1951
A Calypso allrounder is born. Collis King could be an absolutely devastating hitter on his day. His coronation came in the World Cup final of 1979, when he flayed England all round Lord's in a breathtaking 66-ball 86, having come to the crease with West Indies in trouble. The innings is 46th - and the highest non-century - in the Wisden 100 ODI ratings. The following winter he pummelled four sixes in his only Test century, an unbeaten 100 off just 109 balls against New Zealand at Christchurch. His medium-pacers, useful for Barbados, were overshadowed by the raw speed of his team-mates at the top level, where his career was effectively finished after he was banned for going on a rebel tour to South Africa in 1983-84. He also played for Glamorgan and Worcestershire.

1999
A World Cup hat-trick for Saqlain Mushtaq, as Pakistan thrashed Zimbabwe by 148 runs in the Super Six match at The Oval. Given the men he dismissed, it's one he might remember quite sheepishly: Henry Olonga (one-day international average: 4.36), Adam Huckle (2.25), and Pommie Mbangwa (4.71) were never in danger of doing much wagging. But a World Cup hat-trick is a World Cup hat-trick: this was only the second, and Saqqy also became the second man (Wasim Akram is the other) to take two hat-tricks in ODIs.

1983
More World Cup offspinning derring-do. It's a slightly odd stat that Vic Marks in the only English spinner to take two ODI five-fors, as he only ever took one for Somerset. The first came on this day against Sri Lanka - on his home ground at Taunton. After David Gower smacked five sixes in a brilliant 130, Marks flighted his way to 5 for 39 as England won comfortably.

1939
Birth of England's most famous female cricketer. Rachael Heyhoe-Flint hit the first six in women's Test history - against Australia at The Oval in 1963 - and was a fine batsman and captain of her country. But her real contribution came in bringing women's cricket into the public eye. She helped organise the inaugural World Cup in 1973 - and then lifted the trophy when England won it. A year earlier she was awarded the MBE. Heyhoe-Flint was also a key campaigner in women being allowed membership of MCC. She also played hockey for England.

1954
Birth of the dogged Australian opener John Dyson, who had the misfortune to make his maiden Test century in one of his country's most spectacular defeats - at Headingley in 1981. Dyson top-scored in both innings of that match, with 102 and 34, but his contribution is hardly remembered, such were the deeds of Ian Botham and Bob Willis. In all Dyson played 30 Tests, but an average of 26 did him a Ramprakashian injustice. He was also famous for a succession of breathtaking outfield catches for New South Wales.

1995
England's hopes of feeding on the carcass of West Indies cricket after they had been dethroned by Australia took a blow when they were smashed by nine wickets inside four days in the first Test at Headingley. West Indies blasted their way to 129 for 1 off only 19 overs, but England would recover to earn an honourable 2-2 draw. This was a mixed day for English sport: the football team were thumped 3-1 by Brazil in the Umbro Cup, but Rob Andrew's last-minute drop-goal gave the rugby side a famous World Cup win over Australia.

1942
In the age Before Murali, Somachandra de Silva, who was born today, was probably Sri Lanka's best spin bowler. He was 39 when Sri Lanka played their inaugural Test, and was the first to take a five-for - 5 for 59 against Pakistan at Faisalabad later that winter. He bowed out after their famous draw at Lord's in 1984, when he bowled impressively for figures of 45-16-85-2. He could bat too, and chipped successive fifties in New Zealand in 1982-83, in his only two Tests as captain. He also played for Lincolnshire and Shropshire.

1971
Many cricketers have a mid-life crisis, in the course of which they reinvent themselves. Craig White and Lance Klusener are two recent examples, but nobody can match New Zealand's efficient, unfussy opener Mark Richardson, who was born today. When Richardson began his first-class career with Auckland, he was a left-arm spinner who batted No. 10. But after suffering an attack of the yips, he concentrated on his batting to increasingly good effect. He was 30 when he made his Test debut, and has hardly looked back since making 99 in his second Test, against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2000-01.

1967
Birth of one the first men to be punished for match-fixing. The international career of South African seamer Henry Williams - seven one-day internationals and an average of 25 - would have been largely forgettable had he not become embroiled in the scandal. Williams and Herschelle Gibbs were banned from international cricket for six months in 2000 when they admitted accepting money from Hansie Cronje to underperform in a one-day international. Williams agreed to concede more than 50 runs off his 10 overs. As it transpired, he was injured and bowled only 11 balls.

Other birthdays

1935 Sheikh Rehman (Pakistan)
1975 Mithra Wettimuny (Sri Lanka)
1978 Daryl Tuffey (New Zealand)

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