On This Day

[The Professor]

On this day in 1932 England and Surrey's Bill Lockwood died.

Lockwood's career started very differently to where he ended up. He first entered the first class scene as a batsman for Nottinghamshire. He played for Notts for four years before moving to Surrey where he reinvented himself as a bowler after a difficult tenure where he was squeezed out the team.

Lockwood used the erratic Oval pitches to his advantage and became a prolific wicket taker throughout the 1890s. He formed a partnership, alongside Tom Richardson, that became feared up and down the land.

Whilst Lockwood was undoubtably a master of English conditions he spectacularly failed on a number of occasions on foreign soil. By the end of the mid to late 1890s Lockwood's form and fitness broke down hugely and even his domestic form slipped dramatically. He suffered personal tragedy when his wife and one of his sons passed away and he turned to drink for solace. Many wrote him off but 1898 was a vintage season for the veteran where he earned a recall back to the England squad. He still continued to show signs of his old self as late as 1902 where he took 16 wickets in a match against Lancashire.

He retired in 1903 and spent the rest of his days in Nottinghamshire.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1979 Ireland's Regan West was born.

Despite the fact that West would eventually ply his trade for Ireland he was born and began his cricketing career in New Zealand. He became affiliated with Central Districts at a young age and turned out for New Zealand Under 19s in 1998.

West was headhunted by Cricket Ireland and turned out for Instonians in 2003 and Bangor in 2004. West married a Northern Irish woman and moved to Ireland in 2005 and qualified to play for Ireland in 2008, making his debut against Kenya that year. He was an instant success with that ball, claiming his first five-fer the year after his debut in a game against Oman.

He retired from cricket in 2011 after suffering recurring injury issues. He ended his career with 9 wickets from 10 ODIs and 3 from 5 T20s.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Mominul Haque impresses as Bangladesh bat through the day against Pakistan.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat and Pakistan set about making life as difficult for themselves as possible by being sloppy in the field. The first break they caught came just before the lunch interval when Yasir Shah broke the deathly slow 52 run opening partnership by displacing Tamim Iqbal.

Mominul arrived at the crease and sped things up a bit; putting three sizeable partnerships in succession together. Mominul's half century was his tenth in a row for Bangladesh in Tests so it should have come as no surprise - but the batsman looked composed and collected against a tricky array of bowlers. The only chance he offered was a dropped catch on 17. His most impressive partnership came alongside Mahmudullah with whom he put on 95. Mahmudullah took the lead with some good boundary hitting before falling for 49 caught behind off the bowling of Wahab Riaz.

Frustratingly he fell one run short of his century off the penultimate ball of the day. Bangladesh ended the day on 236-4 with Shakib Al Hasan on 19 and Mushfiqur Rahman on 0.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Mohammad Hafeez matches Mominul Haque's Day One exploits and gives Pakistan the edge over Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's tailend were wasteful with their wickets. Within four overs Zulfiqar Babar had removed Shakib Al Hassan, the last threatening batsman for Bangladesh. The only spanner in the works was the partnership of Mushfiqur Rahim and Soumya Sarkar which lasted a shade over 18 overs and yielded 62 runs - holding up Pakistan's chance to bat. When that was broken their was minimal resistance from the batsman below them and Bangladesh were all out for 332.

Hafeez, who had been less than impressive on the tour thus far, took this opportunity to seize the initiative. After picking up a wicket on the first day, today he showed what he could do with the bat. He was watchful,but particularly deadly against anything short of length meaning many bowlers were victimised by him however there was an air of naivety from the Bangladesh bowlers too.

Despite his higher score Hafeez did not hog the strike and was a good partner to Azhar Ali who he batted with all day. Azhar's innings was not chanceless though as he was grassed no less than three times on his way to his overnight score of 65.

Pakistan ended on 227-1 with Hafeez on 137 and the team 105 runs behind Bangladesh.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Hafeez scores a double century to claim convincing lead for Pakistan against Bangladesh.

Hafeez's run rate was less quick than on Day Two and, as he approached his 200, noticeably slowed to a crawl. He produced the same effect on the batsmen around him as he did on Day Two - oozing confidence and reliability against pace and spin. He continued his partnership with Azhar Ali which took up the bulk of the morning session and was worth 227. Shuvugata Hom claimed Ali on 83 and immediately began to gain confidence and started to challenge the batsmen more with quicker deliveries however Hafeez was undeterred. Younis Khan would have been disappointed with his 33 on what was undoubtably a batsman's wicket.

Hafeez was eventually out on 224 - his highest ever Test score and the highest score for a Pakistani batsman against Bangladesh.

Misbah-ul-Haq (59) Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed then continued Hafeez's fine form and swelled Pakistan's lead.

