On This Day

[The Professor]

On this day in 1913 Kent faced the wrath of the Suffragette movement.

In the early evening of the 11th April 1913 a local lamplighter discovered a fire in one of the pavilions of Kent's Nevill Ground. The fire brigade were called immediately and the flames put out within an hour but the structural damage to the pavilion was catastrophic. A picture of Emmeline Pankurst and Suffragette literature had been left as a calling card. It is believed that Kent were targeted due to their no Women policy.

It had been started by someone setting fire to the nets stored in one of the dressing rooms. Who that someone was was never discovered but they must have been amazingly athletic as they had to scale the high walls so as to access the locked ground.

The reaction to the arson was largely negative calling such eminent figures such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to decry the Suffragette movement as mere hooliganism. The National League for Opposing Women's Suffrage received a fillip in membership.

Within nine weeks a new stand had been erected in a sign of defiance - all money was raised through organisations against the Suffragette movement.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2016 Afghanistan run through Namibia to claim two day International Cup win.

The day started brightly for Namibia despite them opening on 19-2 and 143 runs behind Afghanistan. The overnight pair of Pikky Ya France and Gerhard Erasmus, building on their embryonic partnership of yesterday,frustrated the Afghanistan bowlers early on in the morning session. All in all they got 57 runs together before Erasmus was dismissed by Zahir Khan for 35.

JP Kotze looked like he may have been able to continue where Erasmus left off but got himself out for 18 after getting set. This marked a procession whereby Ya France had brief partnerships with the next two batsmen. Sarel Burger and Gary Snyman were over reliant on Ya France - Burger scored a mere 2 runs in their partnership of 17. When Ya France was caught lbw by Dawlat Zadran on 40 the game seemed up for Namibia.

Duly the last three batsman were out for the gain of just three runs, handing Afghanistan an innings and 36 run victory. Zahir would have been happiest with his day's work. He bagged a fiver for the loss of a mere 31 runs.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1867 Sammy Woods, a player who would represent both Australia and England, was born.

Born in Australia, Sammy alongside his brother Harris moved to England to be educated at the age of 16. While at Brighton College his love for cricket was joined by a newfound passion for football and rugby. For the college he primarily made his name as a bowler despite the fact he would go on to be better recognised as a batsman.

Between college and university Woods became a bank clerk due to some contacts his father had. Whilst there he became affiliated with Somerset for whom he solely played for for two seasons. It was around this time that he also began turning out for the Bridgewater rugby team. From here he caught the eye of the Somerset rugby team whom he would go on to appear for thirty times in the league.

In 1888, Woods went to Cambridge University where he made good use of the University games against County sides to show off his prowess; once notably taking 12 wickets against Yorkshire. He made his first start for Australia as a student at Cambridge University after a member of the touring party contracted smallpox. After making his debut for Australia the confusing career path of Sammy Woods began. His next game was against Australia for a Cambridge University team before he rejoined Australia for their first class matches against Yorkshire and Surrey. When Australia returned back down under, Woods became just another student and continued to turn out occasionally for an ever improving Somerset whilst captaining his University side.

Throughout this time, Woods had been persevering with his rugby and this culminated in him appearing for England, making his debut against Wales in 1890. He would go on to make thirteen appearances for his adopted country.

Woods improved with age; in 133 first-class matches up to the end of 1894, Woods scored one century, while in his next 129 matches he passed a hundred on fourteen occasions.

In 1891, Somerset were granted County Championship status, a move very pleasing for Wood coming, as it did, at the end of his University career. Wood played a majority of matches in that season and caught the eye of Lord Hawke who took a team of 'English' players on a tour of North America at the end of the season. This composite English team meant that he had turned out for both Australia and England.

Overall Woods scored over 12,000 runs and took over 500 wickets for Somerset.

The war came late in life for Woods to play an active part in the fight but he became part of the Devon Regiment in 1916 but had to resign due to ill health.

