There is nothing better than a good testimonial game and we were thrilled to see the Liverpool Legends – led by Steven Gerrard – take on the Australian Legends in Sydney overnight.
Testimonial games were once a staple of the Australian summer of cricket and these games provide some of the best moments on this list.
We would dearly love to see them return, but in the meantime we will make do with the always entertaining EJ Whitten Legends game as well as Soccer Aid in the United Kingdom.
Allan Border Testimonial Match 1993 – Fatty Takes Greatest Catch Ever
This is not just the greatest moment in the history of Testimonial games, but it is arguably the greatest moment in the history of cricket.
Rugby League legend Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin was thrown in the deep end during the Allan Border Testimonial Match and he did not have the best time batting before he took this absolute screamer in the outside.
EJ Whitten Legends Match 2009 – Strauchanie The Star
Bryan ‘Strauchanie’ Strauchan finally got to live his dream when he was named best of ground during the 2009 EJ Whitten Legends Match after kicking three goals.
Sadly his career came to a shattering end when he suffered a badly broken leg at the hands of some bloke from The Block during the 2012 edition of the game.
Petrov Game For Charity 2013 – Gabriel Agbonlahor Tries To Kill Louis From One Direction
One Direction star Louis Tomlinson was probably expecting the pros to go easy on him when he appeared in a charity football game in Ireland in 2013, but nobody told Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and he went after the heartthrob with a brutal tackle.
Tomlinson was not badly injured, but Agbonlahor was still on the receiving end of a number of death threats from some violent members of the One Direction fan club.
Sir Donald Bradman XI v World XI 1994 – Zoe Goss Dismisses Brian Lara
Zoe Goss was arguably the first big star of woman’s cricket and her notoriety mainly comes from her appearance in the Bradman Foundation charity match at the SCG in 1994.
Goss was called into the team in place of Paul Vautin and she starred with both bat and ball, but her clear highlight was dismissing Brian Lara, who was easily the best batsmen in the world at the time.
Soccer Aid 2012 – Kasabian Frontman Chips David Seaman
When you think of the band Kasabian you don’t think of athletic ability, but their lead singer Sergio Pizzorno scored one of the best goals you will ever see in the 2012 edition of Soccer Aid.
Pizzorno showed an incredible belief in his own ability to chip a dumbfounded David Seaman and he won the Man Of The Match Award – despite the fact that his side were beaten 3-1.
Allan Border Testimonial Match 1993 – Ian Healy’s Bowling Impersonations
The Allan Border Testimonial Match produced a laugh a minute and one of the highlights was a rare bowling appearance from wicketkeeper Ian Healy.
Seeing Healy with the ball in hand was highlight enough, but his impersonations of bowlers from right around the world – especially Merv Hughes – took the over to another level.
Soccer Aid 2012 – Teddy Sheringham Goes After Gordon Ramsay
Louis from One Direction is not the only celebrity that has been on the receiving end of a brutal tackle at a celebrity football game.
Gordon Ramsay, who was an excellent football player in his youth, was targeted by Teddy Sheringham the Soccer Aid game in 2012 and the former England star sent the celebrity chef to hospital with a brutal tackle.
France 98 vs Toulon – Zidane Scores A Try
New Real Madrid Manager Zinedine Zidane is not only one of the greatest footballers in history, but it turns out he isn’t half bad at Rugby Union either.
Some of the members of France’s 1998 World Cup winning football team took one Toulon in a bizarre mix of football and rugby last year and Zidane was able to show off his skills with the oval ball.
Johnnie Walker All Star XI vs Australia – McGrath Picks How He’ll Dismiss David Warner
The Johnnie Walker All Star side took on the current Australian side in a Twenty20 contest at the Gabba in 2010 and the veterans gave their much younger rivals a real scare.
Glenn McGrath was at his brilliant best with the ball, but he was incredibly impressive – even for him – when he predicted just how he would dismiss David Warner as he ran in to bowl.
Allan Border Testimonial Match 1993 – Alfie Gets An Emergency Jug Of Beer
The Allan Border Testimonial game is the cricket match that just keeps on giving.
It is no secret that Queensland Maroons legend Allan Langer loves a good beer – as well as a table dance – and he required an emergency serve of his favourite beverage during his bowling over.