1991
The third-greatest innings in Test history, according to the Wisden 100. Graham Gooch's unforgettable 154 not out set England up for their first home victory over West Indies for 22 years. In horrible conditions for batting at Headingley, Gooch made 61.11% of his team's second-innings 252, an England record. Only Mark Ramprakash and Derek Pringle (who both made 27) managed more than 6. Pringle's contribution was crucial. He hung around in a partnership of 98 for the seventh wicket, and was there when Gooch symbolically refused the offer of light on the third evening. Psychologically, that was the clincher. Gooch was at his hard-nosed, uncomplicated best, and hardly ever looked like getting out. The Wisden Almanack said that "no praise could be too lavish".

1983
The beginning of the third World Cup - and one of the biggest shocks in cricket history. Nine years before they were granted Test status Zimbabwe, inspired by their 34-year-old captain, Duncan Fletcher, stunned Australia with a 13-run victory in their first-ever one-day international, at Trent Bridge. Fletcher cracked 69 not out in Zimbabwe's victory, then took 4 for 42 as Australia spluttered to 226 for 7. Another old stager, John Traicos, with an impeccable spell of 12-2-27-0, was also central to the Zims' victory.

1983
On the same day, England got their campaign underway by thumping New Zealand at The Oval. Allan Lamb hammered 102, and Martin Snedden (12-1-105-2) became the only bowler to notch a century in an ODI.

1975
In Birmingham, England, a big-hitting Aussie is born. Andrew Symonds was adopted and taken to Australia as a child, and his dual nationality meant he was able to play for Gloucestershire in 1995 as a non-overseas player. He had a storming season, and against Glamorgan at Abergavenny whacked a record 16 sixes in his 254 not out. For good measure he hammered another four in the second innings - 20 sixes is a record for a first-class match. Not content with that, Symonds belted seven more sixes at Ebbw Vale in the Sunday League match that followed. At the end of the season he was included in the England A squad to tour Pakistan, but decided at that point that he was a fair-dinkum Aussie after all. (A gold star for anyone who remembers Symonds's replacement in the A squad - it was Middlesex's Jason Pooley.) Symonds, who complements his batting with brilliant fielding and brisk offspin, has since played 70 one-day internationals for Australia, and was one of the stars of Australia's World Cup campaign in 2003. However, a Test cap remains elusive.

1967
Geoff Boycott's highest Test score - and the innings that got him dropped. Boycott crawled to 246 not out against India at Headingley in just short of ten hours, and even though England went on to win the game by six wickets, the chairman of selectors Doug Insole dropped him for the next Test because of selfish (as opposed to slow) batting.

1955
On the same day, 12 years earlier, another Englishman who was later dropped for selfish batting made his Test debut. Ken Barrington failed to score against South Africa at Trent Bridge - he made a duck in the first innings of a match that England won by an innings. He was dropped after making 34 and 18 in the next Test, but returned four years later and was in the runs straight away, with three consecutive 80s against India.

1972
Birth of one of a unique cricket sextet. When Zimbabwe played New Zealand in the first Test at Harare in 1997-98, Bryan and Paul Strang were one of three sets of brothers in the side, along with the Rennies and the Flowers. Bryan is a diligent if low-slung left-arm seamer who has faded after a promising start to his Test career. In his first 11 Tests he took 29 wickets at 27. Since then, he has taken 27 wickets in 15 Tests at 51. He's also a bit of an unlucky charm - Zimbabwe haven't won any of his 26 Tests.

Other birthdays

1905 Harry Alexander (Australia)
1937 Charlie Stayers (West Indies)
1977 Usman Afzaal (England)

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