1938 Old Trafford Test Match was washed out

Two diehard optimists finally prepare to head home after another day washed out during the 1938 Old Trafford Test where not a ball was bowled during the five days. In those times people paid to get in with no refunds and no guarantee of play. Few tickets were sold in advance. This was only the second Test to have been abandoned without a ball being bowled. The first was also between England and Australia and was also at Old Trafford in 1890. 

Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford

The News heading of Sunday Fictorial On August 18th, 1934 Bill Ponsford (266) and Don Bradman (244) added a world record 451 for Australia's 2nd wicket at The Oval, breaking their own record set at Leeds a month earlier. Newspaper speculation was rife that they could go on to total 1000 as it was they made 701.

Jim Laker Coming Back after Record Bowling Performance at Old Trafford in 1956

KS Ranjitsinhji - The Stylish Man

On August 22nd, 1896 KS Ranjitsinhji scored two hundred in a day for Sussex against Yorkshire at Hove. He made 100 in the first innings (resuming on 0* after a rain-affected second day) and when Sussex followed on saved the match with 125*.  Ranji, 23, who had made his Test debut the previous month, scored his first hundred in 90 minutes and his second in just under two hours. His achievement has never been matched. Matthew Elliott completed two hundred on the same day in 1995 but had resumed his first innings on 98, Stylish Man. We still have Ranji Trophy named after him. 

Pakistan Tour to England 1954

Pakistan's inaugural tour of England was a success for them as they drew the four-Test series 1-1 but it was a dreadfully wet summer with no fewer than seven days of the Test series completely washed out - three at Lord's, three at Old Trafford and one at The Oval in 1954.

Bill Ponsford 266, against England at The Oval.

Saving the best till last when on August 19th, 1934 Bill Ponsford bowed out of Test cricket with his best score, 266, against England at The Oval. He was out when he turned his back on a short ball from Gubby Allen and as he swung round his bat clipped his stumps. 

He started Test cricket with a century too, in 1924-5. He may have retired in 1934 because he didn't want to serve under Bradman, but that is disputed. Like Hammond, he would have been a super-hero in any other era. Not spectacular to watch, but hey he could accumulate runs. He seems to have fallen out of love for the game as much as anything, with Bodyline a souring factor. As a run accumulator, he was outstanding but in terms of elegance and appeal he could not really hold a candle up to someone like Hammond.

On August 20th 1930 Don Bradman was dismissed for 232 in the 5th Test at The Oval

On August 20th, 1930 Don Bradman was dismissed for 232 in the 5th Test at The Oval, taking his aggregate for the summer's Ashes series to 974 runs at 139.14, overtaking the previous record for a series of 905 set by Wally Hammond in 1928-29.

Doug Wright - The Unluckiest Bowler in the Cricket History

Many cricketers grew up on tales of Doug Wright born on August 21st, 1914, and his brilliance as a legspinner for Kent and England. Great Sir Don Bradman rated him the most dangerous he ever faced. Wright took 108 wickets in 34 Tests at 39.11 and 2056 first-class wickets at 23.98. Bradman also said he was the one of best leg spinner to tour Australia since Sydney Barnes. 

On his day almost unplayable, he could also bowl long hops and full tosses, and could struggle on unhelpful wickets. His action was also memorable. "His approach looked like a cross between a barn dance and a delivery stride," wrote Ray Robinson. Love the way the umpire crouched over the stumps. Today a good yard from the stumps and totally upright. Don Bradman said something similar about Bill O'Reilly. And he had one of the strange bowling run-ups in cricket history.

His full name was Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Dough Wright. The Kent leg spinner played for England from 1932 to 1957. He played 19 seasons for Kent and took record seven hat tricks in first-class cricket. Douglas Wright died on 13 November 1998 at the age of 84. He also led Kent side from 1953 to 1956. 

Moreover, great Australian allrounder Keith Miller believed Doug Wright was the best leg-spinner he had ever seen apart from Bill O'Reilly. The magician toured Australia in the 1946–47 tour and come back again in 1950–51. He was dogged by ill-luck and was considered to be the "unluckiest bowler in the world". 

Doug Wright was England trump card when he arrived in Australia, but unluckily he had great trouble with his no-balls due to strange run-up. Doug Wright usually waves his arms widely, and rocks on his legs like a small ship pitching and tossing in a fairly heavy sea. 

Overall, he played 34 Tests for England and took 108 Wickets at an average of 39.11 with the career-best of 7 for 105, including 6 times five wickets haul and one time 10 wickets in a match. He manages to score just 289 runs at 11.11 with the top score of 45. 

Moreover, in 497 first-class matches, he scored 5,903 runs at 12.34 with the best of 84 Not Out. During his long first-class career, he bowled 92,918 balls and took 2056 wickets at an average of 23.98 with the career-best of 9 for 47 including 150 times five wickets in an innings and 42 times 10 wickets in a match. These stats clearly showing the class of Doug Wright. The World War II cut down his international career, otherwise, he would have been in the category of Bill O'Reilly.

Test Cricket Returned to Pakistan after 11 Years.

Test cricket returned to Pakistan after a gap of almost 11 years. Can you name the Pakistan XI which played in that historic match?

Chetan Chauhan - The Indian Stalwart

 In an age of modest achievements for Indian cricket, Chetan Chauhan was a stalwart partner to the team's only star. Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan you needed to be alive to Indian cricket when the achievements of an entire era were measured, like the life of Prufrock, with coffee spoons.