On This Day in Cricket - July 1

The start of a new month brought thrilling cricket moments on July 1. In 2000, England clinched a dramatic Lord’s Test against West Indies, with Dominic Cork hitting the winning runs after a tense chase of 188. In 1932, Tich Freeman’s 8/31 and 9/61 powered Kent to a 74-run win over Warwickshire. In 1993, England’s young guns, including Graham Thorpe’s debut century, drew with Australia at Trent Bridge. In 1996, Kevan James made history with four wickets in four balls and a century for Hampshire and in 1994, Darren Gough’s fiery 65 and 4/47 marked his Test debut. In 2022, Australia’s spinners dominated Sri Lanka in Galle.

On This Day - July 1, 1993 - Graham Thorpe Makes his Test Debut for England

The Test debut of Graham Thorpe lit up the 3rd Test at Nottingham on July 1-6, 1993, where England and Australia played out a gripping draw. England, batting first after winning the toss, scored 321 in 118.4 overs, with Robin Smith’s 86 off 113 and Nasser Hussain’s 71 off 197 holding firm. Merv Hughes took 5/92 for Australia. Australia replied with 373 in 108.3 overs, David Boon’s 101 off 177 and Mark Waugh’s 70 off 68 shining, while debutant Martin McCague grabbed 4/121.

(Graham Thorpe made his Test Debut on July 1, 1993)

England’s second innings saw Thorpe’s unbeaten 114 off 280, his maiden Test century, earning him Player of the Match. Graham Gooch’s 120 off 265 helped England declare at 422/6. Chasing 371, Australia reached 202/6 in 76 overs, with Steve Waugh’s unbeaten 47 off 145 and Brendon Julian’s 56 not out off 103 ensuring the draw. Andy Caddick’s 3/32 and Peter Such’s 2/58 kept England hopeful, but time ran out. Shane Warne’s 3/108 tested England’s batsmen.

On This Day - July 1, 2019 - Sri Lanka defeats West Indies by 23 Runs

With the World Cup in full swing, the 39th match on July 1, 2019, at Chester-le-Street saw Sri Lanka edge out West Indies by 23 runs in a thrilling clash. Sri Lanka, batting first after West Indies chose to bowl, posted a hefty 338/6 in 50 overs. Avishka Fernando’s maiden ODI century of 104 off 103 balls, with 9 fours and 2 sixes, stole the show, earning him Player of the Match. Kusal Perera’s brisk 64 off 51 and Lahiru Thirimanne’s unbeaten 45 off 33 powered them to their highest total of the tournament. West Indies’ Jason Holder took 2/59. Chasing 339, West Indies fought hard but finished at 315/9.

(Sri Lanka defeated West Indies by 23 runs)

Nicholas Pooran’s brilliant 118 off 103, including 11 fours and 4 sixes, and Fabian Allen’s quick 51 off 32 kept them in the hunt. But Sri Lanka’s bowlers, led by Lasith Malinga’s 3/55 and a surprise wicket from Angelo Mathews (1/6 in 2 overs), sealed the deal. Mathews, bowling after 18 months, dismissed Pooran with his first ball. Despite three run-outs, including Allen’s, West Indies showed spirit, but Sri Lanka’s batting firepower and late bowling heroics secured two crucial points

On This Day - July 1, 2000 - England Picks Up a 2 Wicket Win against West Indies

The thrill of the day at Lord’s on July 1, 2000, saw England snatch a heart-pounding 2-wicket win over West Indies in the 2nd Test. West Indies, resuming their first innings at 267/9, were bowled out for 267, with Sherwin Campbell’s 82 and Wavell Hinds’ 59 standing out. Dominic Cork’s 4/39 and Darren Gough’s 4/72 did the damage. England’s first innings crumbled to 134, with Courtney Walsh (4/43) and Curtly Ambrose (4/30) shining. West Indies’ second innings was a disaster, collapsing to 54 in 26.4 overs, Andy Caddick took 5/16, and Cork grabbed 3/13.

(England defeated West Indies by 2 wickets)

Chasing 188, England wobbled at 160/8, with Mike Atherton’s 45 and Michael Vaughan’s 41 offering hope. Walsh’s 6/74 nearly stole it, but Cork’s unbeaten 33, including a six and the winning four off Franklyn Rose, sparked wild celebrations. England’s chase took 69.5 overs, surviving a tense finish to level the series 1-1. Cork’s all-round heroics, 7 wickets and crucial runs earned him Player of the Match. The day, delayed 50 minutes by rain, was a rollercoaster, with 21 wickets falling the previous day, making this a Lord’s classic.