He died in 1931 and was much mourned in Somerset.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1870 Australia and New South Wales' Syd Gregory was born.

Gregory was born in New South Wales and made his debut for the team in 1889. A mere six months later he was touring England as part of the Australia team.

Gregory was one of the principle batsmen for Australia in the 1890s. In 1894 he became the first Australian to score a double hundred. His international career spanned 22 years in which he played 58 Tests - all but six against England.

His career ended in 1912 where he captained an understrength Australian side in a tour of England.

In the age before professional cricketers he balanced this alongside running a tobacconist-cum-barbers-cum-sports shop in the centre of Sydney.

Gregory died in 1929.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2005 Shahid Afridi takes control of the last ODI against India and claims series.

Whilst Afridi's batting would steal the headlines, the bowling of Naved-ul-Hasan needed plaudits too. He gutted the top order within 6 overs, rendering the score 26-3. Dismissing Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni is no mean feat but he did so with consummate ease. Dhoni will be most disappointed with his style of play. Coming in at 10-1 he played a pig headed innings that belied any sense of occasion before being caught by Younis Khan on 11. The Indian innings was held together by a partnership of 135 between Mohammad Kaif and Rahul Dravid. They were instrumental in getting their team to 249.

Afridi's boundary laden performance with the bat led Pakistan to a comprehensive win in Kanpur. He zoned in on the weaknesses of the Indian bowlers and exploited them to his advantage. He was attacking from the off and the fact that he got out to a defensive shot was a touch ironic - but his team were 131-1. At the time of his dismissal on 102 off 76, his partner Salman Butt was still to get his twentieth run. He was soon out after Afridi.

The rest of the Pakistan batsmen had very little to do. Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Malik put on a handy 58 in fifteen overs before the former was sent back by Anil Kumble for 24. Younis was also on 24 when he was dismissed just before the Pakistanis crossed the line - clean bowled by Sehwag. Inzamam-ul-Haq (24*) saw them to victory.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2004 India seize an innings victory over Pakistan.

The day began with Pakistan 49-2 and still needing 327 to make India bat again.

The mantra was slow and steady to win the race as the Pakistani batsmen wanted to grind out the runs. Kamran Akmal did not get this message and added 13 in two overs before Lakshimpathy Balaji bowled him for 23. Yasir Hameed and Inzmam-ul-Haq then reverted to the script and played slowly - only seizing on the bad balls. Unfortunately they were both dismissed in the 24th and 25th overs and Pakistan were 94-5.

Yousuf Youhana and Asim Kamal then ate in to the deficit in a partnership of 81 that consumed the rest of the morning session. Again two quick wickets fell in the afternoon. First Youhana was gone for 48 - caught and bowled by Anil Kumble - and then his replacement, Mohammad Sami for a duck by the same bowler.

Kamal tried to guide the lower order through the innings but was met with increasing ineptitude the further down the batting order he went. Shoaib Akktar contributed 28 in a partnership of 42 before he too went off the bowling of Kumble. Fazi-e-Akbar put on a quickfire 12 off 17 balls before, again, falling victim to Kumble.

By this time the game plan had disintegrated- as had the quality of the batting. Danish Kaneria was out for a duck and Pakistan had lost by an innings and 131. Kamal was left stranded on a valiant 60*. Kumble's figures of 4-47 were the best for an Indian bowler in the innings.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2003 philanthropist, book collector and cricket enthusiast Sir John Paul Getty died.

Born the eldest son of billionaire John Paul Getty Senior, the founder of the Getty Oil Company, Getty Junior was instilled with the passion for hard work that his father was born with and was forced to work from a young age. His first full time job was as an attendant at a gas station earning a mere $100 a month.

At times Getty's life followed the playbook for a billionaire's son. He married a celebrity water polo champion before divorcing her for a model and actress.

