18 AUGUST
Born on this day were:
Godfrey Evans (1920-99), English Wicket-keeper whose 219 dismissals in 91 Tests for England were both world records at the time;
Sadashiv 'Sadu' Shinde (1923-55), Indian leg-spinner who played in seven Tests before dying suddenly of typhoid, aged only 31 (One of his daughters married the politician and current ICC president Sharad Pawar);
Sandeep Patil (1956-), Indian batsman who played in 29 Tests for India and is best remembered for his 174 against Australia in 1980-81 and his 129 not out at Old Trafford in 1982, when he hit six fours in an over from Bob Willis.
First-class debut for two great batsmen: In 1920 Wally Hammond made his first-class debut for Gloucestershire against Lancashire at Cheltenham with a duck in his first innings. He went on to set a number of world records, among them becoming the first man to score 7,000 Test runs and the first to take 100 Test catches. In 1951 Raymond Illingworth made his first-class debut for Yorkshire against Hampshire at Headingley scoring 56 in a match which Yorkshire won by ten wickets.
In 1934 Bill Ponsford (266) and Don Bradman (244) shared a partnership of 451 against England at The Oval. Their stand of 451, made in only five hours, was then the highest for any wicket in Tests and is still in the top five. England lost by 562 runs.
In 1936 on the last day at The Oval, England captain and pace bowler 'Gubby' Allen completed figures of 7 for 80, the best of his Test career, to help England beat India by nine wickets and take the three-match series 2-0. C.K. Nayudu had defended stoically for more than two hours despite being injured, to score 81 and avert an innings defeat. This was also the Indian legend's last Test innings.
In 2000 England beat the West Indies at Headingley in two days – the first two-day Test in over 50 years. West Indies began their second innings 100 runs behind England but capitulated for 61 in 26.2 overs – their second double-figure score in three Tests. England beat them by an innings for the first time since 1966. Andy Caddick took four wickets in an over, the last three from Yorkers.
