Ever heard the phrase 'Deja Vu'? This means something which has already happened but occurs similarly in the future. In short the feeling of having already experienced the present situation. Well, we have already seen this particular term come to life in movies and for some in real life as well. But none of us might have ever imagined that this will happen in sports, especially in the game of cricket.
It happened in cricket in the 18th century. This is no normal incident as the date and the statistics were the same altogether. On July 22, 1859, Vyell Walker took 10 wickets for 74 runs for England against Surrey. Six years later in 1865 on the same date July 22, he took 10 wickets for 104 runs for his county team Middlesex vs Lancashire.
Vyell Edward Walker was an English cricketer and administrator. He was the fifth of seven cricket-playing brothers who resided at Arnos Grove. They played a major part in establishing the Middlesex County Cricket Club, which was founded in 1864.
Walker was a right-handed batsman and an underarm slow right-arm bowler who represented Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) (1856–1870), a Middlesex XI (1859–1863), and Middlesex County Cricket Club (1864–1877). He played 52 times for Middlesex between 1859 and 1877. Vyell took 334 wickets in his career, and around 1860 was regarded as the leading amateur cricketer in England
In 1859 for an All-England Eleven against Surrey County Cricket Club at The Oval Walker scored 20 not out, then took all 10 of the Surrey wickets (for 74 runs). In the second innings, he scored 108 not out and took another four wickets. This was in a season where only two other centuries were scored in First-Class matches.
Walker went on to captain the county club (1864–1872) and also served as President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (1891–1892) and of Middlesex County Cricket Club (1899–1906).
Walker died at Arnos Grove, aged 68. The Walkers cricket ground in Southgate is maintained by the Walker Trust to this day.
