January 19, do you recall what happened this day that year? Well, with so much of cricket happening these days it’s difficult to maintain a diary of daily proceedings. A few years that comes to mind are-

2004
Saw the tragic death of Australian left-hand batsman David Hookes at Melbourne. He was just 48 and was outspoken and extremely popular. As a player he promised much - his Test career started with a spectacular assault on Tony Grieg which produced five successive fours during the Centenary Test in 1977. After retirement he became a commentator and coach.

1999
A magnificent, match winning century from Chris Cairns brought applause from everyone at Christchurch - except his Indian opponents. They were convinced he was caught behind on 51 but Cairns hit 115 off 80 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes.

1996
England’s increasingly disastrous 1995-96 tour took a further twist when they failed to chase a mere 130 to beat South Africa in the sixth one-dayer at East London. They collapse from 75 to 3 to 115 all out. Jack Russell made 12 off 68 balls. England eventually lost the series 6-1, and in the World Cup that followed failed to win a single match against Test-playing opposition.

1983
India’s disastrous tour to Pakistan under Gavaskar’s captaincy continued. A monstrous unbroken partnership between Javed Miandad and Mudassar Nazar at Hyderabad that yielded 451 runs later to be broken by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who added 624 for the third wicket against South Africa in Colombo 2006.

1977
John Lever and Derek Underwood bowled England to a 200-run victory over India at Madras, giving them a 3-0 lead with two to play and clinching their first series win in India for 43 years. India were bundled out for 83 in their second innings, at the time the lowest score in a Test in India.