He became head of the Italian wing of his Father's oil company and moved to Rome. After his second wife died of a heroin overdose, Getty felt immensely guilty at subsidising his wife's drugs habit. He moved to England and for a period of time he became a near recluse. In England he befriended the unlikely combination of Mick Jagger and septuagenarian former England captain Gubby Allen who introduced him to cricket.

Once in full control of his Father's business it is believed he gave away over £140m to the arts and culture but also turned his eye to cricket. He subsidised the building of a new stand at Lord's and became President of Surrey for a year. He also purchased the ownership of Wisden in 1993 - a publication his company held until five years after his death.

This did not mean that he did not have time for hobby horses of his own. He had a replica of The Oval built in the grounds of his Buckinghamshire house at great expense.

At the time of his death his fortune was believed to be £1.6 billion.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1820 New South Wales' George Moore was born.

Born in Bedfordshire, England, Moore emigrated to Australia at the age of 32 where he opened a local shop in Maitland, New South Wales.

Moore played three First Class matches against his home countrymen. His second outing came in 1861 where he impressed to get figures of 6-39 in the second innings - this would be his best ever bowling figures.

His last outing was in 1873 when Moore was 53 and faced off against an England team led by W.G. Grace.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1990 Surrey's Scott Borthwick was born.

Born in Sunderland, Borthwick's early career was aligned with the North East. He played for Philadelphia in the North East Premier League and worked his way up to play for the Durham Second XI.

Borthwick made his debut for Durham in a T20 game where he claimed 3-23 against Lancashire.

Borthwick's first international appearance for England came as a substitute fielder against the West Indies in 2009 but he claimed a place in his own right as part of the ODI squad that played a solitary game against Ireland in 2011. He was called up to the England Test squad in 2014 as a last minute replacement for Graeme Swann; taking four wickets but only one and four with the bat. To date he has not been called up again.

Over the last two seasons, Borthwick has developed as a batsman and his abilities as an allrounder saw him earn a move to Surrey in the Summer where he has made a good start - scoring 150 runs in 3 innings - the ninth best in Division One.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1926 Prime Minister of Great Britain, Stanley Baldwin, addressed the Australian cricket team at the start of their tour of England.

At a glittering lunch held at the Criterion Restaurant, Picacadilly, Mr Baldwin gave the following speech professing his admiration for cricket:

There is an unfortunate difference between Mr Robbins (Chairman of the District) and myself. He said he had no speech to make, but some messages to deliver. I have no message, but I have to make a speech.

One of the messages he delivered reminded me of a circumstance which I am quite sure is unfamiliar even to Mr Warner and Sir James Barrie' (Pelham Warner, Chairman of Selectors and JM Barrie of Peter Pan fame). That is, the Prince of Wales once captained an England Eleven and was beaten; but that was 200 years ago.

I find it difficult to express to the Australian team what their visit means to old men like myself who, though no great performers, have followed with the keenest of interest from the days of early childhood the performances of the giants of cricket right across the world. To us the mere word "Australia" smacks of romance and we think of our childhood and those great names upon which we were brought up, and we seem to see once more the demon bowler at work - the great Spofforth - who is still living among us in London.

And we have here my old friend Sir Kynaston Studd (former Cricketer and Sheriff of London, two years later would become Lord Mayor of London), who tells me that his body is still scarred with bruises received from that giant arm.

We all think of the names of those, some of whom are with us, but some, alas! Have passed over - those great bowlers, Charlie Turner, Hugh Trumble and Ernest Jones. We seem to see once more Victor Trumper and Clem Hill, who has reminded us of his presence lately in a way most likely to attract the attention of the British public.

There was George Giffen, and, perhaps, above all, those two romantic figures, one of whom I am rejoiced to hear from Mr Smith is still living - the great Blackham, who taught every Cricketer in the world how to stand up to fast bowling without a long-stop. And there was one, no longer with us, who gained the admiration of everyone - Bonnor, whose throw-in from the country was a thing no man that ever saw it can forget. I tell the present team that if such giants as those I have named are with them today - I gather that there are - then indeed we shall have to look out for our laurels.

