Memorable Events On The Cricket Field : 2015 Quiz

Answer: Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, popularly known as just 'ABD' or 'Mr. 360', is probably one of the greatest cricketers South Africa has ever produced along with Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Greame Pollock and Allan Donald. ABD is one of the most versatile batsman the game has ever seen.

In this particular knock, de Villiers arrived at the crease in the 39th over with the score being 247 and Hashim Amla at the other end already having scored a century. But de Villiers outscored Amla and scored the fastest century the game has ever seen in just 31 balls. When he got out in the last over, South Africa's score was 439 with de Villiers himself having scored 149 in just 59 balls.

The previous record was a century off 36 balls by Corey Anderson (New Zealand), set in January 2014 vs. West Indies.

Answer: Kane Williamson

This group stage match between Australia and New Zealand played at Eden Park, Auckland was one of the best matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Australia won the all important toss and chose to bat first. They were cruising along at 80 for 1 before being reduced to 95 for 4. Trent Boult then bowled one of the best spells of fast bowling in World Cup history to rip apart the Australian lower middle order and the tail to bowl out Australia for 151 runs. Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was the sole face of resistance scoring 43 runs.

Chasing 152 runs to win, Brendon McCullum began with a blitzkrieg scoring 50 runs in just 24 balls before getting out. The score read 78 for 2. Mitchell Starc, eventual man of the tournament, then bowled probably an even greater spell than that bowled by Boult. Starc picked six wickets which included ripping apart the stumps four times. The equation was brought down to six runs required with only one wicket in hand for the Kiwis. Trent Boult blocked two fast threatening yorkers from Mitchell Starc and passed on the strike to Kane Williamson who smashed a six off Pat Cummins to end the memorable match.

Answer: Mahmudullah

This match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 was played in Adelaide.England won the toss and put Bangladesh in to bat. Fast bowler James Anderson quickly reduced Bangladesh to 8 for 2 dismissing both the openers. Bangladesh were further reduced to 99 for 4 before a calm and composed partnership between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim saw them finish with a massive score of 275 runs. Mahmudullah scored 103 runs and Mushfiqur missed out on a century himself scoring 89 runs.

England had to win this match to remain in the tournament. They started very well and reached 235 for 6 in 45 overs requiring 41 in the last five overs with Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes at the crease. Bangladesh then strangled them with some very good death over bowling to bundle them out for 260 runs for a very famous win.

Answer: Rahat Ali

"Pakistan: 212 allout in 49.5 overs. Australia chase down the total with more than 16 overs left and with 6 wickets in hand."

This was the end result of the third quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. But hidden behind these lines is a story of a fast bowler bowling his very best and capturing the imagination of millions around the world. Pakistani fast bowler Wahab Riaz ended with figures of 2 for 54 in 9 overs which is not that good in a low-scoring game of cricket. But for a period of about 30-45 minutes it looked like he would take the game away from Australia.

He first got the dangerous David Warner out and then Michael Clarke with a clever bouncer. This brought all-rounder Shane Watson on to the pitch. He was welcomed by a fast bouncer by Riaz warning him of what was coming in the next few overs. What followed was total domination of the batsman by the bowler. Every ball that followed was fast and shoulder level or above with occassional full pitched deliveries. Watson was jumping around fending balls away, bending to save his head, hooking balls he normally wouldn't have. He was in a total mess. And Riaz sensing this started provoking Watson after every ball to make him lose his concentration.

All this resulted in Watson hooking a fast bouncer directly to the fielder at fine-leg only for it to be dropped by Rahat Ali. A great spell of fast bowling rendered useless by that dropped catch. Australia were then at 79 for 3 and that wicket would have made the game tight and who knows what might have happened. But as the history books will say, Australia won that match and eventually the tournament. What they won't say is the story of a fast bowler bowling his hearts out only to be denied by fate.

Answer: Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill

A decade ago, scoring a double ton in a One Day International match was unthinkable. But the advent of Twenty 20 cricket resulted in alternate batting styles with batsman playing more aggressively and scoring runs at a faster rate. The boundary lines no longer matter as balls are smashed out of the grounds for massive sixes. Fielding placements are immaterial as batsmen tend to find the gaps in more innovative ways. All in all, the level of batting has certainly increased by a few rungs.

The year 2010 was a landmark year when Sachin Tendulkar scored the first ever double century in ODIs. Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma followed soon with 200s. Then came Rohit Sharma's mammoth 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014. All these were scored in batting-friendly conditions in India.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 saw mammoth scores by teams with 400 being breached multiple times. But two individual batting performances that stood out were the double centuries by Chris Gayle (215 against Zimbabwe in Canberra) and Martin Guptill (237 not out against West Indies in Wellington). Both theses were phenomenal exhibitions of powerful batting. These innings along with many other quickfire knocks by other players highlight the path which the game of cricket is likely to follow with mammoth totals being scored and chased thanks to power hitters and classical batsmen alike scoring at a faster rate.

