Most would agree that 2011 has been an excellent year for cricket fans. From India winning the World Cup to England's Test dominance, there's been no shortage of memorable action.

Shahida Jacobs kicks off our look back on the past 12 months by picking out those moments which will live longest in the memory.

1. South Africa v Australia, First Test, Day Two
Quite simply, the most insane day in modern cricket by some distance. Both teams batting twice in the same day, 23 wickets in three sessions, South Africa 96 all out, Australia 47 all out... Did two good teams really turn to utter, utter turd in one crazy day? Did it really happen?

It started with relative calm as Australia added 70 to their overnight total to finish their innings on 284. Michael Clarke's 151 was something else when you think about chaos that ensued later in the day.

South Africa had a 24-run opening stand, with Graeme Smith hitting 37. Then on came Shane Watson. First Hashim Amla was dismissed, then Jacques Kallis, then Smith, then Ashwell Prince, then AB de Villiers, then Mark Boucher, then Vernon Philander, then Morne Morkel and finally Imran Tahir. South Africa 96 all out. The local media sharpened their knives and were ready to stick them in.

But then the most amazing turnaround took place as Australia slipped to 21 for nine. Yes, that is right. 4, 9, 0, 2, 0, 0, 3, 0 were the scores of the nine batsmen who fell. Australia on course for the lowest Test score in the history of the game. A 26-run final-wicket stand between Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon saved them that embarrassment, much to the disappointment of South Africans, Englishmen, New Zealanders, Indians, etc.

Still, Australia 47 all out! Again, did it really happen? This one will linger in the mind as some sort of unlikely dream.

2. England Win The Ashes
January 7, 2011 will forever be etched in the memories of England fans and many a cricket lover. After 24 years of hurt, pain and crushing defeats Down Under, England finally tasted victory in The Ashes on Australian soil.

But they didn't just win The Ashes, they humiliated Australia in Australia. The three matches they won were all by an innings margin. Who can forget Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott's unforgettable summer Down Under with Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, James Anderson and Chris Tremlett all playing important roles along the way? Remember the first Test where England were 517 for one?

There is a famous piece of football commentary synonymous with English football, and their fans are familiar with it so here goes with an adapted version as a tribute.

"Captain James Cook, Ned Kelly, Crocodile Dundee, Sir Donald Bradman, Dame Edna, Rupert Murdoch, John Howard, INXS, Elle Macphearson, Kylie Minogue, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Steve Irwin, John Eales, Richie Benaud, Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath - we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all.

"Shane Warne can you hear me? Shane Warne I have a message for you while you sneak around with Elizabeth Hurley. I have a message for you: We have beaten Australia in The Ashes on home soil. Shane Warne, as they say in your language in the boxing bars around Harbour Bridge in Sydney: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"

3. England v Sri Lanka, Day 5, Cardiff
It's the final day of what has been a pretty evenly-matched Test in Cardiff when you take into account the weather. Sri Lanka had won the toss and elected to bat first and they scored a very decent 400 all out on the back of a Mahela Jayawardene century. The hosts started their first-innings knock on day two and by the end of day four they were 491 for five with Jonathan Trott hitting a double ton and Alastair Cook notching up a century.

The morning session on the final day came and went as rain caused havoc. The weather only cleared up after 2pm local time and England decided to bat for two overs so that Ian Bell can get to his century in what would surely end up as damp squib with only 50 overs to see out. Sri Lanka lose two early wickets before tea, but it should still be a formality in the final session.

Back at C365 HQ most of the match report has been prepped, the hard work is done for the day and all that is left is for the Sri Lankans to see out just over 38 overs and it's time to go home (shhh, don't tell the boss). Right?

Wrong! It was chaos at Sophia Gardens after tea as Chris Tremlett, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad ran through the final eight wickets. Sri Lanka 82 all out, and England had somehow managed to claim an astonishing innings-and-14-run victory. Cue hundreds of cricket journalists around the globe scrambling as they have to re-write their copy.

The win set England up nicely for one of their best summers. They went on to beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in the three-match series and followed it up with a 4-0 whitewash of India to reach the top of the Test standings for the first time. I think everyone can safely say it all started with that afternoon in Cardiff.

4. Ireland Beat England At The World Cup
The minnows didn't have too much joy at the 2011 World Cup, but Ireland made sure they had one night to remember on the sub-continent as they turned Bangalore green.

England looked to be on course for a straightforward win after they made 327 for eight in their 50 overs. They reduced Ireland to 111 for five and surely it was only a matter of time before they wrapped things up? A certain Mr Kevin O'Brien - who can forget his purple hair? - then took centre stage with Alex Cusack (47) and John Mooney (33) the support acts.

At first O'Brien's batting was just a minor headache for Andrew Strauss and England, then it became a more severe one and by the 45th over it was a full-blown migraine. His 50-ball century was the fastest in World Cup history (well below Matthew Hayden's 66 balls against South Africa in 2007). He eventually fell for 113 from 63 balls with 13 fours and six sixes.

Mooney and Trent Johnston saw them over the finish line to claim one of Ireland's sweetest victories in sport and one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

5. India Win The World Cup
India's 28-year wait to get their hands on the shiny World Cup trophy again finally ended as they were crowned champions on home soil. The sight of Sachin Tendulkar being carried on the shoulders of young players like Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina around the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai would have brought a lump to the throat of many a cricket lover.

The game started in bizarre fashion as the toss took place twice. Nobody heard Kumar Sangakkara's call because of the noise. The match was set up for Tendulkar to get his 100th international century (eight months later and we are still waiting) or for Muttiah Muralitharan to have a fairytale finish to his career. The match winners though turned out to be India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring a ton in a losing cause.

Chasing 295 for victory, Gambhir took India to within touching distance with 97, before Dhoni, fighting off debilitating back pain, claimed the glory as he smashed a six into the crowd at long-on with a hit that would be the defining image of the tournament.

The skies lit up as the fire crackers went off, Mumbai and the rest of India erupted into a frenzy and the party was well and truly underway.

Shahida Jacobs