The day ended with Pakistan on 536-5 with both Shafiq and Sarfraz on 51 and Pakistan's lead being a mighty 205.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 a huge opening partnership for Bangladesh stuns Pakistan into submission.

Pakistan's innings was polished off in the morning session. After the overnight pair of Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed were sent back, Pakistan could only put on a further 11 runs. Their total of 628 all out was not to be sniffed at though.

Despite the huge deficit of 296, Bangladesh came out swinging. From the outset Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes oozed defiance. They began strongly against pace and then, when spin came on, their run rate did not drop. Their fifty came up in a ball under thirteen overs. As well as pace, the batsmen also showed skill with Tamim's fifty coming with a reverse swept boundary off Zulfiqar Babar. Boundaries came in clumps for both players - probably more for stamina rather than skill based reasons and stamina is what you need to bat through two sessions as these two did.

By stumps the score read 273-0 with Pakistan's lead now cut to a mere 23. Tamim stands on 138 with Imrul Kayes on 132.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 solid Bangladesh bat for a draw against Pakistan.

The partnership between Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, that started yesterday lunchtime, continued to roll on into the final day. Neither seemed overly bothered with run rate and just wanted to keep their wickets. This being said their cricket was far from boring. When Kayes was sent back by Zulfiqar Babar for 150 the partnership was worth 312. Their total beat the record for the highest opening partnership in the second innings of a Test, held by Colin Cowdrey and Geoff Puller since 1960.

Tamim was not bowed by the loss of his partner and continued his assault on the Pakistan bowlers. As he approached his two hundred, his boundaries came in short sporadic bursts that surprised the bowlers. It was not until after his double hundred that he was sent back by Mohammad Hafeez after a rare mistake saw him caught behind. Bangladesh's lead was now 103.

Shakib Al Hasan fostered Bangladesh towards the close of the day's play and, when hands were shaken, stood on 76*. His biggest partnership has been alongside Mahmudullah with whom he had scored 64 before Junaid Khan had broken them up. The other batsman undefeated at the end was Shuvagata Hom who was on 20.

The draw broke a nine match winning streak for Pakistan over Bangladesh in Tests.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2016 Delhi’s bowlers put up a fine display to control Gujarat.

From the off, Delhi had put the dampners on Gujarat. By the end of the third over, Gujarat were already three men down. All of Gujarat’s batsmen, including the usually dependable Suresh Raina, struggled to find rhythm. Dinesh Karthik (53) and Ravindra Jadeja (36) were the only exception to this who delivered in the middle-to-death overs but the score of 149 was under par.

The chase was over before it started. The new opening pair of Risbah Pant and Quinton de Kock showed good adaptability in a skilfully executed partnership of 115. Neither batsmen carried their bats as they perhaps should have done but Sanju Samson and JP Duminy allowed Delhi to cross the line with some margin.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1935 an insect affected game kicks off between Yorkshire and the MCC.

The Summer of 1935 threw up many an odd game with sky high scores and unusual clusters of wickets. This was largely down to a little insect with the official name of Tipula spp. but more commonly known as the leatherjacket. The plague of insects affected lawns, gardens and sporting venues up and down the land. From a cricketing perspective it produced rough patches which were incredibly spin friendly but would deteriorate fast. When coupled with the introduction of the new lbw rule which included the pads as part of the leg, it saw many a batsman come a cropper. This match is the best example.

The adage of a leatherjacketed pitch was win the toss, elect to bat, put good runs on before the pitch deteriorated and win. Yorkshire won the toss and elected to bat.

Herbert Sutcliffe was our cheaply for just 4 to the new lbw rule that he so vociferously objected to. Yorkshire put this right, first through Arthur Mitchell and Wilf Barber with a partnership worth 44 and then continued by Mitchell and Maurice Leyland.

Leyland was the glue that held the rest of the day's play together and was present when the pitch turned. The veteran England international lost Mitchell when he was just short of his half century and then lost three other batsmen in quick succession.

He found a partner who wished to stick around in the form of another veteran, yet to make his first England appearance, Arthur Wood. The two closed out the day's play with Wood on 28 and, due to the vagaries of scoring systems at that time, Leyland somewhere around the late sixties. Yorkshire were 197-6.

Five of the six Yorkshire wickets had come from either Ian Peebles or Bill Bowes. Three of the Yorkshire wickets came from the new lbw rule.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1935 the leatherjackets work their pitch-altering magic as Yorkshire and the MCC lose a combined 22 wickets in the day.

The Yorkshire innings was rapped up in quick time on the morning of Day Two. As soon as Arthur Wood and Maurice Leyland were dismissed in the opening overs, Yorkshire could only add a further 9 runs leaving their total at 228.