Answer: Stuart Broad

The Ashes is probably the most fiercely fought rivalry in cricket. Played between Australia and England on a two-year cycle, the 2015 Ashes series was played in England.

Stuart Broad pioneered one of the most devastating first sessions in Ashes history as he picked up 8 wickets in just 9.3 overs to destroy Australia and bundle them out for just 60 runs in 18.3 overs. The first wicket he picked up was his 300th in test cricket. Joe Root then hit a masterclass century to all but confirm an England victory. Stuart Broad's figures of 8 for 15 were the best for an Australian bowler since the great Jim Laker's 9 for 37 and 10 for 53 way back in 1956.

This was certainly a 'black' day for Australian cricket in Nottingham.

Answer: Adelaide Oval

Cricket is a game that is continuously undergoing change and every year there are advancements and adaptations to increase the interest in the game.

The first ever international cricket match was played between USA and Canada in 1844. The first ever recognized test match was played between England and Australia in 1877. From this historic moment in Melbourne, the game has undergone considerable change. The most important change to date was probably the introduction of limited overs international matches in 1971 and the subsequent establishment of a World Cup ever four years from 1975.

The other major adaptation was the introduction of coloured clothing in international ODI matches during the rebel Kerry Packer World Series which was later incorporated into the official ICC recognised matches. The introduction of day and night matches also happened during the same time. The second half of the match would be played under flood lights. This was probably the one major change that pulled large crowds to the stadiums even during the weekdays.

Until 2016, only One Day International matches and Twenty 20 matches were played under lights. But the year 2016 saw the first ever Day-Night test match played between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide. As per the recommendations of the ICC Cricket Committee and the results of various experimental Day-Night matches, pink coloured balls replaced the regular red balls for this test match for increased visibility during the night.

Answer: Sri Lanka

Quick runs and power hitting. This was the epitome of New Zealand's chase of 117 runs set by Sri Lanka in the second One Day International of the series in Christchurch.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 117 runs in 27.4 overs thanks to good fast bowling by the New Zealand bowlers. In reply, the Kiwis mercilessly destroyed any bowler who bowled at them. Martin Guptill was the destroyer-in-chief who hit 8 massive sixes en route to a 30 ball unbeaten 93 runs to chase down the score in just 8.4 overs. The match was over even before the scheduled lunch break. The game lasted just 36 overs.

The record for the fastest ODI century held by South African AB de Viliiers was under threat for a while but Guptill ended up running short of runs remaining to be scored. If Sri Lanka had scored a few more runs, then maybe he would have had a chance. But he did manage to score the fastest fifty by a New Zealander in ODIs off just 17 balls missing the world record by one ball.

Answer: The Freedom Series

Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were two of the greatest personalities of the twentieth century. Both of them fought for the freedom of their countries using peace and non-violence as their only weapons. Gandhi fought for the independence of India from the British while Mandela was imprisoned for a long period of time when he fought for the freedom of the oppressed classes in South Africa during the infamous Apartheid policy of the National Party regime.

India and South Africa also share close cultural relationships with many Indians fleeing and settling in South Africa during the British Rule in India. Mahatma Gandhi himself lived in South Africa for a number of years.

With all this in mind, both the BCCI and Cricket South Africa decided that all forthcoming bilateral series between the two teams would be named the 'Nelson Mandela-Mahatma Gandhi Freedom Series'. This is in line with other famous named series between other teams like the Ashes (Australia and England), the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Australia and India), the Trans-Tasman Trophy (Australia and New Zealand), etc.

Answer: Daniel Vettori

The right time to retire is very difficult for a player to decide. There is always a thought whether he could have played for a few more years for his team. The retirement of some players is also the end of an era like Sachin Tendulkar's retirement was in 2013. Many players retired in 2015. Some retired during the ICC Cricket World Cup, some later.

Daniel Vettori, the greatest spinner New Zealand has ever produced retired after the World Cup final loss against Australia. This was also the last ODI played by Australian captain, Michael Clarke but he retired from all forms after the Ashes series against England. The Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena played their last matches during the World Cup. The fiery Australian fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson too announced his retirement from the game after the test series against New Zealand. Brendan Taylor, one of the great gems of Zimbabwe also retired post the World Cup.

Player's retirement is not usually the end to their contribution to the wonderful game of cricket. Some return as commentators for broadcasters; others come back as coaches while some others go on to other spheres.