5 milestone matches that didn't live up to the fans' expectations

Master Blaster has a really bad memory of his 150th career-TestThere always tends to be a certain amount of hype built up around milestone matches of great performers on the cricket field. Sometimes the fans get to see exactly what they want - their team wins the match and the milestone man plays a significant role in the victory.However, on other occasions, things don't quite turn out as expected for those who flock to the grounds or are glued to their TV sets to catch up on the game. The different reasons for this may be anything from a loss for the team to the match ending up in a dull draw.Here we take a look at 5 milestone matches that didn't live up to the fans' expectations:

#5 Alaistar Cook\'s 100th Test at Perth

Alastair Cook was nailed for a first-ball duck in his 100th Test

The 3rd Test of Australia’s famous whitewash of England in the 2013/14 Ashes played at Perth was a rare occasion when the two captains of either team were playing in their 100th Test. What turned out to be a milestone Test to remember for Aussie skipper Michael Clarke, became the exact contrast of that for his opposite number Alastair Cook.

Thanks to an incredible victory by 150 runs, Australia won back the Ashes from Cook’s England team. Apart from his team’s loss, it was also not one of the southpaw’s memorable Tests with the bat. Having scored 72 in the first innings, Alastair Cook fell for a first-ball duck in the 2nd innings.

Although Cook has had a great career so far, his milestone 100th Test was one of the worst in his career and also for England’s passionate fans.

#4 Virender Sehwag\'s 100th Test at Mumbai

Virender Sehwag may be all smiles at his felicitation, but his 100th Test was one to forget

India’s dashing opening batsman Virender Sehwag had a 100th Test to forget against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This was because India lost the match inside 4 days in a series which brought out India’s worst performance at home in recent memory.

Having registered a comprehensive win in the 1st match of the 4-Test series with Sehwag making a significant contribution, all eyes were on the Delhi powerhouse to set the stage on fire yet again in Mumbai.

However, scores of 30 and 9 for Viru in the two innings respectively and a 10-wicket battering for his team left Indian fans disgruntled at the turn of events. The swashbuckling opener only played 4 more Tests for Team India after the debacle at Mumbai.

#3 Brian Lara\'s 100th Test at Durban

This memento was perhaps Brian Lara’s only take away from his 100th Test

It is difficult to explain how gutted a cricketer would feel if a milestone match in his career ended in an innings defeat for his team. Well, this is exactly what transpired with the great West Indies batsman Brian Lara on the occasion of his 100th Test at Durban in the year 2003.

West Indies were already a Test down to hosts South Africa as the two teams met in the 2nd Test of the 4-match series. Lara showed flashes of brilliance in a resilient 72 in his team’s first innings total of 264. However, South Africa piled on the misery in their 1st innings as they declared on 9 for 658.

With the visitors having conceded a mammoth lead, it was up to the great batsman to produce another one of his specials, but he failed to deliver succumbing to seamer Andrew Hall for 11. Lara’s team ended up losing the Test by an innings and 65 runs, ensuring a forgettable 100th Test for the master batsman.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar\'s 150th Test at Colombo

Sachin Tendulkar managed just 20 runs in the two innings of his 150th Test

The P Sara Oval at Colombo played host to legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar’s 150th Test on India’s tour to Sri Lanka in 2008. But it turned out to be a disastrous one for the master batsman, his team and all his fans in different corners of the world.

It was the final Test of a 3-match series which was level at 1-1 and Indian fans expected it to be a successful one, not only in terms of giving their team the series but also because it was the milestone Test for India’s best batsman.

Sadly, that was not to be as Team India lost the Test by 8 wickets and with it the series. To add to the woes of the fans, Tendulkar had a poor Test by any standards with scores of 6 and 14 in the two innings respectively.

#1 AB de Villiers\' 100th Test at Bengaluru

AB de Villiers walks back after being dismissed for 85 in his 100th Test

The 2nd Test of the ongoing Gandhi-Mandela series played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru happened to be the 100th Test for arguably the best batsman in world cricket today, AB de Villiers.

But what was supposed to be a momentous occasion for the man and his fans from all over the world was literally dampened by the rain as the play happened only on the first day of the match.

Also, the events of the only day of the Test were none too pleasing for a South African fan as their team was bowled out for a paltry 214 and had conceded 80 runs to the Indian openers without picking up a single wicket.

The only saving grace for them was a fighting knock of 85 by the man who was playing his 100th Test, which saved the Proteas from being dismissed for an even smaller total.

The rest of the days ended up being complete washouts as the persistent rain did not allow the outfield to dry up. This was certainly one of the more disappointing milestone Tests in recent times.