When World Cup Cricket was first introduced in 1975
The official photograph of the Sri Lanka team for the Cricket World Cup in 1975
The first-ever Cricket World Cup organised by the ICC, called the Prudential Cup, sponsored by Prudential Assurance Co., was held in England from June 7-21, 1975, with much fanfare.
There were 6 Test-playing nations comprising Australia, England, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and the West Indies. Sri Lanka was also included as a leading Associate Member, along with East Africa.
The 8 teams were divided into 2 Groups, with each team playing the others in their Group, once. The top 2 qualifying for the semifinals, with the winners meeting in the final. All the games were played in traditional white clothing, with red balls, and 60 overs per side, unlike the current 50 overs per side. Kerry Packer and coloured clothing, fielding restrictions etc., were still in the air! The games were played during the day.
England, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies qualified for the semifinals. Australia defeated England and New Zealand lost to the West Indies. So, the West Indies met Australia in the final. What a thrilling game it turned out to be.
The Sri Lanka team, unlike the present day, had to hire their own transportation
Australia won the toss, but decided to field. West Indies skipper, the bespectacled Clive Lloyd (adjudged Man of the Match) led the charge with 102 in 85 balls, supported by Rohan Kanhai 55, and totaled 291/8 in their 60 overs. Gary Gilmour- 5/48, was Australia’s most successful bowler.
Chasing the formidable West Indian total, Australia were 233/9 (Skipper Ian Chappell 62) and needed 59 runs in 7 overs to win, when the last pair, Thomson- 21 and Lillee- 16*, nearly turned tables with a partnership of 41 runs, but eventually, tournament favourites West Indies edged through with 17 runs to spare. Thanks to some brilliant fielding, 5 top-order Australian batsmen were run out, especially by Viv Richards who accounted with direct hits to dismiss 3 of them.
A contemporary report stated: “With three overs remaining, the game reached an unlikely climax, when Lillee hit a no-ball to Fredericks at extra cover, and the crowd rushed onto the field, oblivious to the umpire’s call. Amid the chaos, Fredericks attempted a run-out but missed and the ball disappeared into the crowd. Lillee and Thomson kept running between the wickets until the crowd was dispersed. When play was resumed, the umpires decided to give Australia 2 runs. After protests from Thomson, they were awarded 3 runs.” It was drama to the end
And World Cup Cricket came to the fore.
In the opening game of the tournament, there was a strange innings played by India’s Sunil Gavaskar. Replying to England’s score of 334/4 (Dennis Amiss 137), India’s opening batsman Gavaskar batted through the entire 60 overs for an unbeaten score of 36 runs.
Still, that too bordered on drama. However dull, it was, an innings Gavaskar may still be trying to live down.
Sir Clive Lloyd with the first CWC trophy
Results at a glance
- 1st Match: England v India at Lord’s – Jun 7, 1975
England 334/4 (60/60 ov); India 132/3 (60/60 ov)
England won by 202 runs
- 2nd Match: East Africa v New Zealand at Birmingham – Jun 7, 1975
New Zealand 309/5 (60/60 ov); East Africa 128/8 (60/60 ov)
New Zealand won by 181 runs
- 3rd Match: Australia v Pakistan at Leeds – Jun 7, 1975
Australia 278/7 (60/60 ov); Pakistan 205 (53/60 ov)
Australia won by 73 runs
- 4th Match: Sri Lanka v West Indies at Manchester – Jun 7, 1975
Sri Lanka 86 (37.2/60 ov); West Indies 87/1 (20.4/60 ov)
West Indies won by 9 wickets (with 236 balls remaining)
- 5th Match: England v New Zealand at Nottingham – Jun 11, 1975
England 266/6 (60/60 ov); New Zealand 186 (60/60 ov)
England won by 80 runs
- 6th Match: East Africa v India at Leeds – Jun 11, 1975
East Africa 120 (55.3/60 ov); India 123/0 (29.5/60 ov)
India won by 10 wickets (with 181 balls remaining)
- 7th Match: Australia v Sri Lanka at The Oval – Jun 11, 1975
Australia 328/5 (60/60 ov); Sri Lanka 276/4 (60/60 ov)
Australia won by 52 runs
- 8th Match: Pakistan v West Indies at Birmingham – Jun 11, 1975
Pakistan 266/7 (60/60 ov); West Indies 267/9 (59.4/60 ov)
West Indies won by 1 wicket (with 2 balls remaining)
- 9th Match: England v East Africa at Birmingham – Jun 14, 1975
England 290/5 (60/60 ov); East Africa 94 (52.3/60 ov)
England won by 196 runs
- 10th Match: India v New Zealand at Manchester – Jun 14, 1975
India 230 (60/60 ov); New Zealand 233/6 (58.5/60 ov)
New Zealand won by 4 wickets (with 7 balls remaining)
- 11th Match: Australia v West Indies at The Oval – Jun 14, 1975
Australia 192 (53.4/60 ov); West Indies 195/3 (46/60 ov)
West Indies won by 7 wickets (with 84 balls remaining)
- 12th Match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Nottingham – Jun 14, 1975
Pakistan 330/6 (60/60 ov); Sri Lanka 138 (50.1/60 ov)
Pakistan won by 192 runs
- 1st SF: England v Australia at Leeds – Jun 18, 1975
England 93 (36.2/60 ov); Australia 94/6 (28.4/60 ov)
Australia won by 4 wickets (with 188 balls remaining)
- 2nd SF: New Zealand v West Indies at The Oval – Jun 18, 1975
New Zealand 158 (52.2/60 ov); West Indies 159/5 (40.1/60 ov)
West Indies won by 5 wickets (with 119 balls remaining)
- Final: Australia v West Indies at Lord’s – Jun 21, 1975
West Indies 291/8 (60/60 ov); Australia 274 (58.4/60 ov)
West Indies won by 17 runs