nitschke (Australia)
1916 Commandur Rangachari (India)
1925 Gogumal Kishenchand (India)
1943 Harilal Shah (East Africa)
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