1922
An Invincible run-machine is born. At the age of 18 Arthur Morris was the first man to make a century in both innings of his first-class debut, and so it wasn't a great surprise that he made three hundreds in his first four Tests against England in 1946-47. He also hammered a glorious 182 when the Aussie Invincibles chased 404 for 3 to beat England at Headingley in 1948, adding 301 with Don Bradman. But he was vulnerable to Alec Bedser, who dismissed him 18 times, a Test record until Glenn McGrath went one better with Mike Atherton in 2001.

1930
Birth of the only South African to play 50 Tests before their isolation from international cricket. Though a fairly low-profile character, John Waite was a top-drawer wicketkeeper-batsman who made four Test centuries and averaged over 30. He batted everywhere from No. 2 to No. 9, and his first Test ton, at Old Trafford in 1955, was especially important: it came after a middle-order collapse and set up South Africa for a crucial three-wicket victory.

1983
A monstrous partnership from Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad as Pakistan mangled India by an innings and 119 runs at Hyderabad. With Mudassar making 231 and Javed an unbeaten 280, the pair added 451 for the third wicket. At the time it equalled the highest partnership in Test history, by Bill Ponsford and Don Bradman, although Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe added 16 to that record against Sri Lanka eight years later.

1977
John Lever and Derek Underwood (match figures: 31-16-34-6) bowled England to a 200-run victory over India at Madras, giving them a 3-0 lead with two to play and clinching their first series win in India for 43 years. India were skittled for 83 in their second innings, at the time the lowest score in a Test in India.

1999
A magnificent, matchwinning century from Chris Cairns brought applause from everyone at Christchurch - except his Indian opponents. They were convinced he was caught behind on 51 but Cairns carried on to flay 115 off 80 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes.

1996
England's increasingly disastrous 1995-96 tour took a further twist when they failed to chase a mere 130 to beat South Africa in the sixth one-dayer at East London. They were bit unlucky though - Graeme Hick was leading them to victory when he was sawn off, sparking a collapse from 75 to 3 to 115 all out. It was grim stuff: Jack Russell, in at No. 5, made 12 off 68 balls. England eventually lost the series 6-1, and in the World Cup that followed failed to win a single match against Test-playing opposition.

1969
Pity poor Pakistani Mahmood Hamid, who was born today. He played just a single one-day international for his country, against Sri Lanka at Sharjah in 1994-95, in which he was run out for one. The man at the other end? That great athlete Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Other birthdays
1868 Bob McLeod (Australia)

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd