February 4 down the years
Mahmudullah to the rescue
Birth of a Bangladesh allrounder
Mahmudullah made 77 in a record 148-run seventh-wicket stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz in an ODI against India in December 2022 • Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images
1986
Allrounder Mahmudullah, born on this day, starred in Bangladesh's first overseas win - taking eight wickets against West Indies (albeit a strike-affected B side) in Kingstown in 2009. He was named vice-captain two years later and played a key role in the middle order, including during the ODI series win over West Indies a year later. But it was towards the end of 2014 that he really made an impact, averaging 77.71 with the bat in ODIs in five months, culminating in a successful World Cup, where his two centuries - a match-winning one against England, and a nearly victorious one against New Zealand - took Bangladesh to the knockouts of the tournament for the first time. He also made four fifties in four successive Tests around then. In 2017, he starred alongside Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh's win over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy. He went on to score three hundreds within the space of four Tests in 2018-19, including 146 in Hamilton, but unexpectedly retired from the format in 2021, after scoring a career-best 150 in his final game, in Harare. Between 2019 and 2021, Mahmudullah captained Bangladesh in T20Is, leading them to series wins against Australia, New Zealand at home and Zimbabwe, but a dip in form saw him excluded from the 2022 T20 World Cup. In December that year, he starred in an ODI series-clinching win against India, rescuing his side from 69 for 6 with a century stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Allrounder Mahmudullah, born on this day, starred in Bangladesh's first overseas win - taking eight wickets against West Indies (albeit a strike-affected B side) in Kingstown in 2009. He was named vice-captain two years later and played a key role in the middle order, including during the ODI series win over West Indies a year later. But it was towards the end of 2014 that he really made an impact, averaging 77.71 with the bat in ODIs in five months, culminating in a successful World Cup, where his two centuries - a match-winning one against England, and a nearly victorious one against New Zealand - took Bangladesh to the knockouts of the tournament for the first time. He also made four fifties in four successive Tests around then. In 2017, he starred alongside Shakib Al Hasan in Bangladesh's win over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy. He went on to score three hundreds within the space of four Tests in 2018-19, including 146 in Hamilton, but unexpectedly retired from the format in 2021, after scoring a career-best 150 in his final game, in Harare. Between 2019 and 2021, Mahmudullah captained Bangladesh in T20Is, leading them to series wins against Australia, New Zealand at home and Zimbabwe, but a dip in form saw him excluded from the 2022 T20 World Cup. In December that year, he starred in an ODI series-clinching win against India, rescuing his side from 69 for 6 with a century stand with Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
1995
Zimbabwe completed their maiden Test victory in their 11th Test, a little over two years after their first match, beating Pakistan in Harare by an innings and 64 runs. Grant Flower scored an unbeaten 201, while his brother Andy and Guy Whittall contributed hundreds towards Zimbabwe's first-innings score of 544 for 4 declared. Heath Streak took 6 for 90 to help dismiss Pakistan for 322 in the first innings, and added three more to his kitty as they fell for 158 in the follow-on.
Zimbabwe completed their maiden Test victory in their 11th Test, a little over two years after their first match, beating Pakistan in Harare by an innings and 64 runs. Grant Flower scored an unbeaten 201, while his brother Andy and Guy Whittall contributed hundreds towards Zimbabwe's first-innings score of 544 for 4 declared. Heath Streak took 6 for 90 to help dismiss Pakistan for 322 in the first innings, and added three more to his kitty as they fell for 158 in the follow-on.
1929
A debut ton for 19-year-old Archie Jackson in Adelaide. His 164, made in five hours and 20 minutes, gave Australia a slender first-innings lead, but England eventually won a cracking match by only 12 runs. Jackson was hailed as being almost as good a batter as Don Bradman, but within four years he died from tuberculosis.
A debut ton for 19-year-old Archie Jackson in Adelaide. His 164, made in five hours and 20 minutes, gave Australia a slender first-innings lead, but England eventually won a cracking match by only 12 runs. Jackson was hailed as being almost as good a batter as Don Bradman, but within four years he died from tuberculosis.
