India vs New Zealand
1956-01-09
On 6-7 January 1956, Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy added 413 for India's first wicket against New Zealand at Madras — a world-record opening partnership that would stand for 52 years. Mankad made 231 (then India's highest individual Test score) and Roy 173. The stand allowed India to declare at 537 for 3 and win the match by an innings and 109 runs.
England vs Australia
1956-07-31
On 31 July 1956 at Old Trafford, Jim Laker took 10 for 53 in Australia's second innings to finish with 19 for 90 in the match — figures that stand alone in Test history. His 9 for 37 in the first innings was followed by all ten in the second. England won by an innings and 170 runs. Laker's match analysis remains the best in any first-class match anywhere; only Anil Kumble has since matched the ten-wicket innings.
New Zealand vs West Indies
1956-03-13
On 13 March 1956 at Eden Park, New Zealand beat West Indies by 190 runs to record their first Test victory in their 45th match — 26 years after Test debut. Wicketkeeper Sam Guillen, a former West Indian himself, stumped Alf Valentine off Harry Cave to seal the result. Captain John Reid's first-innings 84 was the platform.
Pakistan vs MCC
1956-02-12
During an MCC under-25 tour match at Peshawar in February 1956, captain Donald Carr and several team-mates donned masks, abducted Pakistani umpire Idris Baig from his hotel and dragged him to Billy Sutcliffe's room where they doused him with buckets of water. The incident, born of frustration with Baig's umpiring, almost ended the tour and triggered demonstrations on the streets of Peshawar.