10 bizarre cricket moments in 2015 that left everyone scratching their heads

Cricket can sometimes be a very strange game; yet the vagaries only make the game more attractive. Each year, we come across bizarre moments in the game which leave fans clueless. From weird looking dismissals to players’ antics, the game continues to create unusual moments on the field.Here are 10 bizarre cricketing moments from 2015 that left everyone scratching their heads:

#1 Ben Stokes obstructing the field

Stokes on the ground after deflecting the ball that was thrown by Starc

The incident occurred during the ODI series between Australia and England. Chasing 310 to win, England were 141-3 when Ben Stokes drove back to the bowler, Mitchell Starc. Starc instantly took a shy at the stumps, but Ben Stokes, who was out of the crease, put his hand out and parried the ball away. TV replays showed that the impulsive action looked self-defensive, as Stokes was directly in the line of the throw.

Steve Smith, the Australian captain, held his ground and appealed, and the decision went upstairs and eventually in Australia’s favour. In the process, Stokes became only the sixth batsman ever to be given out obstructing the field.

#2 Pollard\'s mouth-plastering

Pollard plastered his mouth during an IPL match against RCB (Image courtesy: Deccan Chronicle)

When Royal Challengers began their chase of a steep target of 210 in their match against the Mumbai Indians in this year’s IPL, Kieron Pollard decided to get under the skin of his West Indian teammate, Chris Gayle.

While he repeatedly approached Gayle and exchanged a few words, the on-field umpires weren’t impressed. Between overs, one of them intervened and had a chat with Pollard.

Pollard found a cheeky way to get his message across. Before the next delivery, Pollard put sellotape on his mouth as a sign of protest for the harmless banter. Quietly, with a plastered mouth, he stationed himself at point for the next delivery. Harbhajan Singh, the Mumbai Indians captain, clarified later that the Trinidadian’s actions weren’t in bad taste.

#3 Yuvrajs brain fade

Yuvraj was dismissed bizarrely in a match against KKR in the IPL

Yuvraj Singh was one of the most expensive players in the IPL, getting paid around $3.3 million while playing for the Delhi franchise.

On the last ball of the 15th over of Delhi Daredevils innings, Yuvraj Singh got a length ball from Piyush Chawla on the leg side. His attempted sweep made no contact with the ball, but Yuvraj Singh wandered out of his crease and casually started walking forward, completely oblivious that the ball had rolled up to keeper Uthappa.

Yuvraj was so late to react that Uthappa missed the stumping once, and then removed the bails only on the second attempt, resulting in one of the weirdest-looking dismissals this year.

#4 Ed Joyce has the luck of the Irish

Ed Joyce enjoyed a stroke of luck in the WC match against the UAE

The former England and current Ireland batsman, Ed Joyce, was undone by a brilliant delivery from UAE bowler Amjad Javed in their World Cup match, but an unusual stroke of luck prevented his dismissal.

As the ball went through Joyce’s defences, it nicked the outside of the wicket, and the zing bails got dislodged and even lit up. However, the bails shuffled out of their groove and fell in place, even as a half-celebrating Javed watched in disbelief.

Joyce got an unusual reprieve, and went on to make 37, and Ireland eventually chased down the target of 279, accomplishing the third highest successful chase at the Gabba.

#5 Massage therapists field day

Massage therapist, Grant Baldwin fielding during the day-night Test match in Adelaide

Grant Baldwin, the Australian team’s massage therapist, got the opportunity to take the field in the Baggy Green as a substitute for the injured Mitchell Starc in the day-night Test in Adelaide.

With James Pattinson and Steve O’Keefe released for state duties, Baldwin found himself on the field ahead of three local cricketers, who didn’t have first class experience.

Josh Hazlewood clarified after the second day that Baldwin was chosen because he has played for Victoria’s second XI, and has fielded on previous tours.

The tryst with international cricket didn’t go well for Baldwin, though, as he affected a couple of fumbles while fielding, drawing criticism from the TV commentators in the process. He was eventually replaced by South Australia’s Sam Raphael.

#6 Umpire wears helmet

Gerard Abood (L) wears a helmet during a BBL '15 match

The modern game is synonymous with power hitting, and no one is safe from the batsmen’s onslaughts, not even umpires, as shown by an Australian umpire recently, leading to one of the most unusual sights in the game.

Gerard Abood, born in New South Wales, became the first umpire to wear head protection during the game during the Big Bash League match between Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers.

Abood took his place on the field wearing a black Masuri helmet. He said he wanted to start wearing head protection for a while, due to the increasing power in the game, especially because he has had close shaves in the past himself.

#7 Adam Voges\' wonder catch

Adam Voges (L) hung on to complete a stunning catch during the 2015 Ashes

During the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, with Australia having been bundled out for 136, Alastair Cook was looking in ominous form and was set to establish a big score and give England a huge first innings lead.

When on 34, Nathan Lyon bowled a short one, and Cook was ready to pounce on it. A full bloodied pull ensued, and Adam Voges, positioned at short-leg, swiveled and shut his eyes in self-protection.

The ball, however, got lodged between Voges’ arms and stomach, leading to one of the strangest and most freak dismissals ever. Cook could only shake his head in disbelief.

#8 Sammys bizarre hairstyle

Darren Sammy's ridiculous hairstyle during the CPL (Image Courtesy: Fox Sports)

Fans around the world were left with their heads scratching when Darren Sammy took the field in a Caribbean Premier League match with a bizarre hairstyle.

Given a chance to bowl, Sammy took off his trademark floppy hat to reveal his team, St. Lucia Zouks’, logo on the back of his head. The emblem, a phalanx of white, yellow and blue, was meticulously painted on his head, glitter and all.

Cricket has seen its share of weird hairstyles, right from Curtly Ambrose’s braided beads to Collin Miller’s blue dyed hair, but Sammy took the idea of supporting his team to a whole new level.

#9 Angelo Mathews\' brain freeze

Angelo Mathews (C) got out in a strange fashion in the Dunedin Test against New Zealand

The world’s seventh best Test batsman, Angelo Mathews, got a bizarre brain fade against the Kiwis when he got bowled to a full delivery on the leg side from Neil Wagner in the first Test at Dunedin in December.

Probably expecting a shorter delivery, Mathews shuffled across the crease. He seemingly forgot to play a shot, even as the ball pitched on the leg stump, went right through his legs, deflecting off the right pad and crashing into the stumps.

The comical dismissal led to a collapse, as the Lankans lost seven wickets for fifteen runs to be bundled out for 282.

#10 New Zealand declare on 0-0 in response to 503-1

The condition of the Blacktown Sports Park pitch for NZ's warm-up game

New Zealand’s warm-up match against Cricket Australia XI was abandoned after the Black Caps refused to bat in response to CA XI’s 503-1.

Aaron Finch (288*) and Ryan Carters (209) set up an opening partnership record for Australia’s first class matches, surpassing the previous best of 456 set far back in the 1920s by Bill Ponsford and Edgar Mayne.

In response, New Zealand tried to declare twice on zero to prevent its batsmen from batting on a pitch which deteriorated overnight so as to be deemed unfit for play.

The Black Caps coach, Mike Hesson, was furious as he described the Blacktown International Sportspark surface as “a jigsaw with half the pieces missing”. Everyone, except keeper BJ Watling, bowled in the 121-over innings.