Roshan Mahanama drives during his knock of 24 n.o. at Moratuwa on 1 February against England ‘B’. SL won by four wickets[/caption]
1815 - The first first-class game is staged at the third and final home of Thomas Lord’s Cricket Ground. After moving from Dorset Square and a site that is now under the Regent’s Canal, Lord’s came to rest at its present spot in St. John’s Wood
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Dr. James Moore (on right) was one of the first stars of cycle racing[/caption]
1868 - Dr. James Moore of United Kingdom wins arguably the first-ever recorded bicycle race, at St. Cloud, Paris. In 1869, he won the world’s first road race “Paris-Rouen”, covering a distance of 113 km (70 miles) in 10 hours and 25 minutes
1924 - Birth of the first man to be given out “handled the ball” in a Test. South African Russell Endean made history when he palmed down a delivery from Jim Laker in Cape Town in 1956-57, that was spinning back towards his stumps!
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Steve Bucknor[/caption]
1946 - Birth of the most experienced Test umpire Steve Bucknor who broke Dickie Bird’s record in 2002. In March 2005, Bucknor became the first umpire to officiate in 100 Tests. The Jamaican also stood in a record five successive World Cup finals, from 1992 to 2007, including the 1996 final which Sri Lanka won
1966 - A batting average of 29.27 from 52 Tests might suggest a modest career for the dashing Roshan Mahanama, who was born today. But there is one match he’ll never forget. In Colombo, in 1997-98, he added 576 for the second wicket with Sanath Jayasuriya, the second-highest partnership in Test history. They were the first pair to bat through two full days of a Test, with Mahanama making 225 and Jayasuriya 340 as Sri Lanka ran up 952/6, still a Test record
1973 - At Northampton, New Zealand’s Glen Tuner became the first man since World War II to score 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May of calendar year
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Viv Richards (on left) goes back to the pavilion after hammering his famous 189 off 170 at Old Trafford. In last wicket’s partnership of 106, Michael Holding (on right) only made 12[/caption]
1984 - The greatest innings in ODI history, at least according to everyone who witnessed it on that day! Viv Richards smeared England all round Old Trafford in his 189 which came off only 170 balls with 21 fours and five sixes. At one point, West Indies were 166/ 9 and they ended up making 272/9 to win the match by 104 runs. In last wicket’s partnership of 106, Michael Holding only made 12