Famous Test Matches – Australia v India, Adelaide, 1977-78

The 1977-78 series between Australia and India was played in the midst of one of cricket’s most testing periods. The Kerry Packer episode had hit international cricket and a host of star players from most of the leading countries had become part of the ‘circus’, thus finding themselves out of their respective national sides. […]

SPECIALS – Tribute to Norman Gordon

Norman Gordon, who was the oldest living Test cricketer, passed away at the age of 103 years and 27 days in his Johannesburg home on 2nd September. He was the first and only male Test cricketer to have crossed the age of 100. In August 2010, Gordon became the oldest living Test cricketer […]

Famous Test Matches – Pakistan v Bangladesh, Multan, 2003

This was the third Test of Bangladesh’s first full tour of Pakistan. The hosts had unsurprisingly sealed the series by winning the first two Tests, but it did not come as easy as expected. In the first Test at Karachi, Pakistan were set a tricky 217 to win while in the second Test […]

SPECIALS – Top performances by Parsis for India

As mentioned in a previous post, a total of thirteen Parsis (eleven men and two women) played international cricket for India. A total of sixteen centuries and four five-wicket hauls in Tests and one ODI half-century (the golden age of Parsi cricket had passed when one-dayers were introduced) have been recorded. Let us look […]

SPECIALS – Test hat-trick peculiarities

1) Jimmy Matthews’ unique record Thomas James Matthews created a unique record when he became the first and till date, only player to take two hat-tricks in the same Test, and he took both on the second day. The Australian leg-break bowler achieved the feat against South Africa at Old Trafford during the 1912 […]

SPECIALS – When four Parsis played together for India

The impact of Parsi cricket on the national team was most visible during India’s tour of the West Indies in 1961-62. Nari Contractor was the captain of the squad, and only months earlier he had lead India to a maiden home series win against England. This was his third series as captain and he […]

SPECIALS – The first Parsis to play Test cricket

In a two-part post last year, I had written about how the Parsi community in India took to the game of cricket in the later part of the 19th century and how a squad entirely consisting of Parsis became the first ever team from India to tour England. Their efforts led to a […]

Specials – Sri Lanka’s finest Test wins

Sri Lanka have gone on to become one of the top Test teams since their debut more than three decades back in 1981-82. They almost immediately made an impression, proving that they belonged to the top tier of international cricket. Though they have been generally ordinary overseas, playing them in their own backyard […]

Famous Test Matches – Zimbabwe v England, Bulawayo, 1996-97

This Test played at the Queens Sports Club from 18th to 22nd December, 1996 was the first ever between England, the oldest cricketing nation and Zimbabwe, the then newest member of the Test fraternity. Zimbabwe had made their Test debut in 1992-93 and in the four years since, the African nation had been […]

Specials – Indian princes and Ashes hundreds

In what is one of the many interesting coincidences in the history of Test cricket, there have been three Indian princes who had the distinction of representing England in Test matches against Australia, and each of them scored a century on their Ashes debut. Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji of Kathiawar, Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji of […]