1981
A one-day final, and the opponents need six off the last ball just to tie. If you were an Australian, you'd back yourself to win, wouldn't you? Greg Chappell didn't. He was so scared of New Zealand's Brian McKechnie (one-day career: 54 runs in 14 matches) that he ordered his bowler - who just happened to be his brother, Trevor - to bowl the last ball underarm. It did the trick and Australia won the match. But they lost a lot of friends at the same time - the tactic caused much consternation and was quickly banned. Ian Chappell, brother of Trevor and Greg, was commentating at the time and said: "No Greg, you can't do that."

1961
Another thriller in the 1960-61 Australia-West Indies series. It was 1-1 with two to play going into the fourth Test at Adelaide, and after back-to-back hundreds from Rohan Kanhai and a hat-trick from Lance Gibbs, Australia had to chase 460 or, more realistically, survive 120 eight-ball overs. Wickets fell steadily, and the last man Lindsay Kline (first-class average: 8) came to the crease with 100 minutes remaining. At the other end was Ken "Slasher" Mackay - the nickname was ironic - and he was the perfect man for the situation. With nails all round Australia bitten to the quick, the pair somehow they survived and Australia lived to fight another day - which they did, winning the last Test to take the series.

1991
An inglorious English collapse. Already 2-0 down in the series, England looked to be salvaging some pride in the last Test at Perth when Allan Lamb and Robin Smith belted them to 191 for 2 just before tea on the first day. Then the roof caved in. Craig McDermott took a Test-best 8 for 97 and the tail were blown away, with the last eight wickets going down for 53 on a true pitch. It was pitiful stuff. The second innings was even worse: only Smith and Phil Newport passed 25. Australia won by nine wickets and for the first time since 1958-59, England had failed to win a match in a five-Test series in Australia.

1971
His star has fallen because of his alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal, but Ajay Jadeja, who was born today, was one of the darlings of Indian cricket and even captained them in a handful of one-dayers. He has played only 15 Tests but 196 one-dayers, and gave India crucial momentum in the taut World Cup quarter-final against Pakistan in 1995-96 with a rascally 25-ball 45, including 22 off one over from Waqar Younis. An impish hitter and a very good finisher, his medium-pace is of the occasional variety, but he did take 3 for 3 in a one-dayer against England at Sharjah in 1998-99.

1985
Three Tests, three centuries: Mohammad Azharuddin's introduction to life at the top was just about perfect. Today he became the first batsman to make a century in each of his first three Tests, against England at Kanpur, having been 98 not out overnight. With his second fifty taking only 38 balls, it was glorious stuff. But it couldn't drive India to the victory they needed to square the series, and a very good year for England and their captain David Gower - who would guide them to a 3-1 Ashes win - was underway.

1994
One down with one to play, but Australia had a new ingredient for the crucial third Test against South Africa at Adelaide: Steve Waugh. Having missed the first two games through injury, Waugh returned with 164 and 4 for 26 (he was still a bona fide allrounder in these days), and though South Africa fought tooth and nail for a draw - despite a fractured thumb, nightwatchman Fanie de Villiers survived 197 minutes for 30 on the last day - Shane Warne and Craig McDermott wrapped them up in the final session. Peter Kirsten, who batted 568 minutes in the match, was twice fined for dissent, and Hansie Cronje, captaining South Africa for the first time, refused to comment on a mysterious hole that appeared in their dressing-room wall. Must have been given a duff tip.

1972
A pretender is born. Franklyn Rose looked the part as a successor to Ambrose and Walsh when he became the first West Indian to take a six-for on debut, against India at Sabina Park in 1996-97, but he soon went off the boil. At his best fast and skiddy, Rose can be inconsistent and wayward, and in England in 2000 he bowled woefully, his errant spell deciding the low-scoring Lord's Test when Dominic Cork cracked him for 4 and 6.

1995
A marvellous stand between Grant and Andy Flower against Pakistan at Harare. They put on 269 for the fourth wicket, passing the record of Ian and Greg Chappell (264) for brotherly Test partnerships. Grant went on to make an unbeaten 201, and in a collapse that would later raise a few eyebrows, Pakistan were bowled out for 322 and 158 to give Zimbabwe their first Test victory in their 11th match, by an innings and 64 runs.

1998
England win the World Cup. The under-19 World Cup, that is. They beat New Zealand in the final at Johannesburg by seven wickets, with Essex's Stephen Peters making 107. But the proof of these tournaments is in the pudding, and of the squad, only Chris Schofield has played Test cricket, although Owais Shah, Graeme Swann and Paul Franks have played a handful of one-day internationals.

Other birthdays
1881 Tip Snooke (South Africa)
1910 Jahangir Khan (Pakistan)
1922 Clifford McWatt (West Indies)
1942 David Sincock (Australia)
1950 Naseer Malik (Pakistan)
1965 Dave Callaghan (South Africa)
1969 Mahbubur Rahman (Bangladesh)
1982 Shoaib Malik (Pakistan)

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