Top 10 Cricketing moments of 2015

3. Magnificient Spells:

Wahab Riaz-

Shane Watson and Mitchell Starc had a go at Wahab Riaz when he was batting. Not even in their dreams had the Aussies imagined what was going to follow. But at the end of the night, Watson bore the brunt of Wahab’s boil. On his third ball, Riaz got Warner. Next over he got Clarke at short leg. In walked Watson, and Riaz who was already bossing played some high octane chin music for Watson. He also taunted the Aussie all-rounder with every delivery, the crowd joined in to back the pacer.

Watson ducked, arched and hopped, he has been defeated. He attempted a hook and to everyone’s amazement, Rahat dropped a dolly. In the end, Australia won while Riaz had figures of 9-0-54-2 and Watson 64(68). The scorecard does very little justice to the bowler’s fury for half an hour that had the audience into splits. Wahab Riaz in the end was acclaimed & appreciation worldwide. The legendary Brian Lara even offered to pay Wahab Riaz’ fine after the match.

Tim Southee-

It’s often said that on your day, even the ball asks you about the directions you want it to move. The lanky spearhead demolished the English batting lineup in one of the most ferocious spells you will ever see. He swayed Bell with a ball swinging away finding the off stump followed by Moeen Ali failing to block a yorker. He returned during the 27th over with even more outswing and got the better of Taylor and Buttler. Then he cleaned the tail and ended up getting a marvellous 7-wicket haul which also became the best figures by a Kiwi bowler in a World Cup game. New Zealand won the match quite comfortably.

Trent Boult-

In a tremendous low scoring affair between both hosts of the World Cup, Trent Boult stifled up the Aussie batting lineup. Though his first spell was not great, he rocked the Australian middle order during his second spell. Australia swung from 96/4 to 106/9. He ripped apart Maxwell’s stumps and got the better of Clarke and Mitch Marsh as he ruptured the rest of the batting. He ended with figures of 5 for 27 and eventually became the man of the match in what turned out to a low scoring thriller.

Mitchell Starc-

In the very same low scoring humdinger, there was yet another deadly spell by Mitchell Starc. In spite of leaking 14 runs in his first over, Starc took Guptill. Later on, he bowled Ross Taylor and Eliott off successive inswingers. Starc reduced the Kiwis from 13/5 to 146/9 by taking 3 of the 4 wickets as Kiwis sank. His yorkers were so lethal that every time he bowled felt as if it would go on to hit the stumps. Though Aussies lost, it was regarded as a genius spell. What was turning out to be a no-contest game went on to become a nail biting one. He ended with figures of 6 wickets for 28.

Stuart Broad-

England had to win this to earn the urn, James Anderson wasn’t fit to feature and that is when Stuart Broad decided to come out of the shadow of being the complimentor and won his team the match on the back of his stupendous 8/15. On the 1st morning of the 4th Ashes Test, Broad cracked and packed the Aussies for 60 in the first innings. The visitors never really recovered from the sting of his spell and conceded the match and series to England by 78 runs.