1991
Records galore in Wellington. With New Zealand 148 for 2 in the second innings, still 175 behind Sri Lanka, Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones saved the match and more with an amazing partnership of 467. It was the highest for the third wicket in first-class cricket at the time, as well as the highest for any wicket in Tests. After such a meaty stand it was fitting that Arjuna Ranatunga was the man to dismiss them both - Crowe agonisingly for 299, the highest score by a New Zealander in Tests till Brendon McCullum made a triple-hundred in 2014.
Records galore in Wellington. With New Zealand 148 for 2 in the second innings, still 175 behind Sri Lanka, Martin Crowe and Andrew Jones saved the match and more with an amazing partnership of 467. It was the highest for the third wicket in first-class cricket at the time, as well as the highest for any wicket in Tests. After such a meaty stand it was fitting that Arjuna Ranatunga was the man to dismiss them both - Crowe agonisingly for 299, the highest score by a New Zealander in Tests till Brendon McCullum made a triple-hundred in 2014.
1990
Virgin territory for Richard Hadlee, who became the first man to take 400 Test wickets when he bowled Sanjay Manjrekar in the first Test, in Christchurch, on this day. Hadlee took seven wickets and Danny Morrison six, while John Wright made a nine-hour 185 to help New Zealand to a comfortable ten-wicket victory.
Virgin territory for Richard Hadlee, who became the first man to take 400 Test wickets when he bowled Sanjay Manjrekar in the first Test, in Christchurch, on this day. Hadlee took seven wickets and Danny Morrison six, while John Wright made a nine-hour 185 to help New Zealand to a comfortable ten-wicket victory.
1979
India racked up their highest Test total at the time, 644 for 7 declared, against West Indies in Kanpur. Faoud Bacchus went on to make a career-best 250, after Gundappa Viswanath (179), Anshuman Gaekwad (101) and Mohinder Amarnath (101 not out) had all made hundreds. Bacchus' eight-and-a-half-hour innings took West Indies to 452 for 8. Rain had ruled out play for nearly two days, and adding a sixth day was of no use. India won the six-Test series 1-0.
India racked up their highest Test total at the time, 644 for 7 declared, against West Indies in Kanpur. Faoud Bacchus went on to make a career-best 250, after Gundappa Viswanath (179), Anshuman Gaekwad (101) and Mohinder Amarnath (101 not out) had all made hundreds. Bacchus' eight-and-a-half-hour innings took West Indies to 452 for 8. Rain had ruled out play for nearly two days, and adding a sixth day was of no use. India won the six-Test series 1-0.
2019
After losing the headline series of the summer to India, Australia reclaimed some pride, sealing a 2-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in Canberra. The visitors, who could only put together 283 runs in two innings in the Brisbane Test, at least made Australia bat twice in Canberra (though the home team could well have afforded not to - in the first dig, they put on 534, with hundreds from Joe Burns, Kurtis Patterson and Travis Head). Man-of-the-Match Mitchell Starc was back among the wickets after a lean trot, with nine in the match. Between Pat Cummins and Starc, they accounted for an impressive 26 wickets in the two-Test series.
After losing the headline series of the summer to India, Australia reclaimed some pride, sealing a 2-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in Canberra. The visitors, who could only put together 283 runs in two innings in the Brisbane Test, at least made Australia bat twice in Canberra (though the home team could well have afforded not to - in the first dig, they put on 534, with hundreds from Joe Burns, Kurtis Patterson and Travis Head). Man-of-the-Match Mitchell Starc was back among the wickets after a lean trot, with nine in the match. Between Pat Cummins and Starc, they accounted for an impressive 26 wickets in the two-Test series.
1989
Test double-hundreds against the 1980s West Indies didn't grow on trees. In fact, there were only two, and Dean Jones made one of them on this day in Adelaide. His blistering 216 was the highlight of a drawn game that gave West Indies the series 3-1. This is really where it all turned around for Australia: having lost the first three Tests, they won the fourth improbably and scrapped for a draw here.
Test double-hundreds against the 1980s West Indies didn't grow on trees. In fact, there were only two, and Dean Jones made one of them on this day in Adelaide. His blistering 216 was the highlight of a drawn game that gave West Indies the series 3-1. This is really where it all turned around for Australia: having lost the first three Tests, they won the fourth improbably and scrapped for a draw here.
