An 18-year-old Wasim Akram, plucked from the BCCP nets by Javed Miandad, took 10 for 128 in his second Test against New Zealand at Auckland — the start of one of the great fast-bowling careers.
Akram was not in the original squad; Miandad pushed for him after a single training session.
He bowled in the BCCP nets and impressed Miandad with sharp left-arm pace and natural in-swing.
Akram had been spotted in the trial nets in Lahore by Miandad, who insisted to chairman of selectors Naushad Ali that the teenager be added to the squad for New Zealand. Akram played his debut Test at Auckland and took 0 for 35. In the second Test at the same ground a fortnight later he took 5 for 56 and 5 for 72. He had not played a first-class match before his debut and was already older than three of his Pakistan teammates. Within five years he was the second-best left-arm bowler in Test history (behind only Sobers in some lists), with the in-swinging yorker as his calling card and reverse swing as his secret weapon. The 1985 debut series sealed his spot for the next 17 years.
Spotted by Miandad in Lahore nets
Added to NZ squad without first-class cricket
Wicketless on Test debut
10/128 in second Test at Auckland
Confirmed in side for next decade
Late 1984
Spotted in nets by Miandad
Auckland Test 1
Debut, 0/35 in his only innings
Auckland Test 2
5/56 and 5/72
Series end
Confirmed Test bowler
“I told them, this boy will play for Pakistan for fifteen years.”
“I had no first-class match. I went straight to the Test side.”
Akram became Pakistan's senior bowler within three years and captained the side from 1992.
A debut taken from the nets to Test cricket without a first-class match — and immediately rewarded with a 10-wicket Test.
He finished with 414 Test wickets and 502 ODI wickets — the standard against which all left-arm fast bowlers are measured.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.