1997 – West Indies' famous bowling comeback
West Indies pulled off another stunning bowling performance in Barbados. India needed only 120 to win the third Test, but they collapsed to 81 all out. VVS Laxman and extras were the only double-digit scorers. In his first match as captain, Brian Lara took a crucial catch to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for 4.
1995 – Glenn McGrath shines in Australia's win
Australia's unofficial heavyweight clash with West Indies started dramatically as the hosts were reduced to 6 for 3. Glenn McGrath signaled his greatness with a five-wicket haul in the second innings, including Brian Lara's crucial wicket. Australia secured a ten-wicket win.
1983 – Hashim Amla born, a record-breaking batsman
South African cricketer Hashim Amla, born today, became the first cricketer of Indian descent to play for South Africa. A prolific batsman, he set numerous ODI records and was the first South African to score a Test triple-century. He captained the Test team from 2014 to 2016 before retiring from international cricket after the 2019 World Cup.
1978 – West Indies' new era begins
West Indies fielded six debutants in their first Test without the World Series players. Among them, Basil "Shotgun" Williams scored a second-innings century, but Australia still won by reaching 362 for 7.
1955 – Collie Smith’s debut century
West Indian Collie Smith scored 104 in his debut Test against Australia in Jamaica. However, West Indies suffered a nine-wicket defeat, with Neil Harvey and Keith Miller scoring big centuries for Australia.
1923 – Birth of Lawrie Miller
New Zealand’s Lawrie Miller, born today, made his debut at nearly 30 and played 13 Tests. He played a crucial role in securing New Zealand’s first Test win in 1955-56 and was also a prolific domestic cricketer and a first-class rugby player.
1877 – Fred Spofforth’s "Demon" debut
Australia and England played the second-ever Test at the MCG, where Fred Spofforth made his first Test appearance. England won by four wickets, with Yorkshire’s George Ulyett scoring the only two fifties of the match.
