1946
Birth of the regal Majid Khan, cousin of Imran, who was picked primarily as a bowler when he made his Test debut at 18 but was soon ensconced in the middle order by virtue of his scintillating strokeplay. He became the first Pakistani, and the first person for 42 years, to make a Test hundred before lunch, against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77.
1975
The tall and lanky fast bowler Stuart Clark, born today, had a dream start to his Test career at the age of 30 in 2006, winning the Player-of-the-Series award in South Africa for 20 wickets at 15.75. An uncomfortable prospect, especially early in a spell, Clark also picked up 26 wickets at 17 in the 2006-07 Ashes, which Australia won 5-0. He became a regular in the Test XI, before injuries took their toll. He was forced to give up hopes of a longer international cricket - though he didn't retire - when the selectors chose to go with younger bowlers following the 2009 Ashes. Clark then redirected his energies towards New South Wales' cricket, and in 2011 became the general manager of the Sydney Sixers, a team in the Twenty20 Big Bash League.
1971
When he was the top-scorer on either side in the 1997 Ashes series with 556 runs, the tall, long-nosedMatthew Elliott looked a class act who was there to stay. But within a year of becoming a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1998, he was out of the Australian set-up. Poor form certainly contributed to his demise - he made three ducks in six innings in the West Indies in 1998-99 - but he did himself few favours by getting on the wrong side of Steve Waugh during that tour. He also played for Glamorgan in 2000, 2004 and 2005, and for Yorkshire as a replacement in 2002.
1984
The first floodlit one-day international outside Australia took place in New Delhi, and Kepler Wessels broke the habit of a lifetime by playing some shots. His 107 - the only ODI hundred of his career - led Australia to a comfortable 48-run victory over India in the first of a five-match series.
Birth of the regal Majid Khan, cousin of Imran, who was picked primarily as a bowler when he made his Test debut at 18 but was soon ensconced in the middle order by virtue of his scintillating strokeplay. He became the first Pakistani, and the first person for 42 years, to make a Test hundred before lunch, against New Zealand in Karachi in 1976-77.
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| Happy Birthday Stuart Clarke |
1975
The tall and lanky fast bowler Stuart Clark, born today, had a dream start to his Test career at the age of 30 in 2006, winning the Player-of-the-Series award in South Africa for 20 wickets at 15.75. An uncomfortable prospect, especially early in a spell, Clark also picked up 26 wickets at 17 in the 2006-07 Ashes, which Australia won 5-0. He became a regular in the Test XI, before injuries took their toll. He was forced to give up hopes of a longer international cricket - though he didn't retire - when the selectors chose to go with younger bowlers following the 2009 Ashes. Clark then redirected his energies towards New South Wales' cricket, and in 2011 became the general manager of the Sydney Sixers, a team in the Twenty20 Big Bash League.
1971
When he was the top-scorer on either side in the 1997 Ashes series with 556 runs, the tall, long-nosedMatthew Elliott looked a class act who was there to stay. But within a year of becoming a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1998, he was out of the Australian set-up. Poor form certainly contributed to his demise - he made three ducks in six innings in the West Indies in 1998-99 - but he did himself few favours by getting on the wrong side of Steve Waugh during that tour. He also played for Glamorgan in 2000, 2004 and 2005, and for Yorkshire as a replacement in 2002.
1984
The first floodlit one-day international outside Australia took place in New Delhi, and Kepler Wessels broke the habit of a lifetime by playing some shots. His 107 - the only ODI hundred of his career - led Australia to a comfortable 48-run victory over India in the first of a five-match series.
1988
In the second Test in Faisalabad Javed Miandad was given out lbw for only the fourth time in 63 Test innings on home soil. But by then he had made 107, his 19th Test hundred, and denied Australia's attempts to square the series. In all Miandad was given out leg-before only eight times in Tests in Pakistan and 25 times overseas.
In the second Test in Faisalabad Javed Miandad was given out lbw for only the fourth time in 63 Test innings on home soil. But by then he had made 107, his 19th Test hundred, and denied Australia's attempts to square the series. In all Miandad was given out leg-before only eight times in Tests in Pakistan and 25 times overseas.
Other birthdays
1964 Irfan Bhatti (Pakistan)
1973 Colin Stuart (West Indies)
1964 Irfan Bhatti (Pakistan)
1973 Colin Stuart (West Indies)
