Cricketers Born on December 24

Jane SmitENG
Jane Smit

53y / 1972

Wicket-keeper batsman

Joe ScuderiAU
Joe Scuderi

57y / 1968

All-rounder

Anwar KhanPK
Anwar Khan

70y / 1955

Batsman

Roy MillerWI
Roy Miller

101y / 1924

Batsman

Reg SinfieldENG
Reg Sinfield

125y / 1900

Batsman

George ThorntonZA
George Thornton

158y / 1867

Batsman

Ronald DraperZA
Ronald Draper

99y / 1926

Wicket-keeper batsman

Arthur DolphinENG
Arthur Dolphin

140y / 1885

Wicket-keeper batsman

Piyush ChawlaIN
Piyush Chawla

37y / 1988

All-rounder

Geoff AllottNZ
Geoff Allott

54y / 1971

Bowler

Colin CowdreyENG
Colin Cowdrey

96y / 1929

Batsman

Player Info

1932 – Birth of Colin Cowdrey

One of cricket’s true greats was born on this day, even if he didn’t always seem to recognise his own brilliance. Colin Cowdrey possessed a wonderfully elegant batting style, yet was often tweaking his grip or retreating into his shell. His time as England captain could be hesitant, but that shouldn’t overshadow his achievements. Cowdrey became the first player to feature in 100 Test matches, marking the occasion with a courageous century against Australia at Edgbaston in 1968 despite pulling a leg muscle. For a period, he was the highest run-scorer in Test history, and his recall at the age of 42 to face the fearsome Lillee–Thomson duo in 1974–75 spoke volumes about the respect he still commanded.

1927 – Wally Hammond Makes His Test Debut

When Cowdrey later broke the record for most Test runs, it belonged to Wally Hammond — who made his Test debut on this day in Johannesburg in 1927–28. Widely regarded as one of the finest batters the game has ever seen, Hammond scored 51 in his first Test innings and then showcased his all-round skills by taking 5 for 36 in the second innings, bowling England to a ten-wicket victory. Exactly eleven years later, at the same venue, he became the first player to reach 6,000 Test runs.

2023 – India Women’s Historic Test Win Over Australia

India Women finally cracked the Australian challenge in Test cricket, registering their first win over Australia in 11 attempts with a commanding eight-wicket victory in Navi Mumbai. Offspinner Sneh Rana starred with seven wickets across the match, while fast bowler Pooja Vastrakar struck early on day one as Australia were dismissed for 219. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues then scored fluent half-centuries to give India a big first-innings lead. Rana later broke a threatening partnership between Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath and finished the job with two wickets in two balls, setting up a modest chase that India wrapped up soon after lunch on the final day.

1971 – Birth of Record-Holder Geoff Allott

New Zealand seamer Geoff Allott, born on this day, holds a couple of unique records in international cricket. He took 20 wickets at the 1999 World Cup — the most in a single tournament at the time — a mark later matched by Shane Warne, though Warne needed one extra match. Allott also owns one of the game’s more unusual Test records: the longest duck in history. He batted for 101 minutes without scoring against South Africa in Auckland in 1998–99, an effort that helped New Zealand salvage a draw before back problems cut his career short.

1988 – Piyush Chawla’s Early Promise

Indian legspinner Piyush Chawla was born on this day and enjoyed a fairy-tale start to his career. At just 17, he bowled Sachin Tendulkar in a Challenger Series match before even making his first-class debut. Chawla impressed early in international cricket too, taking three wickets on ODI debut in Bangladesh in 2007 and claiming 14 wickets on India’s tour of Ireland and England the same year. Despite the promise, he never fully cemented his place, finishing his first decade in international cricket with just three Tests and 25 ODIs.

1885 – Arthur Dolphin Is Born

Born on this day, Arthur Dolphin found Test opportunities hard to come by in an era rich with wicketkeeping talent like Bert Strudwick and Tiger Smith. He played only one Test, against Australia in Melbourne in 1920–21, but enjoyed a hugely successful county career, winning eight County Championships with Yorkshire. After retiring, he remained closely connected to the game as a Test umpire.

1926 – Ronald Draper’s Short but Notable Career

Ronald Draper, born on this day, had a brief international career, playing just two Tests against Australia in 1949–50. However, his impact on South African cricket was significant. Renowned for his attacking style, he scored a century before lunch on four occasions in first-class cricket. Draper also made history by becoming the first player to score two centuries in a Currie Cup match, achieving the feat for Griqualand West against Border in Kimberley in 1952–53.

Last updated on: December 23, 2025