1877
The Test cricket began on this day. The first match was played between Australia and England, at the MCG. It was awarded Test status subsequently and was originally titled as “All England v A Combined New South Wales and Victoria XI”. Australia’s Charles Bannerman faced the first ball from Alfred Shaw and he scored the first run in the second ball. He was also the first cricketer to score the first hundred as he made 165. Australia eventually won by 45 runs. On the same ground 100 years later, Australia beat England by exactly the same margin in the Centenary Test, which was arranged to celebrate this inaugural match.
1953
Colin Croft, the devastating bowler for West Indies whom no batsman wanted to face, was born on this day. Croft had a brief career of five years but he established a reputation as one of the most chilling fast bowlers. In 27 matches he managed 125 wickets. In 1976-77, he bulldozed Pakistan with 8 for 29 in his second Test in Trinidad in 1976-77 which is still the best figures by a West Indian fast bowler. But his Test career ended at the age of 28, when he went on the rebel tour of South Africa in 1982-83.
1992
New Zealand recorded their seventh straight victory in World Cup when they defeated England in Wellington.
1995
Sri Lanka won an overseas Test for the first time in 32 attempts after 14 years of their Test debut. Sri Lanka won by 241 runs against New Zealand in Napier.
