Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Greetings from sunny West Indies! You don't expect to see serious injuries during cricket matches, especially now that players have started using helmets. However, in the ongoing test match, an Indian player was struck while batting and ended up with a fractured jaw. It didn't stop him from returning to the field to help his team draw the match though.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Which Indian spinner continued to play with a fractured jaw during the 4th test match in India's tour of West Indies in 2002?
2. Today was a sad for cricket. Sri Lanka were playing against India for a spot in the 1996 World Cup final. Upset by the poor performance of the hosts, the crowd started throwing plastic water bottles on the field. The players left the field for 20 minutes as they waited for the crowd to settle down. When they returned to play, the rioting worsened with some of the benches being set on fire. Ultimately the match was called off and awarded to Sri Lanka.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
In which cricket stadium, the largest in India, was the 1996 World Cup semifinal between India and Sri Lanka held?
3. Umpiring just became a tad easier for us with the introduction of the third umpire - an off field umpire who can use technology to determine dismissals which are close calls. This feature, introduced in the India vs South Africa test match at Durban in 1992, was the brainchild of former Sri Lankan cricketer Mahinda Wijesinghe.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Which Indian batsman was the first player to be declared out by the third umpire in international cricket?
4. Sledging often brings out the humourous side of the players, though sometimes it can cross the line and get abusive. During a test match in the Ashes series of 2001, one of the fielders, Mark Waugh, mocked the opposition's batsman, Jimmy Ormond, saying that there was no way he was good enough to play for his country. The quick-witted Ormond retorted saying, "Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my own family."
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Which two countries have been playing the Ashes series since the late 19th century?
5. The third edition of the cricket World Cup is turning out to be as entertaining as the previous two. Today's group match between Zimbabwe and India was a crucial match for both the teams who were fighting for a place in the semi finals. India were struggling at 5/17 when the Indian skipper, Kapil Dev, walked in to play an innings of a lifetime. It's a good thing I was umpiring this match or I would've never had a chance to see this spectacular knock.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Why is there no recorded footage of the Group match between India and Zimbabwe that was played at Tunbridge Wells in the 1983 World Cup?
6. Another World Cup and another thrilling match. England were playing South Africa in the semi finals of the 1992 World Cup in Australia. South Africa were chasing a target of 252 and required 22 runs from 13 balls when rain interrupted the match and stopped play. Once the match resumed, the 'best scoring overs' method was used to devise the revised target which turned out to be 21 runs from 1 ball leading to an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exciting encounter.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Which mathematical model was created by two English statisticians to calculate revised targets when matches are interrupted in order to avoid fiascos like the England-South Africa semifinal in the 1992 World Cup?
7. Sport has often been used to build bridges between hostile nations. In the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008, the Indian government refused to allow the cricketers to go on their scheduled tour of Pakistan. It was then that Sri Lanka offered to play a few matches there. Unfortunately, this terrible incident brought an abrupt end to their tour.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
Which of the following incidents was responsible for the abrupt end to Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan in March 2009?
8. England's tour of Australia is turning out to be controversial because of a new tactic devised by the English team. The bowlers have started pitching the ball short causing it to rise towards the batsman's body resulting in him flicking it in the direction of the legside fielders. Unfortunately this line of bowling is quite dangerous and in the absence of protective gear can cause serious injuries to the batsman.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
What cricketing tactic was first used by the English side in their 1932-33 tour of Australia which led to the amendment of certain Laws of Cricket to protect batsmen from injury?
9. Sentiments run high among supporters of opposing teams, especially when traditional rivals like India and Pakistan are playing against each other. In such scenarios, it's not uncommon for the spectators to taunt the opposition's fielders placed near the boundary line. Today, however, the Pakistani skipper got so upset with a spectator teasing him that he climbed up to the stands to beat him up.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
What nickname was commonly used to make fun of former Pakistani skipper, Inzamam Ul Haq's, girth and inability to run quickly between the wickets?
10. The Twenty20 format of cricket has its fair share of supporters and critics. The group match between India and Pakistan in the first Twenty20 World Cup (played in South Africa in September 2007) had a nail biting finish as the teams ended with a tie (India 9/141, Pakistan 7/141). To decide the winner, there was a bowl-out at the end of that match where five bowlers from each side took a shot at knocking down the unguarded stumps. The Indian bowlers made a clean sweep winning the bowl-out 3-0.
Yours Truly,
The Umpire
After the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, the rules were amended with the bowl-out being replaced by what other form of tie-breaker?
Source: Author
zorba_scank
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
gtho4 before going online.
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