Historic Cricket Moments on November 21

Historic Cricket Moments on November 21

Cricketers Born on November 21

Sohrawordi ShuvoBD
Sohrawordi Shuvo

37y / 1988

Bowler

Cindy EksteenZA
Cindy Eksteen

48y / 1977

Wicket-keeper batsman

Javed AkhtarPK
Javed Akhtar

85y / 1940

Batsman

Peter PhilpottAU
Peter Philpott

91y / 1934

All-rounder

Esmond KentishWI
Esmond Kentish

109y / 1916

Batsman

Sivert SamuelsonZA
Sivert Samuelson

142y / 1883

Batsman

Albert WardENG
Albert Ward

160y / 1865

Batsman

Callum FergusonAU
Callum Ferguson

41y / 1984

Batsman

Bruce LairdAU
Bruce Laird

75y / 1950

Batsman

Saleem ElahiPK
Saleem Elahi

49y / 1976

Batsman

Tim RobinsonENG
Tim Robinson

67y / 1958

Batsman

Andy CaddickENG
Andy Caddick

57y / 1968

Bowler

Karen RoltonAU
Karen Rolton

51y / 1974

All-rounder

Justin LangerAU
Justin Langer

55y / 1970

Batsman

Betty WilsonAU
Betty Wilson

104y / 1921

All-rounder

Stanley JacksonENG
Stanley Jackson

155y / 1870

Batsman

Joe DarlingAU
Joe Darling

155y / 1870

Batsman

Player Info

1870 – Joe Darling: Australia’s Inspiring Captain

Joe Darling, born in 1870, went on to become one of Australia’s finest cricket captains, leading the team to victories in England in 1899 and 1902, and at home in 1901-02. Under his leadership, Australia lost only four of 21 Tests. An outstanding left-handed batsman, Darling became the first left-hander to score a Test century (against England in Sydney, 1897-98) and, shortly after, the first player to hit a six in a Test — at the time, a six had to clear the ground entirely, as hits over the boundary counted only as five.

1870 – Stanley Jackson: England’s Gentleman Leader

On the same day, Stanley Jackson was born. He would later oppose Darling in the 1905 Ashes, where his leadership shone as England regained the series. Jackson topped both batting and bowling averages with 492 runs at 70.28 and 13 wickets at 15.46. A true amateur, he never toured Australia due to business commitments and ended his Test career there. Later, he became Governor of Bengal and died in London in 1947 after being run over by a taxi in 1946.

1921 – Betty Wilson: The Female Bradman

Betty Wilson, born in 1921, is regarded as one of the greatest women cricketers. On debut against New Zealand, she scored 90 runs and took ten wickets. Across ten more Tests, she took 58 wickets at an average of 11.8 and scored at 57.4. Her remarkable feats included the first women’s Test hat-trick at St Kilda, taking 7 for 7. In 1985, she became the first woman inducted into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame, and the Under-21 National Women’s Championship was renamed the Betty Wilson Shield. In 2005, she received an honorary baggy green with the number 25.

1970 – Justin Langer: Australia’s Dependable Opener

Born in Perth in 1970, Justin Langer became one of Australia’s most successful Test openers. Alongside Matthew Hayden, he formed one of the most dominant opening pairs in cricket history. Langer is remembered for his 238-run match-winning partnership with Adam Gilchrist against Pakistan in 1999. He replaced Michael Slater at No. 3 in 2001 and had a stellar 2004 season, scoring 1,481 Test runs. After retiring in 2007, he became Australia’s batting coach and, in 2018, took over as head coach, leading Australia to their first T20 World Cup title in 2021.

1974 – Karen Rolton: Australia’s Champion Allrounder

Karen Rolton, born in 1974, captained Australia after Belinda Clark’s retirement and became the first ICC Female Player of the Year in 2006. She played a key role in two World Cup victories, including an unbeaten 107 in the 2005 final. By the time she retired in 2010, she held the record for most ODIs played (141) and was Australia’s leading run-scorer in Tests.

1968 – Andy Caddick: England’s Tall Fast Bowler

Andy Caddick, born in Christchurch in 1968 to English parents, had height, bounce, seam movement, and late swing to trouble batsmen. Despite taking over 200 Test wickets, he was often seen as a bully who struggled with consistency. Caddick last played Tests in 2003 but continued to influence county cricket until 2009.

2011 – Pat Cummins Shines in Johannesburg

After a thrilling first Test in Cape Town, the 2011 series between Australia and South Africa featured another classic at Johannesburg. Eighteen-year-old Pat Cummins took a six-for and was at the crease when Australia chased down 310, a total never before successfully chased at the Wanderers. Key contributions came from Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, and Brad Haddin, while Vernon Philander also impressed with his bowling.

2017 – Australia Women Retain Ashes

Australia retained the women’s multi-format Ashes in 2017 with two ODI wins and a drawn day-night Test. Ellyse Perry scored a double century in the Test, while Beth Mooney dominated T20s with 220 runs across three matches. In the final T20, Danni Wyatt scored the first women’s T20I hundred for England, and the match set a record aggregate for women’s T20Is.

1958 – Tim Robinson: England’s Stately Batsman

Tim Robinson, born in 1958, had an up-and-down Test career. Known for his calm presence and big hundreds, he scored a nine-hour 160 in only his second Test. However, a difficult tour of the West Indies and poor results against the pace attack limited his opportunities. He later became a first-class umpire in 2001.

1976 – Saleem Elahi: Century on ODI Debut

Saleem Elahi, born in 1976, made an instant impact by scoring a century on his ODI debut against Sri Lanka, without having played a first-class match. While his Test career was less notable, he remained consistent in ODIs, scoring multiple centuries on tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa before losing his place after Pakistan’s early exit from the 2003 World Cup.

1950 – Bruce “Stumpy” Laird: Australia’s Brave Opener

Bruce Laird, born in 1950, played 21 Tests for Australia between 1979 and 1982. Debuting at nearly 30 due to World Series Cricket, he faced challenging conditions against the West Indies but impressed with a top score of 92 in his first innings. He averaged 35 despite no centuries, highlighting his consistency.

1949 – Basil “Shotgun” Williams: Jamaican Opener

Basil Williams, born in 1949, replaced World Series Cricket defectors in the West Indies side. He scored a century on debut against Australia and followed up with strong performances, including 111 against India. Williams averaged 39 from seven Tests, but the return of players like Greenidge and Haynes limited his opportunities.

1984 – Callum Ferguson: Early Promise and Injury

Callum Ferguson, born in 1984, scored five ODI half-centuries in his first eight months of international cricket. A serious knee injury in 2009 halted his progress, and though he returned to the squad in 2010, opportunities were limited. He finally made his Test debut in 2016 but was soon dropped after Australia’s struggles.

Last updated on: November 21, 2025