But this game of cricket, the nursery of which are the villages of England, has cast its seed across the ocean, and nowhere has a mightier tree grown from that seed than in Australia. There is nothing that has been imported from this country that has flourished there like cricket. The only remarkable thing to my mind is that the other great English export from this country which though it has flourished so much in Australia yet has been kept out of the team. I know not by what means, is rabbits.

In these few words of mine wishing to welcome the Australians I want to say a word of cheer to Mr Warner.

I want to ask him not to allow his nerves to be unduly rattled by the Press barrage Under which our opponents are advancing to fight us.

I can assure him I have passed through those barrages unscathed.

I can assure him that the quality of the ammunition which will be employed can be no better than is manufactured by the directors of the fire. In those circumstances I hope he will keep up his spirits and his courage.

And to the Australians I would say we offer them here today the warmest welcome.

We hope the weather will be good. We hope the games will be played out. There are two matches in this country which perhaps occupy a peculiar position for those who are directly interested in them - the Oxford and Cambridge and the Eton and Harrow. It was on the morning of the Oxford and Cambridge match that my youngest son - as I had been at Cambridge - said to me, "Don't let us have any of that nonsense today about letting the best side win."

No true sportsman in those two matches ever feels that.

But in every other match the Australians are going to play I say from my heart let us have the finest cricket and let the best side win.

I ask you to rise and drink the health of the team, and I couple with the toast the names of Mr Collins, who is no stranger to this country, and Mr Smith, the manager of the team."

JM Barrie then rose and delivered, in today's parlance, a roast of the Australian team:

"If I were to say one-tenth of what I could say about cricket, especially about my own prowess at it, there would be no more play today.

Once more I buckle on my pads, I stride to the wicket. I take a look round to see how Mr Collins has set his field - and, oh horrible! I see Mr Gregory waiting in the slips.

What can he be waiting for? I get one consolation from Mr Gregory's name - he is obviously a MacGregor. I have no doubt that he inherited his bowling form his ancestor, Rob Roy MacGregor, who, as the books tell us, used to hurl rocks at the stumps of Sassenach.

Mr Gregory is now joined in the slips by Mr Henry and Mr Mailey. Three to one!

I don't know what they think they look like, with their arms stretched out imploringly, but to me they look as if they were proposing simultaneously to the same lady.

Even though one of them wins her, what can he do with her? I hope they will remember this in the first Test Match, and that it will put them off their game.

The first Test Match! Fancy speaking that awful mouthful in words of one syllable. All the awful words this year are to be one syllable. The three T's - Test, Toss, Tail.

The first Test Match is about to begin. We are all at Trent Bridge. The English captain wins the toss and puts the Australians in. I think he must have something up his sleeve. I don't quite catch sight of his face, but I saw him having a secret conversation with Mr Warner's old Harlequin cap, and I believe they are up to something.

Maurice Tate takes the ball . You know his way. He then puts his hand behind his back; an awful silence spreads over the universe. The Prime Minister, in the House of Commons, in the middle of his speech is bereft of words.

It has been said, probably by Mr Gregory, that drowning men clutch at straws. On a balcony in the pavilion nine members of the Australian team pick up straws and clutch at them.

Mr Noble pauses in the middle of drawing up the complete Australian averages of the tour. Mr Hill in Australia is suspended between Heaven and the ink pot.

Maurice Tate takes a little walk which is to be followed by a little run.

My lords and gentlemen, pray silence while Maurice Tate delivers his first ball. There is now nothing to be heard except Mr Gregory letting fall his straw. Tate comes rushing forward and sends down, not the ball, but the seam.

What does the mighty roar from the onlookers mean? Have the Australians already made four, or does it mean, in journalistic phrase, "The next man in is Macartney"? Much good that will do us.

Then there is Ponsford, who, I am told, has only been out twice in the last five years.

