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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 95 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 South Africa
Kepler Wessels. Kepler led them against the West Indies in April, 1992. The first official captain in the new era was Clive Rice, but he only captained Soiuth Africa in ODIs.
John Traicos. Traicos turned out for his native Zimbabwe when they were granted Test status from 1992-93. (Even though Zimbabwe was regarded as a part of South Africa for cricket purposes in the past, it is now a separate country). Tony Greig played First Class cricket in South Africa, but not Test Cricket. Mike Procter actually qualified to play for England in the 1980s, but was never selected.
| Geoff Griffin is the only South African bowler to be no-balled for throwing in Test Cricket. What else was significant about this incident? | South African Test Cricket
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All of these (He took a Hat Trick in the same match, He was no-balled 11 times, It was his last test). He had a big couple of days, didn't he?
10 July 1991. South Africa was one of the three original members of the ICC upon its formation in 1909. They ceased to be members after 1961 when South Africa left the Commonwealth.
Bridgetown, Barbados. South Africa's first international game was a one-day international at Eden Gardens in November 1991, but their first TEST MATCH was a one-off test at Bridgetown, Barbados against the West Indies.
South Africa lost by 52 runs. Chasing 201 for victory, South Africa were 122/2 overnight and on the brink of an historical victory. However, two West Indian bowlers by the name of Walsh and Ambrose had other ideas, and on the final morning South Africa lost eight wickets for just 26 runs as they slumped to 148 all out with Curtly Ambrose taking 6/34.
Clive Rice. Clive Rice was one of South Africa's great all-rounders and was severely hampered by SA's lack of test cricket during the 70's and 80's. He had captained South Africa in the rebel tours against Australia and England and was a natural choice to lead his country on readmission. It came as quite a shock to many then when he was discarded after the tour to India, being replaced as captain by Kepler Wessels, and was not even named in the World Cup squad.
| South Africa were hastily slotted into the 1992 World Cup schedule and opened their campaign against co-hosts Australia in Sydney. What was the result of this game? | South African Cricket #1
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South Africa won by 9 wickets. Allan Donald bowled South Africa's first ball in World Cup cricket to Geoff Marsh. Marsh nicked it and was caught behind, but the umpire failed to hear the nick and he wasn't given out. Despite this, Australia were still dismissed for just 170, and South Africa reached the total for the loss of only Andrew Hudson.
| SA's 5th game in the World Cup was against Pakistan at the 'Gabba and is best remembered for the spectacular run out of Inzamam ul-Haq by Jonty Rhodes, but who was the umpire who gave the decision? | South African Cricket #1
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Steve Bucknor. West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor personally rated this as the best decision he ever made. Jonty had already started to earn a reputation as an outstanding fielder but this run out propelled him to international stardom.
A referendum in South Africa. In March 1992, white South Africans went to the polls to vote on their approval for President FW de Klerk to continue on his path of reform. The South African team openly supported the reforms and urged the voting public to vote accordingly. Fortunately, the vote was an overwhelming 'Yes'.
| On 22 March 1992 South Africa met England in the semi-final and following rain interruption found themselves with the ludicrous situation of needing 22 runs from one delivery. Who were the two batsmen at the crease at the time? | South African Cricket #1
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Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson. Chasing 253 runs for victory, when the rain came down South Africa needed 22 runs from 19 deliveries. Due to the requirements of TV coverage, the rain rules in place meant that the innings was reduced by two overs, and the score reduced by the two lowest overs in the England innings. These were both maidens, which saw the ludicrous situation of 22 runs from 1 ball. Brian McMillan knocked the final delivery into the covers for a single and what had promised to be an exciting finish came to a rather dissatisfactory end. The irony was that when the game finished there would have been more than enough time to bowl the last two overs and still stay within the allotted TV schedule. As a result of this, the rain rules were changed which ultimately led to the Duckworth-Lewis system in use today.
| The first side to tour South Africa after readmission was India. What was the name of this tour? | South African Cricket #1
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The Friendship Tour. Led by Mohammed Azharuddin, India played four tests and seven ODI's against South Africa. The host nation won the test series 1-0 and the one-day series 5-2.
| The same tour by India saw the first use of the 'Third Umpire'. Who was the first batsman to be given run out by the third umpire? | South African Cricket #1
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Sachin Tendulkar. All four of these batsmen were run out during the series, but it was Sachin Tendulkar who became the first batsman to be run out using a TV replay during the first test at Kingsmead in Durban. Cyril Mitchley was the square leg umpire who referred the decision upstairs, and Karl Liebenberg was the third umpire who gave the decision. In those days, 'OUT' was signalled by a green light - this was later changed due to confusion. The fielder who effected the run out was, of course, Jonty Rhodes.
