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Quiz about Its Not Cricket
Quiz about Its Not Cricket

It's Not Cricket Trivia Quiz


The phrase "It's not cricket" has emerged to symbolise a call for fair play. After all, cricket is a gentleman's game, or is it? Let's take a look at some not so gentlemanly conduct in this most wonderful game.

A multiple-choice quiz by Nannanut. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
Nannanut
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
201,269
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
2437
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 76 (3/10), ankitankurddit (6/10), Guest 37 (9/10).
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. WG Grace was a powerful and popular English cricketer. His first class career spanned over 40 years from 1865 to 1908. His colourful cricket was not without controversy, and he would go to any lengths to win the game and promote himself. What underhanded and devious behaviour was he involved in? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. It was 1932 and England captain Douglas Jardine was determined to contain the Australian legend Donald Bradman. He teamed with quick bowler Harold Larwood and developed the fast leg theory. Bowling fast-rising balls directly at the batsman was considered most unsportsmanlike. The Australian public were up in arms, as players were injured and even hospitalised. What was the name given to this unnerving method of bowling? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In 1947, Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad dismissed batsman Bill Brown in a manner that was considered to be "not cricket". What did he do that caused his name to be ignominiously enshrined in cricketing history? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In 1977, one of cricket's best kept secrets was revealed. 35 of the world's top players were signed up to play a series of matches involving Australia's best against the "Rest of the World". Battle lines were drawn as players either joined the well paid "rebels" or stayed with the establishment to play "real cricket". The age of television had come to cricket. Who masterminded this coup, changing the staid face of the game forever? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In February 1981, Australia were playing New Zealand in a One-day International game. New Zealand needed to score six from the final ball to tie the match. This was an unlikely event given that the delivery was to be bowled to New Zealand's number ten batsman. Australia's captain Greg Chappell ordered the bowler, who just happened to be his younger brother Trevor, to bowl the final delivery. He asked that it be underarm along the ground. This ensured that a six was not scored and the New Zealand batsmen walked off the field in disgust. Who was the batsman who faced the controversial delivery? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Australia's fast bowler Dennis Lillee was a ferocious competitor in a career that was certainly not without controversy. Opening the bowling for Australia with another quick, Jeff Thomson, the pair terrorised all comers. Which infamous incident involving Lillee made headlines around the cricketing world? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The match-fixing scandals which emerged in the final years of the 20th century, rocked the cricketing world and saw the demise of a number of top flight cricketing careers. Almost every cricketing country was involved. Hearings were held and judgements handed down. A number of the accusations came from an Indian bookmaker who leveled match-fixing allegations at many players. This bookmaker was Mukesh Gupta.


Question 8 of 10
8. Much controversy has always surrounded the correct method of bowling. Laws relating to "chucking" rather than bowling are constantly under review. Modern technology has allowed close scrutiny and analysis of a bowler's action. While cricketers Brett Lee and Muttiah Muralitharan have had their bowling actions called into question, which Australian's career abruptly ended in 1963 when he was called for chucking? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Sledging or the exchange of disparaging remarks on the field has always been a colourful part of cricket. One of cricket's legendary batsmen was playing a county match in England and was on the receiving end of several unplayable bouncers. The bowler approached the batsman and commented "Mate if you can't spot the ball, I'll tell you what it's like. It is red, round and weighs five and a half ounces." Of course the batsman hit the next delivery right out of the park and into the river. He turned to the bowler and smiled, "Mate you know what the ball is like. Now go and find it." Who was this famous player? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Some cricketers have played outstanding cricket, and have demonstrated a true sense of fair play and sportsmanship at all times. In the early years of the 21st century, which Australian cricketer actually drew criticism from both players and commentators for "walking", after being given not out? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 24 2024 : Guest 76: 3/10
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. WG Grace was a powerful and popular English cricketer. His first class career spanned over 40 years from 1865 to 1908. His colourful cricket was not without controversy, and he would go to any lengths to win the game and promote himself. What underhanded and devious behaviour was he involved in?

Answer: All of these

Grace had Australia's Billy Midwinter kidnapped from Lord's in 1878, just as he was about to open the innings for Australia against Middlesex. He took Midwinter to the Oval where Gloucestershire was playing, and left him there. Grace was not above extracting extra money from tour organisers, or even throwing a match if it suited his purposes. Given the amounts of money he managed to amass while playing the game, his prophetic fears for the future of cricket were it to become wholly professional were at best hypocritical.