I suppose I am the only man in the room who knows what it is to be the constitution of the English XI. Mr Warner and his committee don't know - at least I haven't told them.

On such occasions as this it may seem cruel to damp Mr Collins, but I suppose the truth is best, and I am afraid I must tell him that this year there is no hope for his gallant but unfortunate company.

Our team is mostly new, and is at present hidden away in cellars. Our fast bowler - I mention this in confidence - is W.K. Thunder, who has never been known to smile except when he hears Mr Gregory referred to as a fast bowler.

Of our batsmen, I shall merely indicate their quality by saying that Hobbs is the 12th man.

Of course, things may go wrong. There is the glorious uncertainty of cricket. Even the Prime Minister - in the only game in which I saw him play - in the first innings he made one, but in the second innings he - was not so successful.

But even though Australia should win - this time - I have a rod in reserve for Mr Collins.

In that case I shall myself choose the Scottish XI.

My first choice is MacGregor, with him MacDonald, Macaulay and Macartney.

Two other names as Scotch as peat are Hendry and Andrews. A.W. Carr is my captain. M.D. Lyon my wicket-keeper and there are still Douglas, Nigel Haig, MacBryan and Armstrong. With this Scottish XI I challenge the Australians. The game not to be played on turf or matting, but, as always, on our native Heather.

In conclusion - for I was out long ago (caught Gregory) - in conclusion, as Mr Grimmett said when he went on to bowl in the last Test match - let us pay our opponents this compliment, we are sure that if we had not thought of cricket first, they would have done it, and whether we win or lose, O friendly enemy, you cannot deprive us of our proudest sporting boast, that it was we who invented both cricket and the Australians.

And let us not forget, especially at this time, that the great glory of cricket does not lie in Test Matches, nor county championships, nor Sheffield Shields, but rather on village greens, the cradle of cricket.

The Tests are but the fevers of the game. As the years roll on they become of small account, something else soon takes their place, the very word may be forgotten; but long, long afterwards, I think, your far-off progeny will still of summer afternoons hear the crack of the bat and the local champion calling for his ale on the same old bumpy wickets. It has been said of the unseen army of the dead, on their everlasting march, that when they are passing a rural cricket ground the Englishman falls out of the ranks for a moment to look over the gate and smile. The Englishman, yes, and the Australian. How terrible if those two had to join their comrades feeling that we were no longer playing the game! I think that is about the last blunder we shall make. I ask you to drink to the glorious toast of cricket, coupled with the name of one of the greatest of all Cricketers and one of the greatest of cricket captains. Mr Warner"

[The Professor]

On this day in 1976 India begin the final match of the series in a circumspect fashion against West Indies.

The final and deciding Test between West Indies and India began with the home team winning the toss and electing to field.

The tone of India's approach to batting in this Test is summed up by Anshuman Gaekwad's figures at the end of Day One. The opener batted all day and could only show 60 runs from his five and a half hours toil in the field.

He was joined, for a good portion of the day, by Sunil Gavaskar who contributed a more nippy 66 in a jot over three and a half hours play before being bowled by Michael Holding.

This was the only success for West Indies and the day closed with Mohinder Amarnath joining Gaekwad, with the less senior partner on 25.

[The Professor]

On this day India are brutalised as their first innings winds up against physical West Indies' bowling.

Michael Holding continued his spell of good form with the ball in his debut Test on his home island of Jamaica and claimed the wicket of Mohinder Amarnath early on the second day with the Indian batsmen only adding 14 to his overnight score. His next wicket was more timely if not more unfortunate when a defensive shot played by Gundappa Viswanath hit his finger, fractured it and then fell in the hands of Bernard Julien. India were 216-3 and had lost one of their batsmen.

Anshuman Gaekwad was the next to feel the wrath of the West Indian bowler when he was forced to retire hurt for 81 after Holding's delivery reared up and hit the opener in the left ear. He left the field and was taken to hospital where he spent the rest of the day.

