'Carlos Brathwaite! Carlos Brathwaite - remember the name!'
Saturday 31 December 2016 09:32, UK
It's not hard to put 2016 into words - quite simply, it's been a brilliant year of cricket. Here is a selection of our quotes of the year...
"It was magnificent, one of the best examples of Test cricket I've seen in a long time." Sir Ian Botham hails Ben Stokes' superb 258 during the Cape Town Test against South Africa.
"I feel there is a greater need to work on my own game." Hashim Amla announces his decision to resign as South Africa Test captain, despite scoring a double hundred against England in the same Test at Newlands.
"I don't think it reflected great on the game of cricket." Nasser Hussain's view on the Mankad dismissal that saw the West Indies progress to the quarter-finals of the ICC U19 World Cup, which they would eventually win.
"I had no idea…I'm almost a little bit embarrassed to go past him, to be honest." Brendon McCullum reacts to smashing Sir Viv Richards' record for the fastest Test century (54 balls). McCullum went on to make 145 in his final Test at the Hagley Oval.
"He was a great competitor, had great technique, won a lot of games for New Zealand and is bracketed up there with the greats of the game." Former Australia captain Allan Border on Martin Crowe, who passed away in March at the age of 53.
"He is the best England batsman across all forms of cricket, ever." High praise for Joe Root from Nasser Hussain after his 83 off 44 balls helped England chase down 230 against South Africa at the World T20, the highest successful run-chase in tournament history.
"Carlos Brathwaite! Carlos Brathwaite - remember the name! History for the West Indies." Ian Bishop delivers his memorable commentary as Brathwaite hits four sixes to lead his side to World T20 glory.
"My chest then started to tighten up, my throat started to tighten up and I couldn't breathe. That was the first time I thought I was going to die." James Taylor explains the seriousness of the heart condition that led to his retirement.
"As far as the Caribbean is concerned, he's right up there with Garry Sobers." Michael Holding's fitting tribute to West Indian writer and commentator Tony Cozier, who died in May. (ESPNcricinfo)
"He can now get on with the rest of his life!" David Lloyd calls the moment Alastair Cook finally became the first Englishman to score 10,000 Test runs against Sri Lanka at Durham.
"The heart races, you feel faint ... there have been times when I would run off into the changing rooms and be sick ... sometimes through sheer panic." Sarah Taylor reveals the anxiety attacks that forced her to take an indefinite break from cricket.
"Everyone who knows me - and knows how much I love playing for England - will appreciate what a difficult decision it has been for me." Charlotte Edwards announces her retirement from international cricket, ending a magnificent 20 year career for England.
"Absolutely fantastic, keep going!" Michael Atherton watches on as Misbah-ul-Haq flexes his muscles during his press-up celebration after scoring a century at Lord's.
"There is the very famous saying that class is permanent and form is temporary, and that is Younus Khan." Despite struggles earlier on the tour, Younus Khan's double century at The Oval proved his quality, according to Pakistan legend Wasim Akram.
"He's box office and so confident at the top of the innings; he knows he's arrived and gives England a good start more often than not." David Lloyd lauds Alex Hales after his record innings of 171 sets up England's world record ODI score of 444 against Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
"I should have given it a few more days and I might have got a few more quid." Josh Cobb jokes after his man-of-the-match performance inspires Northants to another NatWest T20 Blast title, just days after signing a new three-year deal.
"I think a captain in charge of a team should be there with his team but I fully understand the decision that they've made." Nasser Hussain was disappointed Eoin Morgan, along with Alex Hales, opted out of touring to Bangladesh this winter over safety concerns.
"Oh bowled him! Would you believe it?" An excited Nasser Hussain reacts to the dramatic finish at Lord's where a Toby-Roland Jones hat-trick inspires Middlesex to win the County Championship for the first time since 1993.
"Mehedi bowled like a veteran." Michael Atherton praises 18-year-old off-spinner Mehedi Hasan after he take 6-80 on Test debut in Chittagong.
"It was an accident waiting to happen." Mark Butcher bemoans England's defeat in Dhaka as they lose all 10 wickets in a session to hand Bangladesh a historic victory.
"When you get bowled out for 85, it probably is, isn't it?" Australia coach Darren Lehmann admits their batting is in crisis after being skittled by South Africa on day one of the second Test in Hobart.
"There was a little bit of panic this morning, thinking I'd missed the bus - I jumped out of bed and then realised it was only 5am." That early morning panic didn't stop Keaton Jennings from scoring a maiden Test hundred on his debut in Mumbai.
"These millionaires with their bloated central contracts, have let down the people who support them, sponsor them, the paying public, broadcasters. They should be ashamed of themselves." Bob Willis delivers his damning verdict as England slump to a 4-0 Test series defeat in India.
"That's a fair shout, you can say whatever you want now, if I turn around here and slag everyone off and use emotive language, I'm not doing my job. When you lose Test cricket, you get criticised. You have to take it on the chin." Alastair Cook responds to the question from Ian Ward that England have stagnated in the last 12 months.
