On This Day: October 1st in Cricket History

1937: Birth of Pakistani Maverick Saeed Ahmed

A brilliant strokemaker at No. 3 or 4, Saeed Ahmed is best remembered for his undignified end to his Test career. He declared himself unfit for the third Test against Australia following an altercation with Dennis Lillee. However, as Lillee vowed revenge, the Pakistan management sent Saeed home for indiscipline. Despite this, Saeed had a terrific Test average in excess of 40 and a taste for big hundreds.

1900: Tom Goddard’s Switch to Offspin

At the age of 28, Tom Goddard switched from fast bowling to offspin with devastating effect. He took 184 wickets in his first season as a twirler and finished his career with 2979 wickets. He played only eight Tests but had a remarkable county career with Gloucestershire.

1997: Dramatic Tie in Zimbabwe vs. New Zealand ODI

The first ODI of the series between Zimbabwe and New Zealand ended in a tie in Bulawayo. An over-exuberant crowd surged onto the field as Chris Harris drove the last ball past the bowler. Craig Evans ran out Gavin Larsen as he attempted a second run, sealing the 13th tie in ODI history.

1926: Birth of Record-Breaking Wicketkeeper Roy Booth

Roy Booth was the last wicketkeeper to make 100 dismissals in a season, achieving this feat twice for Worcestershire in 1960 and 1964. He made 1125 first-class dismissals between 1951 and 1970 but never came close to Test selection.

1985: Birth of Pakistan Women’s Allrounder Urooj Mumtaz

Urooj Mumtaz played her only Test in March 2004, just days before making her ODI debut. She captained Pakistan in 26 ODIs, including the 2006 and 2008 Asia Cups and the 2009 Women’s World Cup, before retiring from cricket in 2009 to pursue a career in dentistry.

2021: Warwickshire’s Double Triumph

A week after winning the County Championship, Warwickshire secured the Bob Willis Trophy with an innings victory over Lancashire at Lord’s. This marked a double triumph for Warwickshire in the inaugural and retained editions of the Bob Willis Trophy.

1967: Mike Smith’s One-Cap Wonder

Mike Smith, who played one Test for England, was supposed to trouble Australia with his left-arm swing in the pivotal fourth Test at Headingley in 1997. However, his deliveries hardly moved off the straight, and a dropped catch off his bowling proved costly as Matt Elliott punished England with a big score.

2000: Zimbabwe’s Thrilling Victory Over New Zealand

In the deciding ODI in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe beat New Zealand by six wickets in a thrilling match to take the series 2-1. Alistair Campbell’s unbeaten 99 and Guy Whittall’s explosive 28 off 14 balls led Zimbabwe to victory.

1999: Sourav Ganguly’s Explosive Century

Sourav Ganguly stroked India to a comprehensive victory over Zimbabwe in the LG Cup with a blistering 139 that included 11 fours and five sixes. This innings marked the start of a golden period for Ganguly in ODIs.

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