Just as Yorkshire's innings started poorly, the MCC followed suit as Alan Ratcliffe was dismissed for five. Len Muncer and John Hearne then put on a decent partnership. Muncer was first out for 17 and then a cavalcade of wickets saw the MCC haemorrhage batsmen. The only subsequent batsman to make double figures was Walter Robins whose 18 propped up the MCC's total of 84 achieved in a mere 38.4 overs. Hedley Verity's 6-34 was the pick of the bowling figures. In contrast to the Yorkshire innings only two batsmen came a cropper due to the new lbw rule.

Yorkshire's second innings started with the same pattern as the two previous. A cheap dismissal for Herbert Sutcliffe was then put straight by Arthur Mitchell and Wilf Barber. Both batsmen were out in very quick succession - Barber through a hit wicket. Unlike the first innings however, Leyland could not save the day as he was out for a duck. A string of single figure scores came after this.

Day one ended with Arthur Wood on 28 whilst Day Two saw the same batsman unopposed on 27. His side was on 93-6 but still had a healthy lead of 237.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1935 more cheap wickets tumble as Yorkshire take victory over MCC.

In a game where much has been symmetrical, Day Three started in a similar fashion to Day Two with Arthur Wood putting on a few runs before the rest of the Yorkshire batsmen offered precious little resistance. Yorkshire's total was 125, giving them a lead of 269.

More batsmen got settled in the MCC second innings but none could push on to a score that would have worried Yorkshire. All of the top six reached double figures but only John Human got above thirty. His partnership with Walter Robins heralded the high water mark for the second innings. After their partnership of 30 was broken the last five batsmen were all out for single figures. Again it was Hedley Verity who would have left with the broadest smile as he, again, got six wickets in the innings.

Yorkshire had won by 114 runs.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1908 Northamptonshire faced off against Yorkshire for the first time.

Yorkshire batted first on a pitch that left quite a bit to be desired. They started well with a 47 run partnership between their two openers, but when James Rothery was sent back by Roger Hawtin, it brought together the biggest partnership of the day as Wilfred Rhodes and Lucky Denton piled on the runs.

Rhodes was next out, again off Hawtin, but Denton formed partnerships with William Wilkinson and George Hirst that enabled him to get over the line for his century. He became Hawtin's fourth wicket on the score of 110.

Northamptonshire then took on the momentum and took three wickets cheaply to leave Yorkshire on 333-8 by stumps. Hawtin ended the day with five wickets.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1908 a truncated day between Yorkshire and Northamptonshire still yields an early result.

Rain meant that no play was possible until 2.30 on Day Two. Yorkshire batted on and added a further 23 runs before captain, Harold Kaye, declared on 356-8.

The Northamptonshire response started poorly and degenerated from there. Mark Cox was out without a run on the board and this set about a chain of wickets whereby the highest score for batsmen 2 through 6 was a mere 2 runs. At 12-7 opener William Kingston was out for a heady 8 runs before a seventh wicket partnership of 7, the highest in the first innings, bolstered the Northamptonshire innings to their total of 27 all out. George Hirst got six of the wickets whilst Schofield Haigh got the other three. Yorkshire asked Northamptonshire to follow on.

Northamptonshire's second innings improved in as much as they spent more time at the crease but in terms of runs there was not much improvement. Cox and Kingston spent twenty five minutes in their partnership of three whilst the former spent a total of 45 minutes for his two runs. From this score of 5-3 things only got worse. Four batsmen got out for a duck and one was absent due to injury...or potentially humiliation. The highest score of this second innings was George Vial's 5. The total for Northamptonshire's second innings was 15 - handing Yorkshire a 314 run win. George Hirst had taken 12-9 in the course of three hours

The game was all done and dusted before half five on the second day.

[braveneutral]

Well you can't blame us for trying.

I read about this result many years ago! Nice to have a refresher.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Bangladesh crumbled to a huge loss after showing little batting resolve against Pakistan.

The day started badly with overnight Tamim Iqbal sent back after adding only a further 10 runs before being removed by Imran Khan. The same bowler returned soon after and removed a scrappy looking Mahmudullah for a mere 2. This started a chain of batsmen making poor choices. Shakib Al Hassan edged a catch to Wahab Riaz off the bowling of Mohammad Hafeez for 13. Mushifiqur Rahim and Soumya Sarkar then departed for a combined total of 1. At the other end Mominul Haque looked on bewildered. When he was out for 68 the game was up for Bangladesh and they were seen all out for 221; handing Pakistan a 328 run.

Yasir Shah was the main torturer for the Pakistanis; adding three wickets to his scalp of Imrul Kayes ending with figures of 4-73.