1995
In the 1990s, it would have flattered the majority of English debutants to say they were like fish out of water. But there were occasional exceptions, and on this day Dominic Cork hustled and bustled England to a memorable 72-run victory over West Indies at Lord's. Cork, who also carved his first ball in Tests for four, took 7 for 43 in the second innings, the best figures by an English debutant. This was a cracking match, full of memorable moments: Darren Gough's two-handed goalkeeper-style take at long leg to dismiss Keith Arthurton, Mark Ramprakash's angst-ridden pair, Graham Thorpe losing a high full-toss from Courtney Walsh first ball - sound familiar? - and ending up in hospital, two majestic innings from Robin Smith, who, ludicrously, was playing in his last Lord's Test. The Wisden Almanack said Smith was the "hustling, hyper, bobbing and weaving embodiment of raw desire". And of course, Alec Stewart's sensational one-handed catch to dismiss Brian Lara second time round, the decisive act of the match.

1951
Birth of the Australian allrounder Gary Gilmour, who fit more into five one-day internationals than most people do into 200. He bowled England to defeat with 6 for 14 at Headingley in the World Cup semi-final of 1975 - a performance that is top of the Wisden 100 - then took 5 for 48 in the final. Amazingly, he only played a solitary one-dayer after that. Gilmour also played 15 Tests, and ended with an outstanding strike rate of a wicket every 49 balls. His Test-best figures also came at Headingley, and also in 1975: 6 for 85 in the third Test against England.

1937
A distinctly forgettable Test debut for the great Len Hutton. Just three days after his 21st birthday, Hutton was pitched in against New Zealand at Lord's - and made 0 and 1, each time falling to the pace of Jack Cowie. Hutton was retained, though, and scored an even 100 in his next innings. After a career of 79 Tests and 6971 runs, it was clear the selectors had made the right decision.

1973
A famous Lord's let-off for England. New Zealand had failed to beat England home or away in 43 attempts when they took a 298-run lead on first innings in the second Test at Lord's. With nearly two days to go, England were in a hole. But the key moment came when the Kiwis' wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth dropped Geoff Arnold before he had scored, and Arnold went on to save the match in a ninth-wicket stand of 92 with Keith Fletcher.

1976
One of cricket's unpronounceables is born. Zimbabwean seamer Mpumelo Mbangwa – "Pommie" to most people - had his finest hour in Peshawar in 1998-99, when he grabbed match figures of 6 for 63 as Zimbabwe famously beat Pakistan. Mbangwa's Test record – 32 wickets at an average of 31 – is eminently respectable, and with line and length his main strengths, you'd think he'd be suited to the one-day game. Wrong. In 28 ODIs he's taken only 11 wickets - at an average of 99.

1990
The end of a dull draw between England and New Zealand at Lord's - but one that Richard Hadlee will never forget. Nine days before the match began, Hadlee was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours, and so became the third knight to play Test cricket. The other two, Sir Timothy O'Brien and Sir Vijaya Vizianagram, were not knighted for services to the game. Hadlee celebrated by creaming 86 off 84 balls, but apart from that it was slow going. Trevor Franklin made his only Test century in a painful seven-hour vigil, but this was one stonewalling success that people did not begrudge. On the tour of England four years earlier, Franklin's leg had been shattered when he was run over by a luggage trailer at Gatwick Airport.

1874
Birth of the England allrounder Albert Relf, who played 13 Tests between 1903-04 and 1913-14. His finest hour came against Australia at Lord's in 1909, when he took 5 for 85 with his medium-pacers. Relf was also a useful batsman who once opened in a Test - when he made his highest score, 63 against South Africa at Johannesburg in 1913-14. He did the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets eight times in ten seasons for Sussex. He died in Berkshire in 1937.

Other birthdays

1932 Harry Bromfield (South Africa)
1945 David Heyn (Sri Lanka)

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