Cricket’s 5 Darkest Days highlights some of the most controversial and tragic moments in the sport’s history. From match-fixing scandals to on-field tragedies, these events have left a lasting impact on the game, challenging its integrity and the spirit of fair play
5. Glenn McGrath’s Bitter Clash with Ramnaresh Sarwan
A bubbling tension had been present between the pair for a couple of overs, which reached boiling point when McGrath made a sexual remark about Sarwan and West Indies’ superstar Brian Lara.
Sarwan responding with a comment telling the fast-bowler to ask his wife for the answer. McGrath immediately reacted with rage, which was undoubtedly prompted by his partner’s struggle with cancer that eventually claimed her life.
After the match the pair apologised, with both captains doing their best to quell the disharmony between the camps.
4. Kevin Pietersen’s Sacking
Following a disastrous 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes series, England decided to part ways with one of the most influential and controversial identities in the nation’s cricketing history.
Despite his immense talent, team management decided that Kevin Pietersen’s presence heightened tension and disharmony within the England dressing room, concluding that his axing would allow a rebuilding side to develop the cultural edge required to return to the top.
A fallout inevitably ensued, which included public spats between Pietersen and some of his former teammates, as well as an enraged response from the cricketing public who sought transparency from England’s governing body.
3. Herschelle Gibbs’ Revelations
After playing for South Africa for a decade under a bad boy tag, Herschelle Gibbs shocked the cricketing world in 2010 when he published his explosive book, To The Point.
In it, Gibbs explores his battle with alcohol and a stint in rehabilitation, his marijuana smoking, the six-month ban he received for his part in Hansie Cronje’s match-fixing scandal, as well as details of sexual escapades and group sex encounters that featured a number of his South African teammates.
Gibbs also explains that the team was lead by a “clique” headed by Graeme Smith, that was too powerful for the team’s coach at the time, Mickey Arthur.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan’s No-Ball Saga in Australia
It became the boiling point of a tense summer of cricket in Australia.
Speculation had preceded the Test, with a minority feeling that Hair was ready to no-ball the spinner, but few thought the idea would come to fruition. However, when the umpire repeatedly no-balled the controversial spinner, shock swept around the famous ground.
Initially, the Sri Lankans believed that Hair had made the call for a front-foot violation, but when it became clear that was not the case, tensions bubbled over.
Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga instructed his teammates not to shake hands with Australian players in the subsequent one-day series; the tensions remaining high when the team returned in 1999 that saw Ross Emerson no-ball Muralitharan in Adelaide.
1. Shane Warne’s Drug Scandal
In 2003, Australia’s World Cup campaign was temporarily derailed when it was reported that Shane Warne had tested positive to a banned diuretic during his return from a shoulder injury.
A naive Warne insisted that he had taken the diuretic to enhance his appearance, given the substance’s association with weight loss and fluid drainage.
However, diuretics are also administered as masking agents for performance enhancing drugs, which left the World Anti-Doping Authority to believe that something more sinister was at play.
Warne flew home to Australia, missing his nation’s successful defence of its 1999 crown, and was slapped with a one-year ban as well.