In Australian cricket, which player was nicknamed “Fruitfly” by his teammates?

Introduction / Context:
Nicknames of famous cricketers are a favourite topic in sports quizzes and general knowledge exams because they add colour to cricket history and help identify players in a memorable way. This question focuses on an Australian cricketer who carried the unusual nickname “Fruitfly” among his teammates. Knowing such nicknames helps candidates handle association questions and makes learning sports facts more engaging.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The nickname in question is “Fruitfly.”
• Options list Australian cricketers Geoff Lawson, Merv Hughes, Mike Veletta, Mike Whitney, and Allan Border.
• We assume that the nickname was widely used in the team environment and is documented in cricket trivia sources.
• Only one of these players is correctly linked with this nickname.

Concept / Approach:
Within Australian cricket, Mike Veletta was known by the nickname “Fruitfly.” Nicknames can arise from personality traits, incidents, or even private jokes within a squad. For exam purposes, it is enough to remember the correct pairing between the nickname and the player. Other cricketers in the list have their own well known reputations and, in some cases, different nicknames, but “Fruitfly” is associated specifically with Mike Veletta in standard cricket trivia.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the nickname “Fruitfly,” which is quite distinctive.Step 2: Recall that this particular nickname has been recorded as belonging to Australian batsman Mike Veletta.Step 3: Compare this fact with the options, noting that Geoff Lawson, Merv Hughes, Mike Whitney and Allan Border had other images or nicknames.Step 4: Identify Mike Veletta as the one correctly matched with “Fruitfly.”Step 5: Choose Mike Veletta as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, one might recall reading lists of cricket nicknames where players such as Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, and others are mentioned alongside lesser known but interesting nicknames. In those lists, Mike Veletta is consistently associated with the nickname “Fruitfly,” making it a stable part of cricket trivia. Since the other listed cricketers are better known by their regular names or different nicknames, this reinforces the choice of Veletta.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Geoff Lawson, Merv Hughes, Mike Whitney, and Allan Border are all famous Australian cricketers, but there is no standard reference linking any of them with the nickname “Fruitfly.” Merv Hughes, for example, is remembered more for his moustache and aggressive bowling than for any such nickname. Allan Border is widely known simply as AB. Therefore, assigning the nickname “Fruitfly” to any of these players would be incorrect in the context of cricket trivia.

Common Pitfalls:
One common pitfall is to guess based only on familiarity: candidates may pick the most famous name in the list instead of the correct but slightly less known player. Another error is assuming that large or flamboyant personalities like Merv Hughes must have had funny nicknames, and therefore guessing them without specific knowledge. To avoid this, it is useful to study nickname lists carefully and associate each unusual nickname with the correct player.

Final Answer:
In Australian cricket, the player nicknamed “Fruitfly” by his teammates was Mike Veletta.