This week's yesteryear column remembers Donald Bradman's debut, Merv Hughes' convoluted hat-trick, Mike Atherton's marathon innings and THAT defeat in Adelaide.

November 30
1928
A young chap named Donald Bradman makes his Test debut for Australia at the age of 20. Bradman, who would go on to become the greatest cricketer of the 20th century, batted at No 7 in the first innings against England and scored 18. He was promoted one position in the order in the second innings but only managed 1.

1946
Exactly 18 years after his Test bow, Donald Bradman notches up his 22nd century by scoring 187 in the first Test against England at the 'Gabba.

1998
After 14 failed attempts, Zimbabwe finally taste Test victory overseas after beating Pakistan by seven wickets in the first Test in Peshawar. Heath Streak and Henry Olonga's four-wicket hauls and Neil Johnson's century and an unbeaten 73 from Murray Goodwin were the deciding factors in their victory.

1998
Zimbabwe's southern African neighbours South Africa claim their maiden Test win over the West Indies after a four-wicket victory in the opening Test in Johannesburg. It was also a match to remember for Shaun Pollock who took 9 for 103, scored his 1,000th Test run and took his 100th Test wicket in his 26th game.

2006
Mohammad Yousuf finishes the year on 1 788 Test runs to break Viv Richards's 30-year-old record for most runs in a calendar year.

2007
The rebel Indian Cricket League kicks off at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium. Hosts Chandigarh Lions beat Delhi Jets by 9 runs.

December 1
1947
In the first-ever Test between the two sides, India are bundled out for just 58 by Australia in Brisbane. Ernie Toshack, aka 'The Black Prince', finishes with extraordinary figures of 2.3-1-2-5 as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just five runs.

1951
West Indian Sonny Ramadhin becomes Australian pace ace Ray Lindwall's 100th Test wicket.

1979
Almost eight months after the final World Series Cricket game, the Australians who took part in the tournament return to the Test fold for the first match against the West Indies in Brisbane. Greg Chappell, who was reinstated as captain following the demise of WSC, and Kim Hughes scored centuries for the hosts while Viv Richards hit 140 for the Windies in the drawn match.

1996
Lance Klusener picks up 8 for 64 on debut as South Africa beat India by 329 runs in Calcutta. 'Zulu's' match figures were the best by a South African since 1961-1962.

1996
In Rawalapindi, Mohammad Zahid claims the best-ever match figures for a Pakistani on debut. His 11 for 130 helps the hosts beat New Zealand by an innings and 13 runs.

2000
In Perth, Stuart Campbell, Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams are all caught off successive deliveries from Glenn McGrath's bowling as the Aussie fast bowler claims his first and only Test hat-trick. Lara's wicket was also McGrath's 300th in Test cricket.

2002
Australia beat England by an innings and 48 runs in the third Test in Perth to retain the Ashes. Australia needed only 11 playing days to wrap up the series.

December 2
1932
The infamous Bodyline series kicks off in Sydney. Douglas Jardine's England won the match by 10 wickets with Harold Larwood picking up 10 wickets in the Test.

1966
Gary Sobers becomes the first cricketer to be honoured with a postage stamp after Barbados issues a 35c stamps to commemorate the island's independence.

1975
In his first Test as captain, Greg Chappell scores 123 and 109 not out against the West Indies in Brisbane. Chappell was the first skipper to score two tons in each innings in his maiden game as captain.

1977
The World Cricket Series debuts at VFL Park outside Melbourne. Only 200 spectators turn up to watch Australia against the West Indies.

1989
Sanjay Manjrekar sets the third highest Test score by an Indian by hitting 218 against Pakistan in the third Test in Lahore.

1991
For the first time in Test history, a match referee is appointed and former England captain MJK Smith is the man to oversee the game between India and Australia in Brisbane.

1992
John Wright becomes the first New Zealander to score 5 000 Test runs on his way to 42 in the second innings against Sri Lanka in Moratuwa. Wright spend five hours at the crease and faces 222 balls for his 42 runs.

2006
Paul Colingwood becomes the first Englishman in 70 years to score a double century in Australia after hitting 206 in the second Test in Adelaide. Kevin Pietersen also scores a ton, yet England go on to lose the match by five wickets.

December 3
1931
In the first-ever Test at Brisbane, Don Bradman scores 226 and Bert Ironmonger claims match figures of 9 for 86 to help Australia to an innings victory over South Africa.

1948
Sir Donald Bradman scores his 117th and last first-class century in his own testimonial in Melbourne. A total of 94,035 spectators turned up as 1,672 runs were scored.

1984
Playing in only his second Test, 18-year-old leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishna claims 12 for 181 to help India to an eight-wicket win over England in Bombay. It was India's only victory in 42 Tests between 1981 and 1986. The only highlight for the visitors was Mike Gatting's maiden Test ton in his 54th innings.

