November 6 down the years
You're out of time, Angie
The rare dismissal makes its entry into international cricket
In nearly 150 years of international cricket, Angelo Mathews became the first to be timed out • AFP/Getty Images
2023
Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket. And to add to the drama, it came in a World Cup game, in Delhi. Mathews was on the pitch, getting ready to face Shakib Al Hasan, when he found his helmet strap was broken. He called for a replacement, but in the meantime, Shakib, Bangladesh's captain, appealed to the umpires and Mathews was informed that he was timed out for not being ready to face his first ball within the two minutes allotted for it in the ICC playing conditions. Bangladesh went on to win the match by three wickets.
Angelo Mathews became the first batter to be timed out in international cricket. And to add to the drama, it came in a World Cup game, in Delhi. Mathews was on the pitch, getting ready to face Shakib Al Hasan, when he found his helmet strap was broken. He called for a replacement, but in the meantime, Shakib, Bangladesh's captain, appealed to the umpires and Mathews was informed that he was timed out for not being ready to face his first ball within the two minutes allotted for it in the ICC playing conditions. Bangladesh went on to win the match by three wickets.
1999
The sort of all-action performance that makes you wonder how Michael Slater could ever have failed to make the Test team gave Australia the whip hand over Pakistan in the first Test, in Brisbane. Most batters would have started cautiously in reply to an imposing total of 367, but not Slater. He butchered 169 and put on 269 for the first wicket (a record for Australia vs Pakistan) with Greg Blewett. And after Mark Waugh stroked an even hundred, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne rubbed it in. Gilchrist smacked an 88-ball 81 in his first Test innings, and Warne gleefully smeared four sixes during his 86, piling on 86 for the tenth wicket with his old mate Scott "Can't bowl can't field" Muller (6 not out).
The sort of all-action performance that makes you wonder how Michael Slater could ever have failed to make the Test team gave Australia the whip hand over Pakistan in the first Test, in Brisbane. Most batters would have started cautiously in reply to an imposing total of 367, but not Slater. He butchered 169 and put on 269 for the first wicket (a record for Australia vs Pakistan) with Greg Blewett. And after Mark Waugh stroked an even hundred, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne rubbed it in. Gilchrist smacked an 88-ball 81 in his first Test innings, and Warne gleefully smeared four sixes during his 86, piling on 86 for the tenth wicket with his old mate Scott "Can't bowl can't field" Muller (6 not out).
1956
Birth of Western Australia's Graeme Wood, a compact left-hand opener renowned for his stubborn determination and eccentric running - he became known as the "Kamikaze Kid" after a series of fiascos against England in 1978-79. Throughout his career Wood confounded expectations. Most notably, he followed hundreds in consecutive Tests (against England at Lord's in 1980 and New Zealand in Brisbane the following winter) with three successive ducks. His Test career looked to be over after the 1985 England tour when he struggled, apart from a 10-hour 172 at Trent Bridge, but outstanding domestic form saw him return in 1988-89. He made a brave hundred against Ambrose, Marshall, Walsh and Patterson on a Perth flyer, but was dropped for the final time after the next match, as Australia tried out another left-handed opener... Mark Taylor.
Birth of Western Australia's Graeme Wood, a compact left-hand opener renowned for his stubborn determination and eccentric running - he became known as the "Kamikaze Kid" after a series of fiascos against England in 1978-79. Throughout his career Wood confounded expectations. Most notably, he followed hundreds in consecutive Tests (against England at Lord's in 1980 and New Zealand in Brisbane the following winter) with three successive ducks. His Test career looked to be over after the 1985 England tour when he struggled, apart from a 10-hour 172 at Trent Bridge, but outstanding domestic form saw him return in 1988-89. He made a brave hundred against Ambrose, Marshall, Walsh and Patterson on a Perth flyer, but was dropped for the final time after the next match, as Australia tried out another left-handed opener... Mark Taylor.
2018
Zimbabwe's first win in an away Test in 17 years (and only their third overseas Test win overall) came in Sylhet, when they bowled Bangladesh out for 169 on the fourth day. Spinners Brandon Mavuta and Sikandar Raza took ten wickets, Stuart Williams made an eighty, and veteran Hamilton Masakadza 48 runs in the second innings after Bangladesh had been seen off for 143 in the first innings.
Zimbabwe's first win in an away Test in 17 years (and only their third overseas Test win overall) came in Sylhet, when they bowled Bangladesh out for 169 on the fourth day. Spinners Brandon Mavuta and Sikandar Raza took ten wickets, Stuart Williams made an eighty, and veteran Hamilton Masakadza 48 runs in the second innings after Bangladesh had been seen off for 143 in the first innings.
2022
South Africa have had a few ignominious exits from global cricket events, but Netherlands knocked them out of the T20 World Cup seemed to mark a new low. Stephan Myburgh gave Netherlands a positive start, after which Tom Cooper and Colin Ackermann took on Kagiso Rabada and the spinners to post 158. Their seamers kept things tight - Fred Klassen bowling 12 dots in his first three overs - but the turning point came when Roelof van der Merwe, who played two T20 World Cups for South Africa in 2009 and 2010, took a spectacular catch to dismiss the in-form David Miller. From needing a comfortable 48 off five overs, South Africa couldn't pull things back when the requirement climbed to 41 from three.
South Africa have had a few ignominious exits from global cricket events, but Netherlands knocked them out of the T20 World Cup seemed to mark a new low. Stephan Myburgh gave Netherlands a positive start, after which Tom Cooper and Colin Ackermann took on Kagiso Rabada and the spinners to post 158. Their seamers kept things tight - Fred Klassen bowling 12 dots in his first three overs - but the turning point came when Roelof van der Merwe, who played two T20 World Cups for South Africa in 2009 and 2010, took a spectacular catch to dismiss the in-form David Miller. From needing a comfortable 48 off five overs, South Africa couldn't pull things back when the requirement climbed to 41 from three.
