Cricketers Born on December 22

Roland HolderWI
Roland Holder

58y / 1967

Batsman

Derick ParryWI
Derick Parry

71y / 1954

Batsman

Dilip DoshiIN
Dilip Doshi

78y / 1947

Bowler

Wazir MohammadPK
Wazir Mohammad

96y / 1929

Batsman

Chris OldENG
Chris Old

77y / 1948

Bowler

Brian McMillanZA
Brian McMillan

62y / 1963

All-rounder

Player Info

2013 – South Africa Narrowly Misses Record Chase

A heart-stopping day at the Wanderers, as South Africa came within eight runs of the world-record chase in Test cricket. Chasing 458 against India, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers anchored the innings with magnificent centuries, taking the score to within 56 runs of victory. When both fell, only Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn remained with injured Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir, and they batted out the final overs to secure a thrilling draw. India had dominated early thanks to Virat Kohli’s century and 96, plus Cheteshwar Pujara’s controlled 153 in the second innings.

1996 – Harare’s Historic Draw

A rare and curious result occurred in Harare, when Zimbabwe and England drew a Test with scores level, causing confusion for visiting coach David Lloyd. England struggled to break through Zimbabwe’s clever leg-side bowling, and Lloyd noted the draw left him questioning the outcome—an unusual sentiment in Test cricket.

1963 – Birth of Brian McMillan

Brian McMillan, one of South Africa’s finest allrounders, was born in 1963. Known for his aggression with bat, ball, and voice, McMillan took 75 Test wickets and scored three centuries, all at home. Notably, his marathon hundred in Johannesburg (1995-96) allowed England’s Mike Atherton to escape with a draw.

2002 – New Zealand Dominates India

After a wet summer, India struggled in New Zealand. At the Basin Reserve, they were bowled out for 161 and then 121 in the second innings, leaving New Zealand an easy 36-run target. The second Test in Hamilton was even shorter, with neither team surpassing 100 in the first innings. Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey, and Zaheer Khan dominated the wickets. This series marked the first time New Zealand had won more than one Test against India.

1948 – Birth of Chris Old

Chris Old, born in 1948, was a talented English allrounder. While injuries and temperament limited him, he took 143 Test wickets, including a near-hat-trick against Pakistan in 1978. At Lord’s in 1974, he helped dismiss India for 42, and in 1981 at Headingley, he contributed crucial runs and a key wicket to break Australia’s resistance.

2017 – Rohit Sharma’s T20 Blitz

Rohit Sharma produced one of the fastest T20I hundreds in history, reaching three figures off just 35 balls against Sri Lanka. Fresh from his third ODI double-hundred, Rohit powered India to 260 in the second match of the series and helped seal a 3-0 whitewash.

1929 – Birth of Wazir Mohammad

Wazir Mohammad, born in 1929, was one of four Test-playing Mohammad brothers. Often overshadowed by his younger brother Hanif, he scored two Test centuries in the 1957-58 Caribbean series, including a match-winning 189 in the fifth Test.

2013 – New Zealand Sweeps West Indies

New Zealand dominated the West Indies 2-0 at home, with the third Test in Hamilton seeing the Windies lose all ten wickets in a single session. Rain saved them in Dunedin, where Darren Bravo scored a maiden double-century while following on, though runs dried up afterward. Ross Taylor starred with a unbeaten 217 and two other centuries, while Trent Boult claimed a career-best 6 for 40 in Wellington, and Tim Southee reached 100 Test wickets.

1986 – India’s Mammoth Total

A lost day of play led to an inevitable draw, but India made the most of it, amassing 676 for 7 against Sri Lanka in Kanpur. Three centurions dominated the innings, though Mohammad Azharuddin was left frustrated after being dismissed for 199, agonizingly short of a milestone.

1947 – Birth of Dilip Doshi

Late-blooming Dilip Doshi debuted for India at 31, eventually claiming 114 Test wickets. Patient and accurate, he took 6 for 103 against Australia in Madras (1979-80) and 6 for 102 at Old Trafford in 1982. Doshi is among the few bowlers to reach 100 wickets after debuting past age 30.

1951 – Frank Worrell’s Solo Heroics

During a disastrous tour to Australia, Frank Worrell starred for West Indies, taking 6 for 38 to bowl Australia out for 82 in Adelaide. Though West Indies won the match, they lost the series 4-1.

1954 – Birth of Derick Parry

West Indian offspinner Derick Parry, born in 1954, had an unlucky international career. Dismissed by the first ball he faced in Tests and missing crucial chances at the end, he still produced memorable spells, including 5 for 15 against Australia in 1977-78. Parry played a role in West Indies’ rare series defeat before their dominance resumed.

1923 – Ponsford’s Mammoth Opening Stand

Bill Ponsford and Edgar Mayne posted a staggering 456-run opening partnership for Victoria against Queensland in Melbourne, still the highest first-class opening stand in Australia. A testament to Ponsford’s enduring mastery at the crease.

1967 – Roland Holder

West Indies middle-order batter Roland Holder was born in 1967. Playing in a transitional period, he had limited opportunities, scoring only two fifties in 11 Tests and two in ODIs. Post-retirement, he contributed to cricket as manager of Barbados and later World Cup cricket operations.

Last updated on: December 22, 2025