August 27 holds a distinctive place in the cricket calendar for several reasons altogether. On this day, not only was the best cricketer of all time born, but the spectators were also duly entertained by two of the most beguile sides of the current generation.
All this coupled with England women’s cricket team scripting history after 42 long years, makes this date all the more memorable, to say the least.
With that being said, let’s jump into the antiquity and recall what all happened on August 27 over the years.
A Legend was born
August 27, 1908, was the day a certain Donald George Bradman was born. An infant who would later go on to become the only Australian cricketer ever to be Knighted.
It’s hard to define Sir Donald Bradman in one word or even a phrase given that his achievements and contribution in the sport is next to uncountable. What is remembered the most, however, is that he retired with an average of a whopping 99.94.
England Women’s scripted history
Picture courtesy: Twitter / @theICCSportsOn this day in 2005, a wait of 42 long years finally culminated when the England women’s cricket team regaining the Ashes. As the first Test at Hove was drawn, England went on to win the second Test at Worcester by six wickets.
The victory largely came on the back of Katherine Brunt’s sensational performance with the ball. Scalping a five-wicket haul in the first innings, the pacer built on to her exceptional form by picking four more in the subsequent innings, ending the game with nine wickets in her kitty.
In the same year, England’s men cricket team regained the Ashes well.
One of Pakistan’s all-time greats was born
Yousuf Youhana, who is only one of the four Christians to play Test cricket for Pakistan, was born on this day in 1974 in Lahore. In 2005 though, he converted to Islam and changed his name to Mohammad Yousuf.
While he remains one of the most stylish batsmen to have ever played for Pakistan, he is majorly recalled as someone who had several altercations with the country’s cricket board. In fact, he along with Younis Khan were banned for life by the board in 2009. After a year though, the decision was overturned.
As for the records, 2006 remains his most prolific year as he scored nine Test centuries in that year, breaking Sir Vivian Richards’ 30-year-old record of most runs in a calendar year. He scored 1788 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 99.33 in that year.
A T20 International like none other
On this day in 2016, those present at Lauderhill in Florida were duly entertained by arguably two of the most entertaining sides of this generation. India, touring West Indies and the United States of America, were playing their first international match on American soil.
Batting first in the first T20I, West Indies rode on the back of Evin Lewis’ 49-ball ton to post a whopping 245 on board. In response, KL Rahul played an indistinguishable innings to an extent that India needed two runs in the final ball. With MS Dhoni on strike, bowler Dwayne Bravo anticipated the batsman’s move and bowled a slower delivery. Looking ahead for a single, Dhoni ended up being caught at short third man, as West Indies emerged victorious by one run.
West Indies’ 245 and India’s 244 (a record total of 489 runs) included 32 sixes and both these figures, till date, remains a record.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Randy Brooks