He once refused to leave his wicket after being given out, stating, "The spectators have come to see me bat and they are going to see me bat." Despite all his colourful activities which were certainly "not cricket", WG Grace is widely considered to be cricket's first superstar.
2. It was 1932 and England captain Douglas Jardine was determined to contain the Australian legend Donald Bradman. He teamed with quick bowler Harold Larwood and developed the fast leg theory. Bowling fast-rising balls directly at the batsman was considered most unsportsmanlike. The Australian public were up in arms, as players were injured and even hospitalised. What was the name given to this unnerving method of bowling?

Answer: Bodyline

In the 1932-1933 Ashes tour of Australia, Bodyline was all anyone talked about. Australians felt the English were cheating and the bowling method was "not cricket". Australian players were hurt, one sustaining a fractured skull, another was struck savagely above the heart. Captain Bill Woodfull declared, "There are two sides out there. One is trying to play cricket, the other is not. The game is too good to be spoiled. It is time some people got out of it".
England won the test series 4-1. Bodyline was outlawed and laws are still in place to prevent its return.
3. In 1947, Indian bowler Vinoo Mankad dismissed batsman Bill Brown in a manner that was considered to be "not cricket". What did he do that caused his name to be ignominiously enshrined in cricketing history?

Answer: He whipped the bails off at the bowler's end when Brown was moving out of his crease.

As Mankad entered his delivery stride, he held onto the ball instead of bowling it. Bill Brown had already left the safety of his crease and was moving down the wicket, in anticipation of scoring a run. Mankad stopped his bowling action, turned around and whipped off the bails at the bowler's end. Brown was given out and the Australian press was baying for blood. Mankad's controversial dismissal method has been outlawed.

A bowler may not attempt to dismiss the player at the bowler's end once he has entered his delivery stride.
4. In 1977, one of cricket's best kept secrets was revealed. 35 of the world's top players were signed up to play a series of matches involving Australia's best against the "Rest of the World". Battle lines were drawn as players either joined the well paid "rebels" or stayed with the establishment to play "real cricket". The age of television had come to cricket. Who masterminded this coup, changing the staid face of the game forever?

Answer: Kerry Packer

Lucrative contracts for players reaching the end of their careers helped to solidify Packer's hold on the game. There was money to be made from this gentleman's game and Kerry Packer held all the cards. The rebel players were ostracised by the establishment, and from 1977 until 1979, Australia had two national teams. An agreement was finally reached in 1979, with Packer holding all the television and marketing rights. "It's just not cricket" didn't hold much sway in the face of big business.
5. In February 1981, Australia were playing New Zealand in a One-day International game. New Zealand needed to score six from the final ball to tie the match. This was an unlikely event given that the delivery was to be bowled to New Zealand's number ten batsman. Australia's captain Greg Chappell ordered the bowler, who just happened to be his younger brother Trevor, to bowl the final delivery. He asked that it be underarm along the ground. This ensured that a six was not scored and the New Zealand batsmen walked off the field in disgust. Who was the batsman who faced the controversial delivery?

Answer: Brian McKechnie

The underarm bowling incident was a matter of huge controversy even years after the game finished. While McKechnie bore the Australian captain and his bowler no ill will, both Chappell brothers expressed remorse over the event. Robert Muldoon, New Zealand's Prime minister at the time, was quoted as saying it was "the most disgusting incident I can recall in the history of cricket". Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser pronounced it, "contrary to the traditions of the game". Bruce Edgar was at the non striker's end on 100 not out when the infamous ball was bowled.

His is probably the most underrated and under discussed century in cricketing history. Underarm bowling is now outlawed by the International Cricket Council as "not within the spirit of the game".
6. Australia's fast bowler Dennis Lillee was a ferocious competitor in a career that was certainly not without controversy. Opening the bowling for Australia with another quick, Jeff Thomson, the pair terrorised all comers. Which infamous incident involving Lillee made headlines around the cricketing world?

Answer: All of these

In December 1979, Australia was playing the opening test against England in Perth. Lillee, batting at number nine, played with a willow bat and scored eleven runs before stumps. The next morning he appeared at the crease wielding an aluminium bat. The English players declared the bat was damaging the ball and Lillee was asked to change it.

