Cricket History and Facts

Clive Tyldesley was the commentator who partnered with Andy Gray in the PC version of the game. Tyldesley and Gray formed a well-known commentary duo in football gaming.

Ricky Ponting was correctly named ESPNcricinfo's Player of the Decade for 2000-2009. As Australian captain and one of cricket's greatest batsmen, he dominated the era with over 25,000 international runs and multiple World Cup victories. Note: 'Michel Beven' should be 'Michael Bevan' - another typo.

The keywords 'Champaner', 'Captain Andrew Russell', 'Leg Spin', and 'Land tax' are all central to the 2001 film 'Lagaan'. The movie is set in Champaner village, features a British Captain named Andrew Russell, includes a cricket match with leg spin bowling, and the central conflict revolves around oppressive land tax (lagaan).

Sachin Tendulkar was the first international cricketer to be given out by the third umpire. This happened during the 1992 India-South Africa Test match in Durban. Tendulkar was run out for 11, and the decision was referred to the third umpire (Karl Liebenberg) using TV replays - a historic moment in cricket.

Darryl Cullinan was indeed given out 'obstructing the field' in a 1998 ODI against the West Indies. This is a rare dismissal method in cricket where a batsman deliberately obstructs the fielding side.

Nilesh Kulkarni achieved this rare feat in his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 1997-98, taking a wicket with his very first ball in Test cricket. This is a remarkable achievement as very few bowlers have managed to take a wicket on their first delivery.

Nathan Astle of New Zealand scored the fastest double century in Test cricket history, reaching 200 runs in just 153 balls against England in 2002. This record stood for many years and remains one of the most explosive batting performances in Test cricket.

Harbhajan Singh scored the fastest Test fifty for India, reaching 50 runs in just 22 balls against New Zealand in 2008-09. This was a surprising innings from a bowler known more for his spin bowling than aggressive batting.

Glenn McGrath was nicknamed 'Pigeon' by his Australian teammates. The nickname was given to him because of his thin, pointed nose and his ability to 'home in' on batsman's weaknesses with pinpoint accuracy, much like a pigeon returning home.

Virender Sehwag was ranked as the ICC's number one Test batsman during the 2009-2010 period. His explosive batting style and consistent run-scoring at the top of the order earned him this ranking.

Sir Don Bradman played 52 Test matches for Australia from 1928 to 1948. His career was interrupted by World War II, and he finished with a legendary Test batting average of 99.94.

In IPL 2008, the opening fixture was Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers played on April 20, 2008 at Bangalore. The question is time-sensitive and assumes knowledge of this specific cricket tournament season.

Shane Bond, the New Zealand fast bowler, was indeed signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the IPL seasons. He represented KKR in 2008 and 2009, known for his express pace and ability to bowl yorkers at the death. Other options like Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings XI (now Punjab Kings), and Deccan Chargers (defunct) were not his IPL teams.