In 1931
An outstanding player of quick bowling at a time when most of his countrymen played the pacemen like startled rabbits, Vijay Manjrekar, born today, was a master technician and better than his Test average of 39.12. In his first Test innings overseas, he hit a memorable 133 against Fred Trueman and Alec Bedser at Headingley in 1952. He made seven hundred in 55 Tests, including an unbeaten 189 against England in Delhi in 1961-62. Nimble on his feet despite carrying a few surplus pounds, he also made an unbeaten 102 in his final Test innings, 1964-65. He died at the age of 52 in Madras in 1983. His son Sanjay was an Indian regular in the 1980s and 90s.
1995
A famous victory for Sri Lanka in Sialkot. They beat Pakistan by 144 runs in the third Test to seal their first victory in a three-match series overseas. It was also Pakistan’s first home series defeat since 1980-81 and only the fourth instance - three of which had been in the previous year - of a side winning a three-Test rubber after losing the first match. It came after the sort of collapse that only Pakistan are capable of. They slipped to 15 for 5 chasing an unlikely 357 to win, after which, for all the admirable defiance of Moin Khan’s unbeaten 117, there was only ever going to be one winner.
Players who share their Birthday today:
Ian Chappel
Jonny Bairstow
Sean Williams