On This Day - July 1, 2006 - Sri Lanka Stuns England by 8 Wickets

Giving the fans an absolute thriller on July 1, 2006, Sri Lanka demolished England by 8 wickets with 75 balls to spare in the 5th ODI at Leeds, sealing a 5-0 series whitewash. England, batting first after winning the toss, posted 321/7 in 50 overs, with Marcus Trescothick’s 121 off 118 balls, including 16 fours and a six, leading the way. Alastair Cook added 41 off 54, and Vikram Solanki’s unbeaten 44 off 34 kept the scoreboard ticking. Lasith Malinga’s 4/44 was the pick of Sri Lanka’s bowling.

(Sri Lanka defeated England by 8 wickets)

Chasing 322, Sri Lanka’s openers ran riot. Sanath Jayasuriya, named Player of the Match and Series, smashed a blistering 152 off 99 balls with 20 fours and 4 sixes, while Upul Tharanga’s 109 off 102, with 14 fours and a six, built a 286-run opening stand. Sri Lanka reached 324/2 in just 37.3 overs, with Mahela Jayawardene (12* off 14) and Kumar Sangakkara (23* off 19) finishing the job. England’s bowlers, including Jamie Dalrymple (1/48) and Vikram Solanki (1/17), had no answer.

On This Day - July 1, 2012 - Mithali Raj Helps India Women defeat England Women by 5 Wickets

In the heart of Lord’s on July 1, 2012, India Women pulled off a nail-biting 5-wicket win over England Women in the 1st ODI, chasing 230 with just 3 balls to spare. England, batting first after winning the toss, posted 229 in 49.1 overs. Arran Brindle’s 58 off 73 balls and Sarah Taylor’s 38 off 51 gave them a solid start, but Niranjana Nagarajan’s 3/28 and Archana Das’s 4/61 kept them in check. India’s chase was anchored by Mithali Raj’s unbeaten 94 off 111 balls, earning her Player of the Match.

(India defeated England by 5 wickets)

Punam Raut’s 60 off 105 and Harmanpreet Kaur’s 50 off 51, with 4 fours and a six, kept the momentum. Despite losing Mona Meshram (9) early and two late run-outs, India reached 230/5 in 49.3 overs. England’s Danielle Hazell took 2/34, but Katherine Sciver-Brunt (0/38) and others couldn’t break through. India’s innings saw steady progress, hitting 50 in 18.2 overs and 200 in 45.4. England reached 100 in 28.1 overs, but India’s grit, led by Raj’s calm knock, gave them a 1-0 series lead in a thrilling finish that had fans on edge.

On This Day - July 1, 2007 - India defeats South Africa by 6 Wickets

The match where India clinched the Future Cup on July 1, 2007, was a tense affair in Belfast, with India beating South Africa by 6 wickets with just 4 balls left. Rain trimmed the game to 31 overs per side. South Africa, batting first after India’s toss win, struggled to 148/7. Herschelle Gibbs’ 56 off 67 and Justin Kemp’s 61 off 61 kept them afloat, but Sourav Ganguly’s 2/24 and Sachin Tendulkar’s 2/10 in one over rattled them.

(India defeated South Africa by 6 wickets)

India’s chase of 149 wasn’t smooth, with early wickets falling, Sachin Tendulkar (8) and Gautam Gambhir (5) went cheaply. Sourav Ganguly’s 18 added some fight, but Yuvraj Singh’s unbeaten 61 off 82, with 6 fours and a six, earned him Player of the Match. Rahul Dravid’s 36 off 49 steadied the ship before his run-out. MS Dhoni’s 14 not out off 11 sealed the deal at 152/4 in 30.2 overs. South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini (1/18) and Dale Steyn (1/35) tried, but India’s grit shone through.

On This Day - July 1, 2022 - Australia defeats Sri Lanka by 10 Wickets

In the 1st Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at Galle in June 2022, the visitors completely dominated and won by 10 wickets on July 1. Batting first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 212, with Niroshan Dickwella top-scoring with 58 runs. Nathan Lyon led the bowling attack with 5 wickets, while Mitchell Swepson took 3 and Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc picked one each. Australia replied strongly with 321 runs in their first innings. Cameron Green stood out with a solid 77, supported by Usman Khawaja (71) and Alex Carey (45).

(Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 10 wickets)

Ramesh Mendis claimed 4 wickets for Sri Lanka, but they struggled to control the run flow. Sri Lanka collapsed in their second innings, managing just 113 runs in 22.5 overs. Despite a quick start, they lost wickets in bunches. Nathan Lyon took 4 more wickets, while Travis Head surprised everyone with 4 as well and Mitchell Swepson chipped in with 2 wickets. Needing only 5 runs to win, Australia chased it down in just 4 balls, with David Warner hitting 10 not out. Cameron Green was named Player of the Match for his impactful first innings performance.