Sport has its ups and downs, its good and bad moments and 2015 was no different. Where there was New Zealand surprise package, West Indies went in opposite direction with problems on and off the field. In the biggest sport in the world, FIFA tainted its reputation with corruption scandal, Barcelona’s treble reminded us of the beauty of it. PIONEER SPORT gives its run down of highs and lows
Team effort is the mantra for Kiwis
Cricket
High
The New Zealand team took everyone by surprise with the performances they displayed in the 2015 World Cup. The eventual runners up at the mega event sealed their berth in the quarterfinal without losing a single game.
The only match that they lost in the biggest event was the final against neighbours and co-hosts Australia.
The best part about New Zealand's World Cup success was was never about a one man show. It was a team effort in which every player played his part. Captain Brendon McCullum, striking at 188 runs per 100 balls in the 2015 World Cup, led the team from the front and gave the team good platform to put up big scores.
Martin Guptill, McCullum's opening partner, calmly played the role of a second fiddle while his captain was busy ruining opposition bowler's numbers. Infact, Guptill scored a double hundred — 237 against West Indies in the World Cup — to show what he is capable off. Guptill was the top scorer for the Black Caps with 547 runs, which was also the most number of runs scored in the World Cup.
When the batting department faltered, the bowlers took the baton in their hands. Trent Boult, who took 22 wickets, found a perfect partner in Tim Southee.
Southee holds the record for the best figures in an inning at the 2015 World Cup when he took seven wickets against Sri lanka. The duo was ably supported by spin legend Daniel Vettori.
WI misery continues on and off the field
low
Seeing West Indies perform in 2015, makes one wonder how a team once ruled the game has dropped to such low standards. The Windies have played 15 ODIs this year and won only four. The figures make an even worse readings in Tests as they won just one of the last nine matches. Only in the T20 format one can say that they have done fairly well, having a win percentage of 50. Early in the year, West Indies toured South Africa where they played five ODIs and lost the series 4-1. After their horrendous exit from the World Cup 2015, they toured Sri lanka where their poor form didn't leave them and they lost the series 3-0. Earlier in the year, the country made the headlines for all the wrong reasons as Windies legendary batsman Chris Gayle slammed the selectors for droping senior pair of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the World Cup and series against South Africa. Gayle's blunt attack came a day after the WICB released a list of 12 players granted central contracts. That list did not include Gayle, who said he could only express sadness over omissions. Although Gayle did not mention it directly, he was referring to the India tour last October when Bravo, as ODI captain, led the boycott against the WICB and the West Indies Players' Association over a contracts dispute and pulled out of the tour. Also recently, Former captain Dwayne Bravo has criticised the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) over its strained relationship with players and a lack of facilities for the sport in the Caribbean.