A Bank Holiday crowd of over 20,000 - all but a handful seemingly wearing straw boaters - watched Surrey score 505 for 6 v Nottinghamshire at The Oval, August 4th 1913. No batsman scored a hundred but the top six all made fifties. A year to the day later Britain declared war on Germany

Fifty years ago today history was made, and to the surprise of many within MCC the world did not end. On August 4th 1976 there was considerable media interest in the game at Lord's where England met Australia in an ODI. It was the first time women had been allowed to play on the ground.

Twelve-year-old Martin Speight in tears after a duck for Sussex Colts, Cox Oval, Burgess Hill, July 1979. He went on to have a lengthy career with Sussex and Durham

Doug Padgett loses his middle stump to David Gibson, Surrey v Yorkshire, The Oval, July 16th 1963

Five-year-old Stuart Broad walks across the Trent Bridge outfield with his father, England and Nottinghamshire opener Chris Broad before a county game in the summer of 1991

Forty-five years ago today ... a fortnight after Ian Botham's heroics at Leeds, Australia were on course to take a 2-1 series lead as they reached 87 for 3 chasing 151 in the 4th Test at Edgbaston, August 2nd 1981. John Emburey took two vital wickets and then came Botham Part 2.

Philip Brown's wonderfully constructed photo of Neil Williams bowling in the game between Warwickshire and Essex at Edgbaston in September 1996. Here he describes the way the shot came about - espn.com/cricket/stor...

Chin music ... Michael Atherton athletically avoids a Courtney Walsh bouncer in the 1st Test in Jamaica, February 19th 1994. Atherton scored 55 and 28 but England were well beaten by eight wickets (David Ashdown)

Play continues at Lord's as smoke from a V1 doodlebug blast bellows in the distance behind the Nursery End. It is believed this was taken during the match between an Army XI and the Royal Air Force on July 29th 1944.

Mike Atherton (98*) and Alex Stewart (45*) touch gloves as they take the winning runs, England v SA, 4th Test, Trent Bridge, July 27th 1998. England chased down 247 for the loss of two wickets but not without controversy ...this was just out and out absorbing cricket.

A minute's silence for Garry Sobers ahead of the start of the 1st Wi-Pakistan Test in Trinidad on Saturday. The absence of almost any spectators highlights the seeming complete collapse of interest in Test cricket in the Caribbean

An animated Geoff Boycott on the tennis court during the 1980-81 England tour of the Caribbean

Hugh Trumble, Archie Maclaren, James Kelly and KS Ranjitsinhji leave the field at the end of the second day of the 4th Test, Old Trafford, July 25th 1902. Australia 85 for 8 overnight in their second innings, added only 2 but then bowled England out for 120 to win by 3 runs

A lovely colour shot of West Indies on their way to a 221-run win over England, 4th Test, Leeds, July 25th 1963. It shows the Kirkstall Lane end as it was before the introduction of the the famous coconut shy stand

In World Series Cricket the gloves were off and any batsman was fair game, even Dennis Lillee, here ducking a bouncer from Joel Garner, WSC Australia v WSC World XI, VFL Park, Melbourne, February 12th 1978

Bill Ponsford and Don Bradman resume after lunch on the second day of the 4th Ashes Test at Leeds, July 21st 1934. The pair, who came together with Australia on 39 for 3 overnight, put on 388 for the fourth wicket in five-and-a-half hours. Ponsford made 181 and Bradman 304

A brilliant photo by Adrian Murrell of a brilliant catch ... Jonty Rhodes catches Robert Croft during an Emirates Trophy match at Edgbaston, August 18th 1998

Frank Worrell (239*) and Everton Weekes (108*) return to the pavilion at the end of the second day, England v West Indies, 3rd Test, Nottingham, July 21st 1950. The pair added 283 for the third wicket as West Indies won by ten wickets

The picture of The Oval under water on the final day of the 5th Test in 1968 is famous. This one is from three years earlier. On July 20th 1965 Surrey were about to start their third-day chase of 204 to beat Middlesex when a massive downpour of rain and hail left the ground submerged

Waiting in the sun for the gates to open, MCC v Yorkshire, Lord's, May 2nd 1953. Rain delayed the start by three hours and then MCC were skittled for 87. The sporting world's attention was at Wembley where Blackpool beat Bolton 4-3 in the Matthews final

Rose tinted spectacles perhaps, but what I would give to be eight again and listening to a Test with this line-up commentating. The Oval 1970. Brian Johnston, John Arlott, Trevor Bailey, Bill Frindall, Neil Durden-Smith and Richie Benaud. A handful of years away from CMJ ... Heaven

WG Grace at Lord's on his 50th birthday, July 18th 1898. Grace captained the Gentlemen v Players (the game had been rescheduled to mark the day) but lost the toss and spent the entire day in the field. Around 20,000 turned out to watch

For many years Essex's Robin Hobbs was labelled one of the last exponents of what was seen as the dying art of leg spin. He played the last of his seven Tests in 1971 - it was 21 years before another specialist legspinner played for England (Patrick Eagar)

A publicity picture of Garry Sobers taken at Lord's at the start of West Indies' 1963 tour of England. In the five Tests Sobers scored 322 runs at 40.25 and took 20 wickets at 28.55. On his five tours of England he scored 1820 runs at 53.53 and took 62 wickets at 31.58

A sad day for cricket with the loss of a genuine great. Garry Sobers toasts the crowd after West Indies' crushing innings and 226 runs win at Lord's on August 27th 1973. Sobers signed off his last Test in England with 150* and six catches (Patrick Eagar)

Ricky Ponting looks unimpressed as Rudi Koertzen gives him out caught at slip on review, England v Australia, 2nd Test, Lord's, July 17th 2009 (AFP). Ponting had been hit on the pad but Koertzen was of the opinion he had inside edged it first and wanted to check it carried

Ian Botham is congratulated on dismissing Graeme Wood, 3rd Ashes Test, Leeds, July 16th 1981. Botham had not taken a five-for as captain, but replaced by Mike Brearley he bounced back with 6 for 95 ... and then came his heroics with the bat ...

Len Hutton returns to the pavilion at lunch soon after reaching his 100th hundred, Surrey v Yorkshire, The Oval, July 16th 1951. More than 15,000 turned out on a Monday to see Hutton, 61* overnight, reach the landmark

Absolutely love this picture of evening cricket at Thornton, Bradford by George Wood. Well worth checking out his other work. The club, which plays in the Halifax League, was founded in 1853

A packed house watches the 2nd Test between New Zealand and England at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, March 26th 1951. England won a low-scoring game by six wickets after drawing the 1st Test (C)