Greg/Trevor Chappell, Australia-New Zealand ODI series, 1981
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Captained by Greg Chappell, Australia were playing New Zealand in a One-day International series at the MCG, a series the two teams were halfway through. Then playing the third match, each team had won one match, with the series tied at 1-1.
Australia had set the visitors a 236-run target, and the Kiwis needed 15 runs from the final over with four wickets in hand. That over was being bowled by right-arm medium pace bowler Trevor Chappell, also the younger brother of Greg.
After a couple of boundaries, New Zealand needed six off the last ball to tie the match. At this point, the older Chappell instructed younger brother Trevor to bowl underarm to striker Brian McKechnie to prevent the maximum.
As the action was not at the time illegal, Australia won the match, but the team were booed by the home crowd and several were extremely critical of the incident. Third Chappell brother Ian, who was commentating on the match, famously called out “No, Greg, you can’t do that” on the microphone during the match.
It was also met with scorn from iconic commentator Richie Benaud and the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand.
Unfortunately for Trevor Chappell, his name has gone down in cricketing history largely solely on the back of that incident.
