On This Day In Cricket - February 12

This day in cricket history has seen many great records and a few heartbreaking moments. On this day, “Little Master” Gundappa Viswanath was born, and he later took Indian batting to new heights. On the other hand, it was a painful day for Sachin Tendulkar, who missed becoming the youngest Test centurion by just 12 runs. On this day, Javagal Srinath completed 300 ODI wickets, and Sunrisers Eastern Cape won their first SA20 title. The date is also remembered for West Indies winning the World Series and for Mitchell Johnson’s historic spell that left South Africa helpless. Let us look at these memorable moments in detail.

On This Day - February 12, 1949 - Gundappa Viswanath Birthday

Gundappa Viswanath was born on this day in 1949. He made his Test debut in November 1969 against Australia in Kanpur. He was dismissed for zero in the first innings. In the second innings, he batted for 354 minutes and scored 137 runs. The match ended in a draw. That innings marked the start of a great career.

He was born in Bhadravati, Mysore and known for his master stroke play and his perfect late cut shot. He played fast bowlers with patience and used excellent footwork against spinners. He played 91 Tests for India and scored 6080 runs in 155 innings at an average of 41.93. He scored 14 centuries and 35 half-centuries, with a highest score of 222. In first-class cricket, he played 308 matches and scored 17,970 runs.

On This Day - February 12, 1990 - Sachin Missed Youngest Test Hundred by 12 Runs

In February 1990, during the Test match in Napier, Sachin Tendulkar came very close to creating history. Batting at number six, he was unbeaten on 80 at the end of Day 3. On the fourth day, he added only eight more runs and was dismissed for 88. Danny Morrison took his wicket and finished with five wickets in that innings.

If Sachin had scored 12 more runs, he would have become the youngest centurion in Test history at just 16 years of age. The match was affected by rain and stopped many times. New Zealand captain John Wright scored an unbeaten 113 off 208 balls and was named Player of the Match. The match ended in a draw.

On This Day - February 12, 2023 - Sunrisers Eastern Cape Won Their First SA20 Title

Sunrisers Eastern Cape won their first SA20 title on February 12, 2023, in Johannesburg. They defeated Pretoria Capitals in the final. This was their first championship in the league. Dutch spinner Roelof van der Merwe played a key role and took 4 wickets for 31 runs.

The final was originally scheduled for February 11, but it was postponed due to rain. The match was played on the reserve day. Pretoria Capitals batted first and were all out for 135 runs in 19.3 overs. Chasing 136, Eastern Cape won the match by losing 6 wickets. Their captain Aiden Markram was named Player of the Tournament for scoring 366 runs and taking 11 wickets in the season.

On This Day - February 12, 2003 - India Won World Cup Opener and Srinath Reached 300 Wickets

India defeated the Netherlands by 68 runs in the 2003 World Cup match played in Paarl. India batted first after winning the toss and scored 204 runs. Sachin Tendulkar made 52 runs and Dinesh Mongia scored 42. Tim de Leede bowled very well for the Netherlands and took 4 wickets for 35 runs, including the key wickets of Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. He was named Player of the Match despite being on the losing side.

Chasing 205, the Netherlands were bowled out for 136 runs. Javagal Srinath created history in this match. He completed 300 ODI wickets after dismissing Feiko Kloppenburg and finished with 4 wickets. Anil Kumble also took 4 wickets. Daan van Bunge fought alone and scored 62 runs, but he did not get support from the other end.

On This Day - February 12, 2014 - Mitchell Johnson Destroyed South Africa in Centurion

Mitchell Johnson dominated the first Test in Centurion in 2014 with his fast bowling. Australia scored 397 runs in the first innings with centuries from Shaun Marsh (148) and Steven Smith (100). In reply, Johnson bowled South Africa out for 206 runs. He took 7 wickets for 68 runs in the first innings. He dismissed Graeme Smith with a sharp bouncer and troubled Faf du Plessis with his pace.

In the second innings, Johnson continued his strong performance and took 5 wickets for 59 runs. He finished the match with 12 wickets. David Warner scored 115 runs and helped Australia set a target of 482 runs. South Africa were bowled out for 200 runs. Australia won the match by 281 runs. Johnson’s spell gave Australia full control and put pressure on South Africa for the rest of the series.

On This Day - February 12, 2003 - South Africa Won by 10 Wickets

In the 2003 World Cup, South Africa defeated Kenya by 10 wickets to register their first win of the tournament. Kenya won the toss and chose to bat first in Potchefstroom. Ravi Shah scored 60 runs, but the team was bowled out for 140 runs. South Africa’s bowlers controlled the innings. Lance Klusener took 4 wickets for 16 runs in 8 overs and was named Player of the Match. Captain Shaun Pollock took 2 wickets for 15 runs.

South Africa chased 141 runs in just 21.2 overs without losing a wicket. Herschelle Gibbs scored an unbeaten 87 runs off 66 balls with 12 fours and 4 sixes. Gary Kirsten scored an unbeaten 52 runs at the other end. South Africa won the match with 172 balls remaining. This victory helped the hosts bounce back strongly in the tournament.

On This Day - February 12, 1985 - West Indies Won the Series

In 1985, West Indies defeated Australia by 7 wickets in the third and deciding final of the World Series Cup in Sydney and won the trophy. Michael Holding bowled brilliantly and took 5 wickets for 26 runs. Australia were bowled out for 178 runs. Simon O'Donnell scored 69 runs for Australia. Opener Graeme Wood retired hurt on 37.

West Indies chased 179 runs comfortably. Viv Richards and Desmond Haynes both scored 76 runs each. West Indies won the match with 3 overs remaining. They won the best-of-three finals series 2-1. Viv Richards was named Player of the Series after scoring 651 runs and taking 13 wickets in the tournament.