1955
Polly Umrigar scored India’s first Test double-century in the first Test against New Zealand, in Hyderabad. He scored 223 in all, after finishing the opening day on 112. Three and a half years later Umrigar scored another double-hundred, this time against Cambridge University, which was for 30 years the highest score by an Indian batsman in England.
1969
Chris Harris, the slow medium-arm bowler and batsman, was born on this day. The Kiwi allrounder was New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs till Daniel Vettori passed him in 2007. The son of a Test player, Harris starred in New Zealand’s successful 1992 World Cup campaign, taking 16 wickets at 21.
1969
Gundappa Viswanath, the classy batsman, scored century in Test debut against Australia in Kanpur. The India, who was fondly called Vishy started his Test career with a duck but scored 137 in the second innings. Vishy went on to play 90 more Tests, in which he scored another 13 hundreds.
1971
Dion Nash, the right-arm seamer, was born on this day. The Kiwi made his Test debut in 1992-93 and played total of 32 Tests. But Injury finally forced him to retire early in 2002 at the age of 31.
1987
Nathan Lyon, the prolific off-spinner, was born on this day. The Australian was picked in the Test squad against Sri Lanka in 201. He was one of the few bowlers who took a wicket off his first ball in Test cricket.
2009
Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to make 30,000 international runs, on the final day of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad. In the 44th over of the day, Tendulkar reached the landmark of the bowling of Chanaka Welegedara. It was his 35th run in the innings.
