Underbelly: The 20 most controversial moments in cricket history – Part 1 (20-11)

'Cricket,' the so called gentlemen's game. 

The restoration of the English monarchy in the 17th century paved the way for sports like cricket to evolve. 

The Nobility revered the game of cricket, as it fuelled countless opportunities to gamble - how fitting.

In light of the recent controversial bribery confession of Zimbabwean cricketing idol Brendan Taylor, this was a man who had not been paid in eight months. It's a tragic tale.

The red flag was there, yet Taylor and many before him couldn't resist the lure.

This is Part 1 of some of the most controversial moments in cricket history.

Let's dive into the underbelly of cricket.

Dennis Lillee's aluminium bat (1979, number 20)

On December 15th, 1979, Australian fast-bowling legend Dennis Lillee walked out to the WACA wicket with an aluminum bat. 

At the time, there was no rule stating the cricket bat had to be a willow, yet after a couple of deliveries from Sir Ian Botham, the ball resembled something of a dog's toy that had been sitting in a smelly garage rotting. England captain Mike Brearley complained, and 'DK' threw the bat away disgusted.  

12th man Rodney Hogg refused to bring a wooden bat to the fired-up Lillee, so Australian Captain Greg Chappell was forced to race out a new bat for the fire-breathing quick.

 

World Cup final controversy (2007, number 19)

As ominous clouds formed on the morning of the 2007 World Cup final, Australia, and Sri Lanka would be fighting for the World Cup Trophy on a ground (Kensington Oval) that didn't have floodlights. Australia batted first and made 281 in their reduced 38 over innings, Adam Gilchrist the hero smoking 149 off 104 deliveries. 

At the end of the 33rd over Sri Lanka's innings, the clouds darkened, and the umpires controversially asked the players to finish the game on their reserve day. 

The Australian side had already started to celebrate as Sri Lanka had achieved the minimum number of overs for a result via the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method. With 61 still required from the last three overs, both captains agreed that Australia would bowl spinners and eventually were crowned World Cup Champions for the third consecutive time.

 

Joe the Cameraman (1999, number 18)

“can’t bowl, and he can’t throw’’.

These were the words of Joe 'The Cameraman' Previtera used to describe Australian fast-bowler Scott Muller, which was picked up on the effects microphone during the Second Test at Hobart in 1999 between Australia and Pakistan. 

Shane Warne was made the scapegoat of the situation and maintained his innocence. 

No one believed him, and Muller still has not accepted Warne after numerous approaches. 

Previtera confessed to the quote on A Current Affair and Fox Cricket later in 2019, saying he was conversing with fellow workers.

 

World Cup Controversy (2019, number 17)

One overthrow in 2019 changed the course of history during the final over of England's World Cup final chase against New Zealand. While attempting to dive for the crease, England all-rounder superstar Ben Stokes deflected the ball to the boundary coming back for a second run.

In the middle, the two umpires (Marias Erasmus and Kumar Dharmasena) conversed. They signaled a six for the deflection, meaning England needed only three runs off two balls for victory. Ben Stokes later went to the umpires and asked for the runs to be taken off as it is cricket etiquette to not run on overthrows; alas, if the ball deflects for four, the runs stand.

England lost two wickets trying to chase the total, and the Final went into a Super Over. 

England batted first and made 15, New Zealand in return also made 15 with a run-out on the last ball, and England was controversially awarded the trophy due to their superior boundary count.

 

Darrell Hair, no-ball controversy (1995, number 16)

A polarising cricketer, Sri Lankan spin-wizard Muttiah Muralitharan dived opinion like no other.

During the Second Test at the MCG, Murali was controversially no-balled by Australian umpire Darrell Hair seven times in three overs for throwing.

Sri Lankan Captain Arjun Ranatunga, who was not far away from controversy throughout his career, took his players off the field. 

'Murali,' who had an unusual hyperextension of his arm, was cleared of throwing in 1996 and 1999, eventually becoming the most successful international bowler in history, claiming the most wickets in Test and ODI history with 800 at 22.72 and 534 at 23.08, respectively. 

 

Shahid Afridi bites the ball (2010, number 15)

Shahid Afridi was involved in one of the most unusual moments on a cricket field in 2010.

During the final ODI of the summer, Afridi was stand-in captain for the match and was caught red-handed on camera biting the ball. 

Ball-tampering has been a large grey area in cricket; every country has taken part in it, one way or the other. 

Afridi's incident stands out as it was so blatantly obvious. 

He was suspended for the future T20I series and said

"There is no team in the world that doesn't tamper with the ball. "My methods were wrong, and I am embarrassed...I shouldn't have done it."

 

John the Bookmaker (1994-95, number 14)

Shane Warne finds himself on this list for a second time. This time with teammate Mark Waugh when both cricketers received money from an Indian bookmaker named John during the Australians tour of India in 1994-95. 

The duo gave the bookmaker valuable information such as pitch and weather conditions. They were then secretly suspended by the Australian Cricket Board and publically fined later in 1999. 

 

Rebel Tours to South Africa (1982-1990, number 13)

The rebel tours to South Africa were various unofficial test series held in the rainbow nation during their controversial Apartheid, which racially split the country.

The tours were propaganda for the South African government to keep the game of cricket alive in the country.

Two tours were followed by an English side, two by Australia, two by the West Indies, and one by Sri Lanka. 

All players from each team were widely condemned by the world, with many cricketers never playing for their country again. 

The backlashes from the West Indian tours were monumental. Many in the Caribbean saw the continual oppression of people of color in South Africa as vile and tyrannical. 

Yet the West Indian Captain Lawrence Rowe believed they were helping break down racial barriers by playing alongside the white South African side. 

The Apartheid was dismantled in the early 1990s, with South Africa playing their first test back on April 7th, 1992, in the West Indies. 

Basil D'Oliveira Affair (1968, number 12)

The Basil D'Oliveira Affair created an unimaginable snowball which led to severe ramifications down the track. D'Oliveira, who was born in Cape Town, emigrated to England in 1960.

He was a fabulous stroke maker and had just come off a career-best score of 158 in the 5th Test of the 1968 Ashes. He was contentiously dropped from England's 1968-69 touring side to South Africa as the South African side refused to play against a cricketer who was mixed-race. 

England, in response, canceled the tour with the affair becoming the catalyst for South Africa's banishment from International sport.

D'Oliveria played another 26 Test Matches for England, scoring 1512 runs at 36.

Tony Greig's infamous quote (1976, number 11)

" But if they're down, they grovel, and I intend with the help of Closey and a few others to make them grovel..."

This ill-mannered quote from England Captain Tony Greig sparked a Fast-bowling dynasty.

Regarding his thoughts on the upcoming Test Series against the West Indies, Greig (a South African) used the term 'grovel' to describe the West Indian side when they're down. The timing from Greig was shocking as The Apartheid was still full steam in South Africa.

What happened next?

Captain Clive Lloyd spoke to the media, saying his players would "Go in for the kill" and won the series 3-0. Viv Richards made 829 runs from four Tests at 118.42, and opener Gordon Greenidge made 592 runs at 65.77.

For the bowlers, Andy Roberts took 28 wickets at 19.17, and 'Whispering Death' Michael Holding announced himself to the world with 28 wickets at 12.71, including a deadly spell to Brian Close, hitting him a dozen times.