Cricketers Born on October 21

Sarandeep SinghIN
Sarandeep Singh

46y / 1979

Batsman

Paul NixonENG
Paul Nixon

55y / 1970

Wicket-keeper batsman

Tinashe PanyangaraZW
Tinashe Panyangara

40y / 1985

Bowler

Devon SmithWI
Devon Smith

44y / 1981

Batsman

Damien MartynAU
Damien Martyn

54y / 1971

Batsman

Jim ParksENG
Jim Parks

94y / 1931

Wicket-keeper batsman

George UlyettENG
George Ulyett

174y / 1851

Batsman

Geoff BoycottENG
Geoff Boycott

85y / 1940

Batsman

Player Info

1940 – Birth of Geoffrey Boycott

Geoffrey Boycott, born today, was as divisive as he was talented. Known for his technical mastery and painstaking patience at the crease, Boycott often split opinions with his abrasive personality. After a 246 against India at Headingley in 1967, he was dropped from the next Test as “punishment.” His crowning achievement came in 1977 at Headingley, scoring his 100th first-class hundred in a Test against Australia. Off the field, Boycott became a respected commentator and survived treatment for a cancerous lump in his throat in 2002.

1851 – Birth of George Ulyett

Yorkshire-born George Ulyett was a powerful batter and hostile bowler. His Test century of 149 in Melbourne (1881-82) was the first by an Englishman in Australia. In 1884 at Lord’s, he bowled 7 for 36 to push Australia to defeat. He ended his career heroically in 1890 with a 74 against Australia at Lord’s, rescuing England from 20 for 4. Ulyett passed away from pneumonia in Sheffield in 1898.

1931 – Birth of Jim Parks

Jim Parks, born today, excelled as a wicketkeeper-batter for England. Initially selected as a batter, Parks discovered a natural talent behind the stumps. He scored two Test centuries—Port-of-Spain in 1959-60 and Durban in 1964-65—but played in a struggling England side, winning only nine of his 46 Tests, with just two victories over Australia and West Indies.

1971 – Birth of Damien Martyn

Damien Martyn, born in Australia’s Northern Territories, grew up in isolation, which prepared him for adversity in his career. After being scapegoated for Australia’s loss to South Africa in 1994, he spent seven years out of the Test squad before returning stronger. Martyn starred in the 2003 World Cup final with 88* off a broken finger and amassed 1,608 Test runs in 13 months from March 2004. He played a key role in Australia’s first Champions Trophy win in 2006 before retiring after the 2006-07 Ashes series.

1985 – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, Faisalabad

Sri Lanka’s second Test series in Pakistan began with a dull draw in Faisalabad. Aravinda de Silva celebrated his 20th birthday with a stylish maiden Test century, hitting a six off Imran Khan. The teams batted heavily—Qasim Omar and Javed Miandad added 397 for the third wicket—but there was no prospect of a result, and Pakistan treated it as batting practice.

1981 – Birth of Devon Smith

Devon Smith, born today, embodies classic Caribbean batting: quick eyes, belligerent strokeplay. He debuted with a half-century against Australia in 2003, followed by a pair, and scored his maiden Test hundred against England the next year. Despite injuries and inconsistent form, he impressed in the 2011 World Cup, scoring two fifties and a century, before a short-lived comeback in 2014-15.

1985 – Birth of Tinashe Panyangara

Zimbabwe’s Tinashe Panyangara, born today, entered international cricket at 18 when senior players went on strike in 2004. Injuries disrupted his early career, and he spent time in England before returning to Zimbabwe. In 2013, he played a key role in Zimbabwe’s historic Test win over Pakistan, claiming a five-wicket haul.

Last updated on: October 24, 2025