| In the Benson & Hedges domestic one-day competition semi-final in 1991 between Transvaal and Natal, Natal needed 7 runs to win off the final ball. Off a shortened run up, the bowler bowled a 'no-ball' that was hit for six. The extra ball was hit for four and Natal won an unlikely victory. Who were the bowler and batsman in question? | South African Cricket #1
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Richard Snell and Jonty Rhodes. Snell shortened his run up but only succeeded in bowling a waist-high full toss which Jonty despatched over the square leg boundary for six. Nevertheless, the crowd and Transvaal players believed that Transvaal had won by virtue of losing fewer wickets until it was established that the umpire had called a no-ball as the ball would have passed above waist height on the full. It took a full 10 minutes for the match to resume and with players surrounding the bat, Rhodes cut the final ball through the offside for 4. Ironically, both Snell and Rhodes had been in the Natal Schools XI together before Snell moved to Johannesburg for his National Service.
| In August 1993 South Africa embarked on their first tour of Sri Lanka, playing three tests and three ODI's. Which two South Africans made their test debuts in this series? | South African Cricket #1
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Clive Eksteen and Pat Symcox. Both spinners, they both made their debuts in the first test at Moratuwa. Eksteen failed to take a wicket in the match, but Symcox picked up three in the second innings having had figures of exactly 0/100 in the first. The first test was drawn, as was the third, but SA won the second test by an innings to take the series 1-0.
| At the end of 1993, South Africa toured Australia for the first time since readmission. The first test at MCG was drawn, but was notable from South Africa's point of view as the debut of Gary Kirsten. Whom did 'Gazza' say he had to thank for his test call up? | South African Cricket #1
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Madonna. A few days before the first test Madonna held a concert at the MCG. During training before the test, Brian McMillan stumbled in a hole in the outfield caused by the concert and damaged his ankle. Gary Kirsten was called up as cover for the injured McMillan, and the rest is history. Originally drafted in as an all-rounder (middle order batsman and offspin bowler), he later moved up the order to become one of SA's best ever opening batsmen.
| The second test in Sydney is remembered for its dramatic conclusion. Who took over as captain during this test after Wessels injured himself? | South African Cricket #1
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Hansie Cronjé. The shape of things to come. Hansie showed himself to be an able and innovative captain as he pressurized the Australians on the final day. At one stage he was changing the field almost every ball. There was no doubt after this test who would succeed Wessels.
54. 63/4 overnight chasing 117 for victory with Mark Waugh and Allan Border at the crease.
South Africa won by 5 runs. 6 January 1994. Needing 54 runs for victory with 6 wickets in hand, Australia slumped to 111 all out. Donald started the damage dismissing Border first over shouldering arms and then Waugh shortly thereafter. De Villiers bowled Healy and Hansie Cronjé ran out Warne to leave them at 75/8. A 35-run partnership between Damien Martyn and Craig McDermott seemed to have brought the game back in Australia's favour, but then Donald had Martyn caught by Hudson, and De Villiers caught McGrath off his own bowling to leave Australia all out for 'Nelson'. I got up at 1:30 in the morning to watch this test and couldn't get back to sleep afterwards!
| A little over a month later, Australia came to SA and played a further three tests. If the six tests were taken as one series, what were the stats for this series from South Africa's point of view? | South African Cricket #1
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Won 2 Lost 2 Drawn 2. South Africa won the games in Sydney and Johannesburg; Australia won the games in Adelaide and Cape Town; the games in Melbourne and Durban were drawn. They also played eight one-day internationals while in South Africa, and these were also tied at 4-4.
| In June of 1994, South Africa travelled to England for their first test series there since readmission for a three test series. After the first test at Lords, which two South Africans had their names added to the Honours Board? | South African Cricket #1
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Kepler Wessels and Allan Donald. Kepler hit 105 in the South Africa's first innings of 357 before being caught behind off the bowling of Gough. In England's reply, Allan Donald had figures of 5/74 as England crashed to 180 all out. Set 456 to win in the final innings, England were bowled out for just 99.
| Having lost the third test to draw the series, South Africa then lost both one-day internationals. On the way back to SA, they stopped off at the Hague for an ODI against the Netherlands. What was the outcome of this match? | South African Cricket #1
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Netherlands won by 9 wickets. Quite possibly the low point of South African cricket since readmission. South Africa slumped to 52/6 with Jansen taking 3/8 before reaching 134 in their allotted 40 overs. In contrast, Clarke and Cantrell made 122 for Holland before they lost their first wicket and ironically it was part-time spinner Peter Kirsten who got the only wicket.
| In November 1994 Mike Procter was sacked as coach of South Africa and the job was offered to Bob Woolmer. Where was Woolmer coaching at the time? | South African Cricket #1
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Warwickshire. Although Bob Woolmer played his county cricket at Kent, and had spells at both Natal and Western Province and coached Boland, he was with Warwickshire when he was offered the job of SA coach. It was at Warwickshire that he first encountered Allan Donald.
