1933
The day a cricketing drama turned into a mini-series. England's Bodyline tactics had antagonised the Australians before now, but on the second day of the third Test at Adelaide, all hell broke loose. Bill Woodfull was struck over the heart to conclude a fearsome working-over, and then two days later Bertie Oldfield sustained a fractured skull when he missed a hook. For a while it looked like the whole tour would be called off, but order was eventually restored and England romped home by 338 runs.

1969
Few England cricketers have had as much bad luck as Martin Bicknell, who was born today. His first tour was the ill-fated Ashes trip of 1990-91, his debut the Headingley spanking by Australia in 1993, after which he was plagued by injuries in the mid-90s. But since then Bicknell has been the most consistent bowler in county cricket, and he can bat too: in 2001 he averaged 46 with the bat, 21 with the ball; in 2000 it was 31 and 17; in 1999 33 and 18. Given some of the bowlers England have capped in recent years, it is staggering that Bicknell has played only two Tests.

1937
A career of many highlights for Ken Higgs, who was born today. A useful fast-medium bowler and dogged tailender who played 15 Tests, he took three first-class hat-tricks in his career, two for Lancashire and one for Leicestershire, and another in the 1974 Benson and Hedges Cup final. He also contributed 63 to a last-wicket stand of 128 with John Snow against West Indies at The Oval in 1966, when England recovered from 166 for 7 to reach 527. But he and Ray Illingworth trumped that 11 years later when, astonishingly, they led Leicestershire from 45 for 9 to 273 all out. Higgs was run out for 98, his highest first-class score. As Leicestershire coach in 1986, he returned at the age of 49 in an injury crisis and took a five-for against Yorkshire.

1898
Test cricket's first maximum. There had been sixes before in Tests, but all with the aid of overthrows, and Australia's Joe Darling managed the real thing when he smacked the ball out of the Adelaide Oval to reach his century in the first Test against England. In those days you had to hit it out of the ground to get six - clearing the boundary was only worth five.

1964
There have been some thrifty spells in Test history, but few can match the parsimony of Indian spinner "Bapu" Nadkarni's work today. In the first Test against England at Madras, he returned figures of 32-27-5-0, including 21 consecutive maidens, a first-class record for six-ball overs. Imagine what Steve Waugh would have made of this. Believe it or not, his spell of 131 balls without conceding a run has been beaten - by the South African offspinner Hugh Tayfield, who in the days of eight-ball overs went 137 balls without conceding in the third Test against England at an enthralled Durban in 1956-57.

1959
An England batsman is born ... in Germany. Hampshire stalwart Paul Terry, who was born in Osnabruck, was picked for two Tests against a rampant West Indies side in 1984. It was an unforgiving baptism - he failed to reach double figures in three innings and had his arm broken by a short ball from Winston Davis. Despite showing great courage in returning to the crease with his arm in a sling - allowing Allan Lamb to reach a hundred - he did not play for England again.

1978
Australia took the Women's World Cup with victory over England in the final match at Hyderabad. It was a final in nature if not in name - a startlingly dreary schedule meant that the tournament consisted of one group stage, but as it transpired this become a winner-takes-all clash. England managed a woeful 98 for 8 from 50 overs (they were 28 for 6), and despite two wickets from Glynis Hullah, Australia cantered to victory with eight wickets, and almost 20 overs, to spare. Some things never change.

Other birthdays
1901 George Gladstone Morais (West Indies)
1920 Donald Beard (New Zealand)
1979 Daren Ganga (West Indies)

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