On This Day In Cricket - February 13

13 February has seen both glory and embarrassment in cricket history. On this day, India ended a 25-year wait by winning their first ODI series in South Africa. On the same date, Brendon McCullum scored a triple century against India and created history. This date is also remembered for some unusual moments. The Antigua Test in 2009 was abandoned after just 10 balls. In 1896, South Africa were bowled out for only 30 runs. The day is also special for Jemimah Rodrigues’ international debut and for Adam Voges touching a batting average close to Don Bradman’s mark. These moments make 13 February a mix of proud and strange chapters in cricket history.

On This Day - February 13, 2018 - India's Historic Series Win in South Africa

On 13 February 2018 in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), India defeated South Africa by 73 runs and created history. India secured their first bilateral ODI series win on South African soil and ended a 25-year wait with this win. India took a 4-1 lead in the series after this victory. Rohit Sharma scored 115 runs and won the Player of the Match award. India made 274/7 because of his century.

Hashim Amla scored 71 runs while chasing the target. Hardik Pandya ran him out with a direct hit and changed the match. Kuldeep Yadav took 4 wickets for 57 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal took 2 wickets. South Africa were all out for 201 runs. India won the match by 73 runs.

On This Day - February 13, 1896 - South Africa's Lowest Test Score Ever

On 13 February 1896, the first Test match in history was played at Port Elizabeth (St George’s Park), but it turned into a nightmare for the host South Africa. England scored 185 runs after batting first, but South Africa’s batting completely collapsed. On the second day of the match, while chasing a target of 319 runs, South Africa were bowled out for just 30 runs. At that time, it was the lowest score in Test cricket history, and this record remained until 1955 when New Zealand were dismissed for 26 runs.

The hero of England’s massive 288-run victory was George Lohmann, who delievered one of the best bowling figures ever recorded. Lohmann destroyed South Africa’s second innings in just 94 balls. He took 8 wickets for only 7 runs in 9.4 overs. He finished the match with a hat-trick and helped England win within two days. This match was a great start for England, while it became a dark day in South Africa’s cricket history.

On This Day - February 13, 1982 - Sri Lanka vs England 1st ODI

The first ODI of England’s tour of Sri Lanka turned out to be very exciting and was seen as the “birth of a cricket nation.” England scored 211 runs after batting first in a fully packed stadium. Graham Gooch was dropped on the first ball of the match and went on to score 64 runs. Later, Ian Botham scored a quick 60 runs and helped England reach a fighting total, although the team was bowled out before completing 45 overs.

While chasing the target, Sri Lanka showed great spirit, but they lost three wickets within just 8 runs in the middle overs and lost momentum. Despite that, Anura Ranasinghe scored 51 runs and, along with Ranjan Madugalle, took the match into the final overs. The lower-order batsmen also fought hard, but Sri Lanka fell short by 5 runs and finished at 206/8. Ian Botham was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance of 60 runs and 2 wickets.

On This Day - February 13, 2014 - Brendon McCullum's Historic Triple Century Against India

Brendon McCullum scored a marathon 302 runs and created history at Wellington’s Basin Reserve. He became the first New Zealand batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket. New Zealand were struggling at 94/5 in the second innings when he came to bat and were close to an innings defeat. He added a record 352-run partnership for the sixth wicket with BJ Watling, who scored 124 runs. McCullum faced 559 balls and batted for almost 13 hours. His innings helped New Zealand draw the match and win the series 1-0.

Luck also supported Brendon McCullum during this historic innings. When he was on 9 runs, Virat Kohli dropped his catch at silly mid-on off Mohammed Shami’s bowling, and India paid the price for it. Shami looked frustrated and bowled an angry bouncer, after which captain MS Dhoni told him on the field, “I am your captain, don’t try to fool me.” McCullum broke Martin Crowe’s 23-year-old record of 299 runs in this innings. He later said that he felt slightly embarrassed while breaking Crowe’s record.

On This Day - February 13, 2009 - The 10-Ball Test Match

On this day in 2009, a very embarrassing incident took place at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. The second Test between West Indies and England was abandoned after just 10 balls, which is 1.4 overs. The outfield was too sandy and loose, and it became dangerous for the bowlers to run in. West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards tried to take his run-up several times but struggled because of the surface. The umpires stopped the match immediately after seeing the unsafe conditions.

This incident brought heavy criticism for the West Indies Cricket Board and was seen as a joke in international cricket. Former England captain Ian Botham said the ground looked like a beach and called it embarrassing. Thousands of fans who had spent money on tickets and travel went home disappointed. Later, the next match of the series was shifted to the old Antigua Recreation Ground to make up for it.

On This Day - February 13, 2016 - Adam Voges Breaks World Record for Test Runs Between Dismissals

Adam Voges scored 239 runs in the Wellington Test and created history. During this innings, he broke the world record for the most runs between two dismissals in Test cricket. From the previous series to this match, Voges scored more than 551 runs without getting out and finally reached 614 runs. At one point, his Test batting average went above 100 and even crossed Sir Don Bradman’s average of 99.94.

However, this historic innings also involved controversy and luck. When Voges was on 7, Doug Bracewell bowled him, but umpire Richard Illingworth wrongly called it a no-ball. TV replays showed that Bracewell’s foot was behind the line. Voges used this lifeline well and built a big partnership with Usman Khawaja, who scored 140 runs. Australia won the match by an innings and 52 runs.

On This Day - February 13, 2018 - Jemimah Rodrigues Makes T20I Debut

On 13 February 2018 in Potchefstroom, Jemimah Rodrigues made her T20I debut against South Africa. She scored 37 runs in her first innings and helped India win the match. Before choosing cricket, she was also a hockey player and represented the Maharashtra hockey team. She came into the spotlight when she scored an unbeaten 202 in an Under-19 ODI match. She became the second Indian woman after Smriti Mandhana to score a double century in a 50-over match.

Jemimah has become an important middle-order batter for India. She was part of the team that won a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a gold medal at the Asian Games. According to sources, she played a key role in India’s first Women’s World Cup title win in 2025. She scored an unbeaten 127 against Australia in the semifinal and completed a record chase. In franchise cricket, Delhi Capitals bought her for 2.2 crore rupees in the Women’s Premier League. According to sources, she was appointed captain for the 2026 season.