He refused and the game was stalled. Finally, Australian captain Greg Chappell made an appearance on the field to intervene. Lillee hurled his bat away in disgust, took up the willow version again and the game resumed.

In the Perth match of 1981/82 test series against Pakistan, Lillee appeared to deliberately hinder Javed Miandad as he was completing a run. Miandad pushed Lillee out of his way in an effort to complete the single. Lillee immediately turned and kicked Miandad in the back of the leg with his left foot.

At this point umpires intervened to separate the two volatile players. Lillee did actually back Australia to lose in the Headingly test of 1981 (Australia lost) and more controversy swirled around the famous bowler.
7. The match-fixing scandals which emerged in the final years of the 20th century, rocked the cricketing world and saw the demise of a number of top flight cricketing careers. Almost every cricketing country was involved. Hearings were held and judgements handed down. A number of the accusations came from an Indian bookmaker who leveled match-fixing allegations at many players. This bookmaker was Mukesh Gupta.

Answer: True

Mukesh Gupta leveled match-fixing allegations at many famous players. Australia's Mark Waugh, Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga from Sri Lanka, England's Alec Stewart, former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe and Brian Lara from the West Indies were all cleared by inquiries in their own countries.

The careers of South African skipper Hansie Cronje and India's Mohammad Azharuddin were ended after they were found guilty of Gupta's charges. Sadly Hansie Cronje was killed in a plane crash in 2002.
8. Much controversy has always surrounded the correct method of bowling. Laws relating to "chucking" rather than bowling are constantly under review. Modern technology has allowed close scrutiny and analysis of a bowler's action. While cricketers Brett Lee and Muttiah Muralitharan have had their bowling actions called into question, which Australian's career abruptly ended in 1963 when he was called for chucking?

Answer: Ian Meckiff

While Brett Lee and Muttiah Muralitharan have had their actions closely studied, and have ultimately been cleared of "chucking" claims, Ian Meckiff was not so lucky. In the first Test against South Africa at Brisbane in 1963, he was no-balled four times by square leg umpire Colin Egar. Captain Richie Benaud removed him from the attack and it was to be Meckiff's last match for Australia.

While his action was classed as simply "not cricket", had he been able to avail himself of modern day biomechanical analysis, his bowling action would most probably have been cleared.
9. Sledging or the exchange of disparaging remarks on the field has always been a colourful part of cricket. One of cricket's legendary batsmen was playing a county match in England and was on the receiving end of several unplayable bouncers. The bowler approached the batsman and commented "Mate if you can't spot the ball, I'll tell you what it's like. It is red, round and weighs five and a half ounces." Of course the batsman hit the next delivery right out of the park and into the river. He turned to the bowler and smiled, "Mate you know what the ball is like. Now go and find it." Who was this famous player?

Answer: Viv Richards

The incident involving the West Indies' Viv Richards is an example of humourous sledging, but exchanges can be quite hurtful and vicious. Harsh remarks about a player's family or indeed his lifestyle, have been widely reported, and only serve to bring what should be a "gentleman's game" into disrepute. Umpires and match referees are now invoking harsher fines and penalties in an effort to curb this practice.
10. Some cricketers have played outstanding cricket, and have demonstrated a true sense of fair play and sportsmanship at all times. In the early years of the 21st century, which Australian cricketer actually drew criticism from both players and commentators for "walking", after being given not out?

Answer: Adam Gilchrist

Ironically, in a game where the anguished cry of "it's not cricket" signals poor sportsmanship, Gilchrist has been roundly criticised for walking, despite the umpire's decision in his favour. In the 2003 World Cup Cricket semi-final, Adam Gilchrist faced the bowling of Aravinda De Silva.

He lobbed De Silva's second delivery to wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara, who took the catch. The Sri Lankans appealed confidently but umpire Rudi Koertzen gave Gilchrist "not out". Gilchrist, who later admitted he knew full well he was out, simply turned and walked back to the pavilion.

His action became the focus of much heated discussion. Rather than be praised for his gutsy sportsmanship, he was ridiculed and criticised by players, sportswriters and commentators.

Despite the incidents that have been recorded in this quiz, cricket has managed to retain the reputation of a fair game with fair play. The statement "It's not cricket" still describes an unfair action or situation. However there is much more that is positive and inspiring in this game of gentlemen than can be undone in 10 questions.
Source: Author Nannanut

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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