Cricketers Born on August 19

Sheldon CottrellWI
Sheldon Cottrell

36y / 1989

Bowler

Carl BulfinNZ
Carl Bulfin

52y / 1973

All-rounder

Sarah-Jane CookENG
Sarah-Jane Cook

59y / 1966

All-rounder

Graeme BeardAU
Graeme Beard

75y / 1950

Batsman

Lord AchesonENG
Lord Acheson

184y / 1841

Batsman

Paul-Jan BakkerNL
Paul-Jan Bakker

68y / 1957

All-rounder

Ian GouldENG
Ian Gould

68y / 1957

Wicket-keeper batsman

Craig ErvineZW
Craig Ervine

40y / 1985

Batsman

Player Info

1953 – England Regain the Ashes

“Is it the Ashes… yes, England have won the Ashes!” exclaimed Brian Johnston as England finally reclaimed the prize after a long wait of 18 years and 362 days. Despite losing the toss in all five Tests, England triumphed under the leadership of professional captain Len Hutton. Middlesex partners Denis Compton and Bill Edrich were at the crease when the winning runs came off part-time bowler Arthur Morris. It also marked the final Test for Australia’s captain Lindsay Hassett, who debuted against England in 1938.

1992 – Triple Centuries in Colombo

A remarkable day in Colombo saw three Sri Lankan players score centuries before declaring at 547 for 8 against Australia. Asanka Gurusinha made 137, captain Arjuna Ranatunga 127, and debutant Romesh Kaluwitharana 132 not out. Yet in a dramatic twist, Sri Lanka’s last eight wickets fell for just 37 runs in the second innings, and they lost the match by 16 runs.

1975 – Ashes Match Vandalism

The final day of the Headingley Ashes Test ended in chaos as the pitch was vandalised by supporters of prisoner George Davis. Australia needed 225 to win with seven wickets in hand, but play was impossible. A draw, followed by another in the next Test, gave Australia the series 1-0.

1985 – Craig Ervine’s Journey

Born today, Craig Ervine overcame a career-threatening hand injury to become a key player for Zimbabwe. He made his ODI debut in 2010 with an unbeaten half-century against India and scored his first Test hundred in 2016 against New Zealand. By 2022, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s white-ball captain, leading them to the T20 World Cup Super 12s in Australia.

1976 – The Loss of Ken Wadsworth

New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth tragically passed away from skin cancer at just 29. He kept in 33 Tests with 96 dismissals and averaged 59 with the bat during the 1971-72 Caribbean series. His dropped catch at Lord’s in 1973 cost New Zealand their first-ever win over England, a milestone he sadly didn’t live to see.

2023 – UAE’s Historic Win

UAE stunned New Zealand in Dubai with a seven-wicket T20I win, marking their first-ever victory over the Kiwis. Seventeen-year-old spinner Aayan Afzal Khan took 3 for 20, while opener Muhammad Waseem hit a 29-ball 55. Asif Khan and Basil Hameed guided UAE to victory with over four overs to spare, handing New Zealand their first loss in 39 matches against non-Test nations.

1898 – Record-Breaking Opening Stand

John Brown and John Tunnicliffe of Yorkshire set a world record opening partnership of 554 against Derbyshire in Chesterfield. Resuming at 503 for 0, they added another 51 runs in just over five hours before Tunnicliffe was finally caught.

2021 – Glamorgan Win Royal One-Day Cup

Glamorgan defeated Durham by 58 runs in the Royal One-Day Cup final at Trent Bridge. Captain Kiran Carlson’s 82 off 59 balls set up 296, and Andrew Salter took 3 for 42 to bowl Durham out in just over 45 overs.

1985 – England’s Dominant Partnership

Tim Robinson (148) and captain David Gower (215) shared a 331-run stand in only 343 minutes at Edgbaston. Gower’s innings was the highest by an England captain against Australia since Wally Hammond in 1938, helping England win by an innings and take a 2-1 series lead.

1958 – Johnny Wardle Controversy

Yorkshire’s Johnny Wardle had his MCC tour to Australia cancelled after publishing articles criticizing the county’s management and players. Though he admitted fault and received offers from other counties, he withdrew to play in the Lancashire leagues.

1957 – Ian Gould Born

Ian Gould, born today, kept wicket for England in the 1983 World Cup and famously caught Greg Chappell as a substitute in Melbourne 1982-83. He captained Sussex to a NatWest Trophy win in 1986 and joined the international umpiring panel in 2006, retiring in 2019 after officiating in his fourth World Cup.

1957 – Paul-Jan Bakker Born

Hampshire’s Dutch seamer Paul-Jan Bakker was born today. His highlight came in the 1996 World Cup when he bowled Alec Stewart for five against England, helping Holland put up a respectable performance despite losing by 49 runs.

Last updated on: August 20, 2025