On This Day

[Arthur Crabtree]

After falling out with Michael Clarke.

[GarlicJam]

George was on my side though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Don't want to get on the wrong side of George.

[GarlicJam]

You'll note that I have been careful not to.

You, on the other hand...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well, I'm just a fake name on the internet on the other side of the world. Not even he can reach that far. You, however, live in Tasmania.

[GarlicJam]

Not just Tassie, Lonnie even. He grew up here.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Afghanistan lost their inaugural World Cup game to Bangladesh.

At 119-4 and after a comparatively weak display from their openers, Bangladesh would have felt concerned. However two late order half centuries and a quick fire partnership of 118 from Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim took Bangladesh to a lofty total of 267. Afghanistan could take some solace from the innings, however. They restricted the Bangladesh openers and wound the last six batsmen up for 34 runs.

This Afghanistan momentum did not last long as Mashrafe Mortaza struck twice early on to render Afghanistan 3-3 in the chase and nail any chance of them getting the win. The innings was not without success though. Much like the Bangladesh innings, the middle order capitalised and Samiullah Shenwari and Mohammed Nabi combined for good runs to edge Afghanistan to a healthy total. Afghanistan ended up feeling too much scoreboard pressure and lost batsmen going for big hits or extra runs.

Bangladesh won by 105 runs

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Zimbabwe did not show the dominance expected for a Teast team over an associate but still escaped with the win.

The UAE were put into bat and started badly. At 40-2 the contest seemed like it would be too much for the Associate side, however a third wicket partnership of 82 between Krishna Chandran and Khurram Khan added some much needed stability for the Arabian side. Even when that partnership broke up Shaiman Anwar came in and scored powerfully; forcing 50 runs from 37 balls.

Zimbabwe will be counting the blessing of Sean Williams whose middle order grit saw his team through a tricky chase of 285. At one point Zimbabwe were 167-5 and looking in real difficulty with both openers as well as talismanic batsman Hamilton Masakadza all out without building a big score. Regis Chakabva was out in comical fashion when he slipped on to his own wicket.

Brendan Taylor started the good times rolling with 47 at number 4, which helped to stabilise Williams and allow the run rate to creep up. Even at the death Sean Ervine got himself a 42 which capped off Zimbabwe's highest World Cup run-chase.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1963 a frustrating Ashes series ended in a frustrating draw.

It is fitting that a series that had already had two draws i it was to finish with a draw and therefore leave the series at a 1-1 stalemate as time ran out between England and Australia.

The day started with the possibility of a result. England were at 166/3 in their second innings with a lead of 137. Quick runs, declare at lunch...and who knows?

Colin Cowdrey followed this brief and quickly converted his overnight score into a half century but then was caught out at 52. England's lead was now 211.

Ken Barrington had batted more slowly and taken longer to get 40 runs before he was out for 98.

This then marked an England collapse wherein they went from 239/3 to 268/8. Ted Dexter declared at lunch leaving England needing to skittle Australia out in two sessions defending 240.

This target seemed well within reach when Fred Trueman bowled Bobby Simpson for a duck in the first over. This effected the Australian's nerves and they proceeded to dig in. The extent of this digging in was symbolised by Bill Lawry and Norm O'Neill who left everything and crawled to their scores. Neil Harvey, perhaps against orders, came in and batted properly and was out for 25. A flurry of wickets at the end of the afternoon session for David Allen saw Australia go in for tea at 75/4. After tea any pretence of going for a result was forgotten.

Despite retaining the Ashes the Australian crowd was hostile. Surely one of the only times an Ashes winning team were booed off the pitch.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 West Indies registered their first win of the World Cup against Pakistan.

Three half centuries up the order and a spell of defiance from the tail lifted West Indies to a daunting total of 310. They didn't start very confidently however. After the loss of their openers West Indies were 28-2 but a partnership of 75 from Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels put them back on the straight and narrow.

This was only the first dominant partnership as Dinesh Ramdin and Lendl Simmons pushed the total over 200. The tail enders helped West Indies reach the heights through 115 runs in the final 10 overs.

Pakistan got a couple of half centuries too but Jerome Taylor and Andre Russell got threefers to peg the Windies back. It all went wrong for Pakistan when they were two down within the first four balls of the innings. Then in the blink of an eye they were 1-4 - it was their worst start to a ODI in their history.

The fact they didn't fold completely is thanks to Sohaib Maqsood and Umar Akmal who both got half centuries but it was too little too late for Pakistan.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 the best game of the World Cup so far was played out between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan started by playing above themselves predominantly through the third wicket partnership of 88 between Asghar Stanikzai and Samiullah Shenwari. By the end of the innings Afghanistan were 128-2. The game could have been much closer if Afghanistan had lost Shenwari to the most narrow of DRS decisions on 25 but they ploughed on to their high score. Stanikzai was the more dominant batsmen bringing his fifty off his fiftieth ball.

The middle order held up well against growing pressure from Sri Lanka, but they could have pushed on to force the issue for their side. Sri Lanka were ineffective with the ball and Afghanistan increasingly ineffective with the bat.

