TEST CRICKET AT 2000 – TRIBUTE QUIZ

  1. We are about to witness the 2000th Test cricket match at the Mecca of cricket, the Lord’s. The last match conducted here in Lord’s was made memorable by the great speech delivered by a cricketer. The edited excerpts from his speech are given below.

In our cricket we display a unique spirit, a spirit enriched by lessons learned from a history spanning over two-and-a-half millennia. In our cricket you see the character of our people, our history, culture and tradition, our laughter, our joy, our tears and regrets. It is rich in emotion and talent. My responsibility as a _________ cricketer is to further enrich this beautiful sport, to add to it and enhance it and to leave a richer legacy for other cricketers to follow.
“I will do that keeping paramount in my mind my __________ identity: play the game hard and fair and be a voice with which __________ can speak proudly and positively to the world. My loyalty will be to the ordinary ____________ fan, their 20 million hearts beating collectively as one to our island rhythm and filled with an undying and ever-loyal love for this our game.
Fans of different races, castes, ethnicities and religions who together celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common national cause. They are my foundation, they are my family. I will play my cricket for them. Their spirit is the true spirit of cricket. With me are all my people. I am Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim and Burgher. I am a Buddhist, a Hindu, a follower of Islam and Christianity. I am today, and always, proudly _________.

In the unfilled spaces he says the name of his country. Which terrific cricketer’s words flowed elegantly, leaving his large audience at Lord’s spell-bound for an hour? They eventually honoured his courage, oration and commitment with a standing ovation.

  1. Who has the record of scoring the first century in Test cricket?
  2. Which batsman has the record of highest individual score in one innings?
  3. Who has the most number of double hundreds in Test cricket?
  4. Who is only player to hit four consecutive sixes in one over of a Test match?
  5. Who has the record of most wickets in Test cricket?
  6. Which bowler secured most wickets in a series?
  7. Who has the record of most catches in Test cricket excluding wicket keepers?
  8. Which wicket keeper has the most number of stumpings in Test cricket?
  9. Who has played the most number of matches in Test cricket?

   ANSWERS

  1. Kumar Sangakkara

  1. Charles Bannerman

  1. Brian Lara(West Indies) – 400*

  1. Donald Bradman(12)

  1. Shahid Afridi (6-6-6-6-2-1) against Harbhajan Singh (2005-2006)

  1. Muttiah Muralitharan

  1. Sydney Barnes

  1. Rahul Dravid

  1. Bert Oldfield

  1. Sachin Tendulkar