1956
Preparing a traditional Calcutta dustbowl backfired on India as they went down in a 94-run defeat to Australia in the third Test. In all, 39 wickets fell in the match, and 35 of them went to spinners. Richie Benaud benefited more than anyone, taking 6 for 52 and 5 for 53, and though offspinner Ghulam Ahmed almost matched him with 7 for 49 and 3 for 81, a fourth-innings target of 231 proved beyond the Indians. It gave Australia a 2-0 series victory, neatly bringing down the curtain on the 45-Test career of their captain, Ian Johnson. He finished with exactly 1000 runs - and a slightly less symmetrical 109 wickets.
Preparing a traditional Calcutta dustbowl backfired on India as they went down in a 94-run defeat to Australia in the third Test. In all, 39 wickets fell in the match, and 35 of them went to spinners. Richie Benaud benefited more than anyone, taking 6 for 52 and 5 for 53, and though offspinner Ghulam Ahmed almost matched him with 7 for 49 and 3 for 81, a fourth-innings target of 231 proved beyond the Indians. It gave Australia a 2-0 series victory, neatly bringing down the curtain on the 45-Test career of their captain, Ian Johnson. He finished with exactly 1000 runs - and a slightly less symmetrical 109 wickets.
1921
Birth of a true allrounder. New Zealander Geoff "Boney" Rabone was an aggressive batter, an offspinner capable of turning to leggies or even medium pace, an outstanding slip fielder and a popular captain. He captained New Zealand in five of his 12 Tests, and though they didn't actually win any of them, it was hardly Rabone's fault. At times he opened the batting and bowling, and he turned in some heroic performances, most notably in his first match as captain, against South Africa in Durban in 1953-54, when he made 107 (next-best: 32) and 68 (19) as the Kiwis went down to an innings defeat. He played his last Test against England in Auckland in 1954-55, when New Zealand were skittled for the all-time Test low of 26.
Birth of a true allrounder. New Zealander Geoff "Boney" Rabone was an aggressive batter, an offspinner capable of turning to leggies or even medium pace, an outstanding slip fielder and a popular captain. He captained New Zealand in five of his 12 Tests, and though they didn't actually win any of them, it was hardly Rabone's fault. At times he opened the batting and bowling, and he turned in some heroic performances, most notably in his first match as captain, against South Africa in Durban in 1953-54, when he made 107 (next-best: 32) and 68 (19) as the Kiwis went down to an innings defeat. He played his last Test against England in Auckland in 1954-55, when New Zealand were skittled for the all-time Test low of 26.
1994
A rout in Harare, where Sri Lanka took their one-day series against Zimbabwe 2-1 with a thumping 191-run victory, then their biggest win in terms of runs. The old firm of Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga set them up with 143 in 24 overs (de Silva batted through for an unbeaten 107). Zimbabwe were always going to be up against it chasing 297, and it was effectively over when Chaminda Vaas and Ravindra Pushpakumara reduced them to 22 for 5. They were finally all out for 105.
A rout in Harare, where Sri Lanka took their one-day series against Zimbabwe 2-1 with a thumping 191-run victory, then their biggest win in terms of runs. The old firm of Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga set them up with 143 in 24 overs (de Silva batted through for an unbeaten 107). Zimbabwe were always going to be up against it chasing 297, and it was effectively over when Chaminda Vaas and Ravindra Pushpakumara reduced them to 22 for 5. They were finally all out for 105.
1985
The birth of a West Indies legspinner. Devendra Bishoo, who made his first-class debut in 2008, tasted immediate success with four five-wicket hauls, and ten in one match, in his first couple of seasons. His attacking style of bowling had a major impact in the 2010 Caribbean T20, and he made his Test debut the following year, against Pakistan in Providence, playing a big part in the win with 4 for 68 in the first innings. Bishoo had a good series against Bangladesh but lost his place in the side after 11 Tests thanks to competition from Sunil Narine and Shane Shillingford. Bishoo made a comeback to the Test side in 2015, taking 6 for 80 against Australia in Dominica. The following year he turned in an astonishing 8 for 49 (and ten in the match) against Pakistan in Dubai - though it was not enough to win his side the Test.
The birth of a West Indies legspinner. Devendra Bishoo, who made his first-class debut in 2008, tasted immediate success with four five-wicket hauls, and ten in one match, in his first couple of seasons. His attacking style of bowling had a major impact in the 2010 Caribbean T20, and he made his Test debut the following year, against Pakistan in Providence, playing a big part in the win with 4 for 68 in the first innings. Bishoo had a good series against Bangladesh but lost his place in the side after 11 Tests thanks to competition from Sunil Narine and Shane Shillingford. Bishoo made a comeback to the Test side in 2015, taking 6 for 80 against Australia in Dominica. The following year he turned in an astonishing 8 for 49 (and ten in the match) against Pakistan in Dubai - though it was not enough to win his side the Test.
Other birthdays
1876 Ernie Hayes (England)
1897 Jack O'Connor (England)
1919 Allen Lissette (New Zealand)
1927 Eric Atkinson (West Indies)
1953 Brian McKechnie (New Zealand)
1876 Ernie Hayes (England)
1897 Jack O'Connor (England)
1919 Allen Lissette (New Zealand)
1927 Eric Atkinson (West Indies)
1953 Brian McKechnie (New Zealand)