Sri Lanka started poorly and at one point were 51 for 4 chasing 233 but Mahela Jayawardene provided the middle order stability to push on, however not even the Sri Lankan master felt comfortable. Afghanistan's Dawlat Zadran was the main impetus of pain for Sri Lanka in early overs when, within two overs, the most dangerous pair of Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan were sent back for 0. The early horror show continued with the cheap dismissal of Kumar Sangakkara to leave Sri Lanka on 18-3.

Angelo Matthews and Jayawardene came together to provide stability for the Sri Lankans. Matthews proved the less dominant partner as a century for Jayawardene sparked the impetus needed for Sri Lanka to seize the win. Even Jayawardene was late to the party, waiting until his half century to kick start his innings.

Jeevan Mendis and Thisara Perera finished off the come back much to Sri Lanka's relief.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2013 England completed an ODI series defeat courtesy of Steve Finn.

Finn's remodelled action truly came good in Auckland as he bagged a threefer to bury the Kiwis. His combination work with Stuart Broad was also exemplary.

The New Zealand batsmen struggled after Alistair Cook put them in. The openers did very poorly. The opening three batsmen claimed only ten runs; Finn bagging two of the three. Kane Williamson fell for 7 and so began the real crumble. Only Brendon McCullum covered himself with glory with a captain's innings of 79. With his dismissal by James Anderson, the game seemed dead. England were left chasing 185.

England made hard work of the chase. Cook and Jonathan Trott played well but got out to bad strokes, however the depth of England's batting paid dividends and they sealed the win.

[The Professor]

On this day in 201 Chris Gayle broke the record for the fastest double-century in one day cricket as West Indies trounced Zimbabwe.

Gayle’s total was truly extraordinary and he accrued 16 sixes and 10 fours reaching 200 in 138 balls.

At one time it seemed like West Indies were in a spot of bother. Dwayne Smith was dismissed for just a duck having faced two balls and with no runs on the board.


In the clamour over Gayle’s innings it will be forgotten that Marlon Samuels also got a creditable 133* in 156 balls.

Due to rain Zimbabwe were given a revised total of 363 which started badly through Jason Holder’s dismissal of Regis Chakabva for 2. Holder went on to claim another two wickets. Zimbabwe did give the chase a go and, through the partnership of Craig Ervine and Sean Williams, who put together a strong start but due to the enormity of the challenge facing them it seemed plucky more than anything else. Gayle ended his day in style by bagging two wickets as well , most notably the one of Craig Ervine just after his half century.

Ultimately it was the Chris Gayle show.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 a big score from Gary Wilson saw Ireland edge a victory over the UAE in the World Cup.

UAE started tamely with their net run rate low and a few cheap wickets falling. As the innings progressed the run rate dropped even more to make the innings even more desperate. At 131 for 6 after 35 overs with no one yet able to get a big score things were looking desperate for the Arabian team. Shaiman Anwar and Amjad Javad combined to provide salvage for UAE and scored a, frankly astounding, 107 together in 12 overs. This boosted the score to 278-9.

Ireland's dangerman Paul Stirling fell in just the second over of the chase but Ireland managed to consolidate with a second wicket partnership of 68. Then came a flurry of wickets whereby a number of batsmen got in but never pushed on to bigger scores. On Wilson's entrance into the game Ireland were at 97-4 and looking fragile, however the combination of Wilson and George Dockrell took it away from the UAE. It was a superb team effort from Ireland that saw them overpower the Arabian side as Kevin O'Brien also got a half century to force the issue.

[The Professor]

On this day in 2015 Sri Lankan centuries lift Sri Lanka to Bangladesh win.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara were the main men for Sri Lanka and unbeaten centuries from them both took the game away from Bangladesh. Their partnership of 210 made up 63% of Sri Lanka's overall score.

Dilshan and fellow opener Lahiru Thirimanne consolidated well at the start of the innings with Thirimanne playing more riskier shots than his more senior partner. This saw him out just after his half century.

This brought together Dilshan and Sangakarra. The latter of whom started cagily in order to allow the former to reach his century. After Dilshan's century the pair went boundary crazy in the last 6 overs, slogging the ball round for fun.

This strong performance with the bat was followed up by a dominance with the ball that saw Bangladesh bowled out before their full allocation of overs.

Bangladesh's chase of 332 started poorly when Tamim Iqbal was out for a duck in the first over off Malinga. The Bangladesh batsmen tried to attack in short bursts but could not hold up to the pressure of the Sri Lankan bowling. After seven overs Bangladesh were 41-3.

Bangladesh found a bit of form in their middle order. Anamul Haque and Mahmadullah formed a partnership of 43. Anamul fell first and Mahmudullah only managed a handful of runs before he fell.

The best Bangladeshi partnership was between Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim. Whilst their 61 pales in comparison to Dilshan and Sangakarra's total, it had the same effect on their innings.

Dilshan rounded off a good day by splitting up the partnership, removing Shakib for 46.