1949
That devastating and prolific batsman Everton Weekes set a world record that looks likely to last a while longer. His 101 at Calcutta completed a sequence of scoring a century in each of five consecutive Test innings. He might have set a target that would really have had 'em chasing if he hadn't been run out for 90 in his next Test innings, at Madras. Weekes's run began with 141 against England at Kingston in March 1948 and continued with 128 at Delhi, 194 at Bombay and then 162 in the first innings at Calcutta. In 1955 Weekes also scored three back-to-back hundreds against New Zealand.

1952
Tension all around as Australia's last two batsmen, tailenders Doug Ring and Bill Johnston, put on 38 to win the Melbourne Test. Instead of winning their second successive Test to level the series, West Indies lost it after going 3-1 down.

1958
Unorthodox slow left-armer Lindsay Kline, who featured in another famous last-wicket stand against West Indies, at Adelaide in 1960-61, did his day job today at Cape Town, taking a hat-trick to wrap up Australia's innings win over South Africa.

1886
If we say one of cricket's great characters was born, it might suggest Arthur Mailey was better known for his whims and wit than his legbreaks. But he's still the only bowler to take nine wickets in a Test innings for Australia, his 9 for 121 against England at Melbourne helping Australia to win the series 5-0. Happy to buy his wickets when necessary ("Medium-pacers can keep the score down. I'm here to take wickets"), he was amused to finish with 99 in Tests, and his 10 for 66 in an innings against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in 1921 gave him the perfect title for his autobiography: Ten For 66 And All That.

1939
Queensland wicketkeeper Don Tallon, one of the greatest ever produced by Australia, made his 12th dismissal of the match against New South Wales at Sydney. This equalled Ted Pooley's total for Surrey against Sussex at The Oval way back in 1868, and remained a joint world record until Wayne James made 13 dismissals for Matabeleland against Mashonaland at Bulawayo in 1995-96.

1902
Test centuries by No. 10 batsmen don't grow on trees, and only one has been scored by a No. 10 making his debut. Held back while a rain-affected pitch lost its venom, Reggie Duff - who usually opened - hit 104 to help Australia beat England at Melbourne. He and fellow debutant Warwick Armstrong made Test cricket's first century partnership for the last wicket.

1966
Controversial Indian seamer Chetan Sharma was born. When he took the first World Cup hat-trick (all bowled) against New Zealand at Nagpur in 1987-88, joy wasn't altogether unconfined: there had been noises off about his bowling action, especially when he sent down the bouncer. Another action raised some eyebrows at Kanpur in 1989-90: a startling one-day hundred against England.

1997
Talking of one-day international hat-tricks ... Eddo Brandes, chicken farmer and seamer rolled into one, took 5 for 28, including three in three balls, against England at Harare as Zimbabwe sealed the series 3-0.

1963
A chequered career for Aamer Malik, who was born today. He is one of only three men to score a century in both innings of his first-class debut (Arthur Morris and Nari Contractor are the others), he made a seven-hour unbeaten 98 in his second Test, made back-to-back hundreds against India in 1989-90, took a Test stumping as stand-in keeper (Richie Richardson), took one Test wicket (Australia's Peter Taylor - batting at No. 2) and was recalled after a four-year absence to face Australia in 1994-95. He helped save the second Test with a crucial second-innings 65 ... and was dropped, this time for good.

Other birthdays
1932 Jaswick Taylor (West Indies)

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