1935
Birth of the Pakistan batter Wallis Mathias, who played 21 Tests between 1955 and 1962, and was the first Christian to play Test cricket for the country. At his best a fluent strokeplayer, Mathias never really got going at the highest level and averaged only 23.72. The closest he got to a Test hundred was successive scores in the 70s in the West Indies in 1957-58. He died in his native Karachi in 1994.
Birth of the Pakistan batter Wallis Mathias, who played 21 Tests between 1955 and 1962, and was the first Christian to play Test cricket for the country. At his best a fluent strokeplayer, Mathias never really got going at the highest level and averaged only 23.72. The closest he got to a Test hundred was successive scores in the 70s in the West Indies in 1957-58. He died in his native Karachi in 1994.
1988
A special one-dayer for England at the MCG to commemorate 200 years of white settlement in Australia. Geoff Marsh - the only man to exceed 37 - decided the match with a patient 87. This was also the one-day debut of Neal Radford and Paul Jarvis, although their combined figures of 20-0-103-0 and zero runs meant it was not one to tell the grandchildren about.
A special one-dayer for England at the MCG to commemorate 200 years of white settlement in Australia. Geoff Marsh - the only man to exceed 37 - decided the match with a patient 87. This was also the one-day debut of Neal Radford and Paul Jarvis, although their combined figures of 20-0-103-0 and zero runs meant it was not one to tell the grandchildren about.
2018
Despite missing Rashid Khan and Billy Stanlake, who were called up for international duty, Adelaide Strikers clinched their maiden Big Bash title with ease, beating Hobart Hurricanes by 25 runs. Strikers opener Jake Weatherald's maiden T20 century - 115 off 70 balls (84 of those in boundaries) - took them to a massive 202 for 2, which Hurricanes only briefly threatened during a Powerplay-assault of 60 runs.
Despite missing Rashid Khan and Billy Stanlake, who were called up for international duty, Adelaide Strikers clinched their maiden Big Bash title with ease, beating Hobart Hurricanes by 25 runs. Strikers opener Jake Weatherald's maiden T20 century - 115 off 70 balls (84 of those in boundaries) - took them to a massive 202 for 2, which Hurricanes only briefly threatened during a Powerplay-assault of 60 runs.
2023
Perth Scorchers defended their title to become five-time BBL champions, winning a close final against Brisbane Heat in Perth. Scorchers needed 38 off the last three overs when new batter Cooper Connolly, only 19 years old, smashed 18 runs off an over to ease the pressure. His partner Nick Hobson, who had earlier run-out team-mate Ashton Turner, the top scorer in the innings, in a horrible mix-up, finished things off with a six and a four in the final over.
Perth Scorchers defended their title to become five-time BBL champions, winning a close final against Brisbane Heat in Perth. Scorchers needed 38 off the last three overs when new batter Cooper Connolly, only 19 years old, smashed 18 runs off an over to ease the pressure. His partner Nick Hobson, who had earlier run-out team-mate Ashton Turner, the top scorer in the innings, in a horrible mix-up, finished things off with a six and a four in the final over.
2018
Sarah Coyte made a heart-warming return to the game, taking 3 for 17 in Sydney Sixers' nine-wicket win over Perth Scorchers in the Women's Big Bash final in Adelaide. Returning after she took a year's break for mental-health reasons, Coyte took ten wickets at 8.10 from four WBBL matches in the 2017-18 season, saving her best for last - Scorchers were bowled out for 99 and Sixers completed the chase with five overs to spare.
Sarah Coyte made a heart-warming return to the game, taking 3 for 17 in Sydney Sixers' nine-wicket win over Perth Scorchers in the Women's Big Bash final in Adelaide. Returning after she took a year's break for mental-health reasons, Coyte took ten wickets at 8.10 from four WBBL matches in the 2017-18 season, saving her best for last - Scorchers were bowled out for 99 and Sixers completed the chase with five overs to spare.
Other birthdays
1884 Rolland Beaumont (South Africa)
1893 Abe Waddington (England)
1895 Izak Buys (South Africa)
1942 Mehmood Quaraishy (East Africa)
1948 Rakesh Shukla (India)
1884 Rolland Beaumont (South Africa)
1893 Abe Waddington (England)
1895 Izak Buys (South Africa)
1942 Mehmood Quaraishy (East Africa)
1948 Rakesh Shukla (India)