The appointment of Woolmer as coach almost coincided with Kepler Wessels' retirement and Hansie Cronjé being made captain. This partnership was to last 4½ years and guided South Africa through one of their most successful periods in cricket history and will form the basis for my second quiz in this series.
Thank you for playing my quiz - I hope you enjoyed playing it. Look out for the next one soon.
| In January 1995, wicketkeeper Dave Richardson scored his maiden test century. This came against New Zealand in Cape Town. Who was at the crease with him when he reached 100 runs? | South African Cricket #2
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Steven Jack. Clive Eksteen joined him just before tea on the third day and resolutely blocked everything that came his way, while Richardson steadily accumulated runs. The following morning, Eksteen was eventually bowled for 22 off 151 balls, by which stage Richardson had moved on to 87. A restrained Steven Jack came to the crease, and stuck around long enough for Richardson to reach this milestone.
The first side that century to win a 3-match series having been 1-0 down. Having lost the opening test in Johannesburg, South Africa rallied to win in Durban and Cape Town, to become the first side to win a three match test series in the 20th Century, having gone 1-0 down. Centurion in the final test, Dave Richardson, was named Man of the Series.
| In October 1995, South Africa played a one-off test in Harare against Zimbabwe. Allan Donald recorded his then best test score of 33, as well as his best test bowling figures. What were his figures? | South African Cricket #2
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11/113. He scored 33 from 49 balls including five 4s, before being bowled by Bryan Strang. He then took 3/42 in the first innings, and a phenomenal 8/71 in the second, as South Africa won by 7 wickets.
| In the test in October 1995, who were the only batsmen whose wickets Donald failed to get in either innings? | South African Cricket #2
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Alistair Campbell & Bryan Strang. Campbell was caught behind off Brett Schultz for a duck in the first innings, and then caught by Schultz off McMillan for 28 in the second. Bryan Strang was lbw to Schultz in the first, and not out in the second.
| The end of 1995 saw the arrival of England for a 5 test series and seven one-day internationals. The first test at Centurion Park near Pretoria was washed out after the second day, but who made his test debut in this match? | South African Cricket #2
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Shaun Pollock. Despite the game itself being a damp squib (literally), Pollock's debut certainly showed the future he would have as test bowler. He took 3/98 off 29 overs, picking up the wickets of Atherton, Thorpe, and Hick. Jacques Kallis made his debut in the third test of this series in Durban; Paul Adams made his debut in the fourth test at Port Elizabeth, and while Lance Klusener was to make his ODI debut against the English, he did not make his test debut until later on against India.
| After two washed out tests and two draws, the series came down to the final test at Newlands. Having bowled England out for just 153, South Africa found themselves at 171/9 when Paul Adams joined Dave Richardson at the crease. How many runs did they add for the 10th wicket? | South African Cricket #2
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73. It was to remain the highest partnership of the match taking South Africa to a total of 244, and a position from where they could win the match. Richardson was 53 not out, while Adams scored 29. By far his best first class score at the time.
| On the third day of the test, Hansie Cronjé was fined by the match referee, for badgering the umpire into calling for a TV replay. Which batsman was on the receiving end of this change of decision? | South African Cricket #2
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Graham Thorpe. Run out by Rhodes, who else. With the availability of technology to view close decisions still rather new, Dave Orchard gave Thorpe "in" without referring. When the replay on the big screen clearly showed Thorpe to have been short of his ground, Hansie Cronjé asked Umpire Orchard to refer the decision to the Third Umpire. After conferring with the other umpire, he indeed did so, and Thorpe was given out.
Robin Smith. Robin Smith was one of the few batsmen to offer resistance in this test, but was eventually bowled by Adams in the 1st innings for 66. In the second innings, he was caught behind off Adams for just 13 as England collapsed to 157 all out, leaving South Africa the paltry target of 67 to win the match and series. Ironically, Smith was himself born in South Africa.
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