1986
Richie Richardson of the West Indies becomes the first batsman to score a century in a 45-over game at Sharjah. His 109 helped the Windies to beat Sri Lanka by 193 runs. Sri Lanka were bowled out for their lowest score of 55 with Courtney Walsh (4.3-3-1-5) becoming the first bowler to take five wickets in an ODI.

1986
Ian Botham completes the Test treble of 1,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches after claiming his 100th catch in the second Test against Australia in Perth.

1995
Jack Russell sets a new record for most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in a match after taking eleven catches against South Africa at the Wanderers.

1996
For the first time in 39 years, the Windies lose the first two matches of an overseas series after going down by 124 runs in the second Test against Australia in Sydney.

1997
The West Indies' slump in international cricket continues as they lose their first series against Pakistan in 39 years after an innings victory for the hosts in Rawalpindi.

2000
Australia claim their 12th consecutive Test victory after hammering the West Indies by an innings and 27 runs in Perth. The defeat was the Windies' 15th loss in 17 overseas Tests.

2002
Chaminda Vaas returns the second-best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan after claiming 7 for 129 and 7 for 71 against the West Indies in Colombo. Brian Lara also became the sixth batsman to score a double (or triple) century and a hundred in the same match after hitting 221 and 130.

2007
Muttiah Muralitharan becomes Test cricket's highest wicket-taker after claiming his 709th victim (Paul Collingwood) during the match against England in Kandy. During the match, veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya announced his retirement from Test cricket.

December 4
1946
Australia claim their biggest Test victory with an innings-and-332-run win over England in the first Test in Brisbane.

1946
Denis Compton, playing for the MCC, scores the fastest triple century in first-class cricket after taking only 181 minutes to reach 300 against North Eastern Transvaal in Benoni. His knock included five sixes and 42 fours. The first hundred came in 66 minutes, the second in 78 minutes and the third in only 37 minutes.

1985
New Zealand win their first series in Australia after beating their neighbours by six wickets in the deciding Test in Perth. Richard Hadlee took 11 for 15 while Martin Crowe made 113.

1995
In a dead rubber, Pakistan claim their first victory in Australia in 14 years after beating their hosts by 74 runs.

1995
Michael Atherton survives for more than 10 hours and faces 165 overs to help England to draw the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg. Athers scored 185 in his marathon innings and was assisted by Jack Russell who made a 235-ball 29.

1996
The first ODI between Pakistan and New Zealand in Gujranwala is reduced to 46 overs per side because the sun was shining in the batsmen's eyes. Pakistan won the game by 11 runs.

December 5
1928
England set a new record for biggest victory in terms of runs after beating Australia by 675 runs in Brisbane.

1964
England's Ken Barrington smashes an unbeaten 148 against South Africa in Durban to become the first batsman to score Test centuries against six different Test-playing nations.

1978For the first time in a Test, both captains score a century as Sunil Gavaskar (205) and Alvin Kallicharran (187) hit three figures for India and the West Indies respectively in Bombay.

1988
Merv Hughes claims the ultimate split hat-trick during the second Test against the Windies in Perth. After dismissing Curtly Ambrose with the last ball of his 36th over, he wrapped up the Windies' first innings with the first ball of his 37th over by claiming the wicket of Patrick Patterson. He completed his hat-trick by trapping Gordon Greenidge lbw with the first ball of the second innings. He finished with 13 for 217 yet Australia lost by 169 runs.

1990
Sachin Tendulkar scores his first ODI half-century as India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in an ODI at Poona.

2000
Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma are slapped with life bans by the BBCI for their role in the match-fixing scandal. Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar and physiotherapist Ali Irani all get five-year bans.

2006
Shane Warne takes 4 for 49 as England slump from 69 for one to 129 all out in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide. Australia chased down 168 in 32.5 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

December 6
1963
Graeme Pollock and Denis Lindsay make their Test debuts for South Africa in the drawn first Test against Australia in Brisbane. The match also marked Richie Benaud's last as Australian captain and left-arm paceman Ian Meckiff's final Test. Meckiff was no-balled four times for throwing and he announced his retirement from first-class cricket after the match.

1977
An Australian team containing six debutants following defections to World Series Cricket beat India by just 16 runs - the eighth smallest margin of victory in terms of runs - in Brisbane. The hosts were captained by 41-year-old Bob Simpson who returned to first-class cricket following his retirement 10 years earlier.

1989
Javed Miandad becomes the second batsman after Colin Cowdrey to score a century in his 100th Test match after hitting 145 against India in Lahore.

1990
Brian Charles Lara makes his Test debut in the third Test against Pakistan at Lahore and scores 44 in his debut innings.

1991
The first match of the World Series Cup in Perth ends in a draw as India and the West Indies are both bowled out for 126.