September 22nd.

Only ten captains have declared and watched their side lose a Test, and none of them were vilified quite as much as West Indian skipper Garry Sobers after an infamously duff declaration in the fourth Test against England in Trinidad, 1968.

He declared twice in this match, at 526 for 7 and then 92 for 2. That left England needing 215 in 165 minutes, and, anchored by Geoff Boycott's unbeaten 80, they got there with seven wickets and, more importantly, three minutes to spare.

Sobers' gamble was brave - he wanted to inject some life into a series that was drifting along aimlessly - but also foolhardy, as his attack was weakened by an injury to Charlie Griffith. It ended up costing West Indies the series - England drew the fifth and final Test to win 1-0, despite Sobers's best efforts: he hammered 152 and 95 not out, and took six wickets.

When courageous becomes foolhardy!