Holding's onslaught did not stop there. Brijesh Patel was the next in line at the Jamaican hospital after another powerful and fast Holding delivery bounced up off his bat and caught him full in the face causing him to bleed profusely from the mouth. He required immediate attention and retired on 14.

The string of casualties did not pacify Holding at all and he did not calm down his force, pace or angle of his deliveries. With a mere 306 on the board the Indian captain, Bishan Bedi, declared saying he had done so to protect his batsmen - and with him being next in to bat he perhaps didn't fancy the same treatment those that had gone before had received.

West Indies batted through the rest of the day and got 82 runs under their belt with Roy Fredericks on 44 and Lawrence Rowe on 37.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1976 West Indies had a day of rest (and recuperation) so we look at the emerging talent of Michael Holding.

At this point Holding was playing his ninth Test and had bagged a total of 29 wickets and had already shown the signs that he could be destructive. His best figures at this time were 6-65 against India earlierin this tour. What the history books forget is that he was getting himself a reputation of something as a bruiser. This match and his sustained physical attacks against the Indian batsmen was the culmination of this.

Just a mere four months later his reputation was changed after the tour in England. His bowling had become subtle, incisive and scything. It was here that he picked up one of his nicknames 'The Whispering Death'. The same features were all there. The incredibly fast fast bowling, the aggression and the pin point accuracy - the only difference was that they were directed towards wickets rather than intimidating and bruising opponents. It was this regeneration of Holding that went on to become one of the best bowlers cricket has ever seen, leaving the tempestuous earlier version of himself behind.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1976 West Indies take the lead as depleted Indian team become more depleted.

Despite the extra day of recuperation, Gundappa Viswanath and Anshuman Gaekwad were not able to return to the field due to their Holding-inflicted injuries so substitute fielders had to be utilised.

India had their first glimpse of success when they dispatched Lawrence Rowe in the morning session after he had put on a further ten runs to his overnight total. Viv Richards then joined Roy Fredericks at the crease.

It was during Fredericks and Richards' 81 run partnership that India sustained more injury. Captain Bishan Bedi, who had declared early to prevent further injury, attempted a return catch off his own bowling to Richards and injured the little finger on his left hand and had to leave the pitch for medical attention.

This left Bhagwath Chandrasekhar having to take on the burden of bowling a huge amount of overs but he did not seem to mind. He eventually displaced Richards and then in a spell later on in the day gutted the middle order, claiming four wickets in 27 balls to render West Indies 217-6.

Deryck Murray and, that man, Michael Holding first staunched the flow of dismissals and then set about consolidating West Indies' position. They stayed together for the rest of the day and helped the West Indian team overhaul the Indian total just before the end of play. At stumps West Indies were 320-6 and 14 ahead with Murray on 54 and Holding on 53.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1976 India are only able to field six players in the second innings against West Indies.

The good news on the injury front was that Bishan Bedi was passed fit to bowl but not bat and took the wicket of Michael Holding early on. Vanburn Holder frustrated India , first by aiding Deryck Murray in extending the West Indian lead with a partnership of 21 and then taking the impetus in a 39 run last wicket partnership alongside Wayne Daniel.

It was not just in stolid lower order batsmen that India found frustration though, as they lost two further players in increasingly bizarre circumstances. The star bowler of yesterday, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, was forced off the field with a hand injury and substitute fielder, Surinder Amarnath, was absent due to an emergency appendix operation. This meant that when West Indies were all out for 391, India had only six men to face the second innings.

Sunil Gaveskar did not offer much hope when he was out for 2 - a victim of Holding - but Dilip Vengsarkar and Mohinder Amarnath put on 63 to bring India close to parity. After Vengsarkar was dismissed on 21, Amarnath took the lead alongside Madan Lal who usually batted at seven.

The innings ended suddenly when the final three wickets fell for the gain of no runs with Holding getting the final two. India's six man team were all out for 97 meaning that the West Indies needed only another 13 runs that they polished off with ease.