Australian Cricket: Ten Classic Innings Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Matthew Hayden: 380 v Zimbabwe at the WACA Ground, Perth (2003): This was a world record at the time. How many boundaries (fours and sizes) did Hayden hit in his 622 minute innings?

Answer: 49

Hayden hit 49 boundaries (38 fours and 11 sixes) on his way to 380. He surpassed Brian Lara's previous world record of 375 by 5 runs. Haydens innings and an unbeaten 113 by Adam Gilchrist helped Australia to an enormous total of 6/735 declared and an eventual victory over the Zimbabweans by an innings and 175 runs.
Hayden was the obvious choice for the man of the match award.

2. Mark Taylor: 334* v Pakistan at Arab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar (1999): Taylor declared the Australian innings rather than see himself overtaking Bradman's highest test score, as a mark of respect to the Don. Who also remained not out with Taylor when he declared the innings closed at 599?

Answer: Ricky Ponting

Taylor batted throughout the entire innings, 720 minutes in total. He batted with Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Mark and Steve Waugh before finishing the innings with future captain Ricky Ponting. Langer made 116 in the innings, whilst Ponting remained unbeaten on 76 after batting with Taylor for nearly 3 hours before the innings was declared. Taylor was named man of the match after following up his 334* with a solid 92 in the second innings.

The match ended in a draw.

3. Donald Bradman: 334 v England at Headingley, Leeds (1930): One of the most recognised innings in cricket history, was a world record for 3 years until 1933. The Don batting at number 3 had surpassed which milestone by the end of the first day's play?

Answer: 300

Australia had reached 3/458 at the end of the first days play, 309 of those had been made by Donald Bradman who went into day two 309*. The match ended in a draw but the brillance of Bradman put this match against England into the history books.

Bradman went through his innings at a strike rate of 74.55 and struck 46 boundaries in 383 minutes. He held the world record for the highest test score for 3 years until it was beaten by Walter Hammond who made 336*.

4. Bob Simpson: 311 v England at Old Trafford, Manchester (1964): This great Australian innings took place in the fourth test of the 1964 Ashes series. Simpson seemed to crawl to his highest test score of 311, but how many runs did Bob Simpson and Bill Lawry put on for the first wicket?

Answer: 201

Simpson made 311 off 740 balls over an innings time of 762 minutes. He and Lawry put on a fantastic first wicket partnership of 201 before Lawry was run out for 106. The match was heading for a draw and Simpson has been criticised for batting too long and declaring too late into the innings. Australia batted for 256 overs before declaring of 8/656. England were bowled out for 611 but the chance of a win for either team was beyond reach.

5. Adam Gilchrist: 102* v England at the WACA Ground, Perth (2006): One of the finest cricket innings in modern history, Adam Gilchrist fired the second fastest test century of all time against the Englishman to help regain the Ashes. How many balls did it take Gilchrist to reach his half century?

Answer: 40

Gilchrist played his usual innings reaching his half century in 40 balls, before making his second 50 off just 19. His innings comprised of 12 fours and 4 sixes. In one over Gilchrist belted English slow bowler Monty Panesar for 24 runs; then 3 huge sixes over the mid on boundary helped him scream from 50 to 74 in just the 6 balls.

The second fastest century in test cricket wasn't enough for Gilchrist to receive the man of the match award, but it was an improvement on his 7 ball duck in the first innings, and helped Australia regain The Ashes with an imphatic 206 run victory in Perth.

6. Matthew Hayden: 181* v New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton (2007): A fantastic innings saw Hayden carry his bat and help his team to 5/346 off their 50 overs. The innings was made all the more amazing by the fact that Hayden sustained a toe injury in what over of the match?

Answer: 37

Hayden broke his right big toe in the 37th over, the ball after reaching his century. He battled on for the innings remainder and put on a further 81 runs in that time. Hayden compiled his 181* off 166 balls, smashing 11 fours and 10 sixes all over Seddon Park, it wasn't enough though for Australia to grab victory. Hayden was named man of the match but a fantastic century by New Zealander Craig McMillan gave the Kiwis the match by one wicket with 3 balls remaining.

7. Ricky Ponting: 164 v South Africa at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesberg (2006): One of the greatest matches in one day international history. Ponting and his men compiled 4/434 and were beaten! Which South African held the catch to dismiss the Australian captain?

Answer: Boeta Dippenaar

Boeta Dippenaar off the bowling of Telemachus caught Ponting for his highest one day score of 164. He hit 13 fours and 9 boundaries and faced only 105 balls. Herschelle Gibbs made 175 in South Africa's reply and helped his team to the greatest win in one day international history. For their fantastic efforts with the bat both Gibbs and Australian captain, Ponting were named the joint man of the match.

8. Adam Gilchrist: 172 v Zimbabwe at Bellrieve Oval, Hobart (2004): The Australian wicketkeeper was at his devestating best against a competitive Zimbabwean outfit in early 2004. He was only 28 runs off reaching a one day double century. How was Gilchrist dismissed?

Answer: bowled

Gilchrist made 172 off 126 balls opening the batting with big Queenslander Matthew Hayden. He hit a terrific 13 fours and surprisingly only 3 sixes. He was awarded the man of the match awarded, as well as making a fantastic century he took the first three catches of the Zimbabwean innings.

It became Gilchrist's highest one day international score and second on Australia's all time ODI list (behind Mark Waugh's 173 v West Indies at the MCG 2000-01 one-day series).

9. Greg Chappell: 138* v New Zealand at the SCG, Sydney (1980): One of the great ODI innings for the time in which it was played, Chappell coming in as the number 3 batsman, batted for a little under 3 hours on his way to his best one day score. This was one of the earliest one day international matches, what number ODI was this?

Answer: 95

Chappell, probably the lesser known of the three brothers really stood up to the occasion in this day nighter at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the 25th November 1980. A better than a run a ball 138*, Chappel set up the win for the Australians with an excellent partnership with opener John Dyson, who himself added 79 to the Australian total of 3/289 off the full 50 overs. Chappel was the deserved winner of the man of the match award, he hit 10 fours and a six.

10. Andrew Symmonds: 156 v New Zealand at Westpac Stadium, New Zealand (2005): It was the ODI innings that brought Australian all rounder Symmonds back into the public spotlight after an average year and a half. He belted the Kiwi's around along with Michael Clarke helping Australia to a 2 run victory. Which umpire did not officiate in this match?

Answer: Rudi Koertzen

Symmonds made his 156, his highest one day international score off 129 balls. He hit an amazing 12 fours and 8 sixes and put on 220 runs with Michael Clarke for the 5th wicket. Australia who compiled 322 did well to defend their total as New Zealand went on a rampage with Lou Vincent and Chris Cairns making big scores to push their team close to victory.

Umpires Billy Bowden from New Zealand and Aleem Dar from Pakistan were the field officials for the match whilst Tony Hill was the match referee.

Source: Author Dennis_121205

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Australia has produced numerous batsmen who have played a useful innings or two for their country. Question 1-5 refer to test matches and question 6-10 refer to one day internationals. (#1)

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