Cricket, as is the case with all other sports, has seen its ups-and-downs in the past. There have been all-conquering teams that have found themselves at the wrong end of a defeat courtesy of an underdog, and there have been certain players that have transcended what anyone thought was possible, such as David Warner’s feats throughout his playing career. However, it is perhaps over the past ten years that the most earth-shattering stories have emerged, and gripped all those who consider themselves to be cricket-enthusiasts.
Below, you can find a list of some of the incidents which drew the most interest and controversy since the beginning of 2010, courtesy of the Indiabet team. This was a decade that featured unbelievable contests that will live long in the memory of those that watched them, as well as scandals that had repercussions for months, if not years, to come. We hope that these little snippets will serve to expand your understanding, whilst simultaneously getting you hooked, and leave you wanting more.
ODI’s First Double Century
If ever there was a name that deserved to go down in the cricketing history books, Sachin Tendulkar certainly has to be considered as one of the most important. ODI’s are one of the most fiercely-contested types of match, and this can be attributed to the added pressure brought about by a limited time frame. As such, individuals recording high-scoring feats were not particularly common. This is something that Tendulkar turned on its head in 2010.
When he achieved the monumental feat of a double century in a ODI, 2961 has preceded him, and no one has been able to get to this incredible scoring record. In the 50th innings, however, Tendulkar did the unthinkable, and suddenly the possibilities of cricket were seemingly limitless. Whilst many had come tantalisingly close, none had been able to get over the final hurdle. Since this, others have been able to draw inspiration to follow in his footsteps. Rohit Sharma, for example, has somehow taken it upon himself to eclipse Tendulkar, with three double centuries currently to his name.
2019’s World Cup Final
No list of the jaw-dropping moments from the 2010’s cricketing calendar would be complete without discussing, in-depth, the incredible entertainment and drama that stemmed from the ICC World Cup Final of 2019. This was a summer that featured blazing sunshine in the UK, which was the ideal setting for a cricket masterclass. The final, for those of you that somehow didn’t know, was staged at Lord’s, with the participating teams being England and New Zealand.
Going into the final over, England were left searching for 15 runs, which is no mean feat considering that they only had 2 balls to achieve this. Thankfully, they had arguably the most in-form player in the tournament at the crease. Ben Stokes had been in incredible form going into the final, and he continued this during the match. He managed to post a not-out 84, which included a fortunate boundary courtesy of a deflection stemming from Guptill’s misguided throw. At the end of normal innings, the score was tired at 241 apiece, and this led to the need for a Super Over.
In case you didn’t already know, a Super Over is a type of deciding scoring method to determine who wins a match – it is specifically limited to usage during limited-overs cricket. In the history of ODI’s, it had never been needed up until this point, and this is in-part where the excitement was generated from. Each side were given an opportunity to bat for a single over – this once again ended in a draw, with 15 runs acquired for both nations. England emerged triumphant from this, due to the fact that their 26 boundaries during the regulation match far exceeded the 17 achieved by New Zealand. Most cricket fanatics would agree that this series more-than exceeded the expectations of all other tournaments, and thus deserves its status as the most thrilling World Cup in this history of cricket.
Sandpaper Gate
You will be hard-pressed to find another sporting cheating incident which drew the same level of attention and criticism as the ball-tampering controversy which occurred during the third test between Australia and South Africa in 2018. What perhaps shocked the world most about this was that it was not considered to be an isolated incident – in actual fact, it involved high-profile members of the team, including vice-captain David Warner and captain Steve Smith. These individuals were at the height of their power, and their reputations were immeasurably tarnished.
The crux of the matter is this – prior to bowling the ball, Cameron Bancroft was caught rubbing the ball with a then-unidentified object. Once he had deduced that he had been caught, he attempted to hide the item on his person. Though there was no official action during the match itself, during the post-match conference it was ascertained that the object in question was sandpaper. Bancroft had been attempting to artificially alter the way that the ball operated, thus giving his side an unfair advantage.
As you may have already deduced, the backlash was severe, and rightfully so. The fact that the core leadership members of such a reputable team would give the go-ahead to this type of scheme is what many believe to be the most abhorrent factor of the entire situation. Both Warner and Smith were handed twelve month suspensions – not only did this relate to international cricket, but also their respective domestic leagues. Bancroft, due to him being perceived as the puppet, was given a slightly more lenient sentence of a nine month ban.
Day-Night Test Introduction
For many years, people have believed that the sport of cricket was being limited by solely being played in the daylight. Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it was certainly true that the commercial potential was restricted – studies have shown that spectators are more engaged when the floodlights are turned on, as the atmosphere is drastically enhanced. However, the ICC was not to be influenced, and for a prolonged period day-night cricket matches were not sanctioned.
In 2012, the landscape was irreversibly changed for the better, when Australia took on New Zealand in the first day-night international Test match. Should you be someone that has a vested interest in cricket, you will be interested to hear that this was deliberately scheduled to be precisely thirty six years after the first day-night match played. Since this incident, the phenomenon has exploded into all corners of the cricketing world. From T20 matches to ODIs, high-profile series to amateur level – all are now able to enjoy the exposure that is brought about by day-night fixtures.
