Road to the cricket World Cup 2019. Reigning champions crash to one-run defeat. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’

AUSTRALIA v INDIA    

CHIDAMBARAM STADIUM, CHEPAUK, MADRAS,

9 OCTOBER 1987

Ice Man Steve Waugh celebrating the nail-biting one-run win over India.

There was great excitement all around Chepauk as the reigning champions took on Australia on home turf. As many as six players had survived from Kapil Dev’s 1983 winning squad, while the solitary Aussie link to the previous World Cup was skipper Allan Border. In other words, here was a home team brimming with confidence, ready to take on a relatively inexperienced side which was not expected to give a very tough fight.

As the game got under way it gradually dawned upon the partisans that this was a very determined Australian team. David Boon and Geoff Marsh put on a century partnership for the first wicket. Then Marsh combined with the belligerent Dean Jones, and took the score to 174.

Marsh carried on calmly and notched up his third century in One-day Internationals. He took his side to a formidable position even though they lost a few wickets towards the end trying to accelerate the scoring. During the interval, adjudicator Hanif Mohammad converted a four into a six. This was to prove decisive. A total of 270 in 50 overs was a very large one by any standard and had the home supporters worried.

Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth, however, gave a flying start. For once Gavaskar outscored his unorthodox big-hitting partner. The crowd went into raptures as the legendary Gavaskar and local boy Srikkanth treated the attack with disdain. When Gavaskar fell, 69 runs had been put up on the board. His place was taken by Navjot Singh Sidhu whose clean hitting had been a revelation in the run-up to the tournament. Soon he began carrying his new-found reputation forward. Srikkanth and Sidhu butchered the bowling and, suddenly, 271 did not seem an unattainable target.

Srikkanth was leg-before for 70, but that only let Sidhu loose. With the experienced Dilip Vengsarkar playing in mature fashion at the other end, Sidhu attacked with gusto. He hit five towering sixes which created a carnival atmosphere in the stadium. At 207 for two, victory seemed just a few big blows away.

That was when India began to mess it up. The Australians kept cool and bowled intelligently. Their fielding was outstanding. Wickets crashed at regular intervals. In the panic, there were two needless run outs at crucial stages. Soon the score was 265 for nine.

There were six runs left as Steve Waugh began the final over to last man Maninder Singh. Suddenly the tied Test played between the two teams at the same ground a year earlier flashed into everyone’s mind. In that Test too, Maninder had been the batsman in the firing line. He managed four runs off the first four balls. The excitement was unbelievable. Two runs were needed, and there were two balls left with one wicket in hand. But it was Waugh who kept his head and was bang on target.

Maninder was bowled off the fifth ball. Waugh was nonchalant: "It was just a confidence thing. Allan Border thought I could do it. I knew I could do it." India had lost by a solitary run. For the second time running the reigning champions had been beaten in their opening encounter.

Australia        : 270 for 6 wickets (50 overs)

India               : 269 all out (49.5 overs)

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Follow his blogs:

https://singhiv.wordpress.com/

https://indravikramsingh.blogspot.com/

Indra Vikram Singh’s books are available at attractive prices on Amazon:

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166840

Crowning Glory

Published by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166867

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859

A Maharaja’s Turf

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming books:

Indian Spring, on India’s triumph in the cricket World Cup 2011

Wonder Down Under, special souvenir on the cricket World Cup 2015

Road to the cricket World Cup 2019. A thrilling triumph for the underdogs. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’

INDIA v WEST INDIES (FINAL)  •  LORD’S, LONDON, 25 JUNE 1983

Mohinder Amarnath cuts on the way to his man-of-the-match performance.

Lord’s was bathed in bright sunshine and ready to crown the undisputed kings of cricket, the West Indies, with yet another title. The conquerors from the Caribbean marshalled by the elder statesman Clive Lloyd had won the first two World Cups, and were poised to make it a hat-trick on this beautiful day against surprise finalists, India. 

The Indian World Cup record had been dismal. In two tournaments they had won a total of one match, against lowly East Africa in 1975. In 1983, the Australian captain Kim Hughes had rated the Indians as “dark horses” to win the championship. They sprang a surprise in the opening encounter by inflicting upon the West Indies their first defeat in the World Cup. Then they nearly faltered against Zimbabwe before being bailed out by a Herculean effort from their captain, Kapil Dev. But now in the final they were not expected to take the title away from the reigning champions.

The match began true to form with Andy Roberts and Joel Garner bowling extremely accurately. Garner’s steeply rising deliveries bowled from his great height, were impossible to get away. Soon Sunil Gavaskar fished at one from Roberts and was easily snapped up at the wicket. Krishnamachari Srikkanth dazzled for a while in his customary fashion, and even delighted the crowd with a hooked six off Roberts. He and Mohinder Amarnath put on 57 for second wicket. Then Yashpal Sharma helped Amarnath in a useful stand, and at 90 for two the Indian score bore a healthy look.

Disaster was round the corner as Amarnath was comprehensively bowled by Michael Holding, and Yashpal fell to the gentle off-break of Larry Gomes. Though Sandeep Patil played a useful knock, the innings fell away in the face of some fine bowling by the West Indians. Had it not been for a fighting last-wicket stand between Syed Kirmani and Balwinder Sandhu, the Indian total would have looked even more pitiable than their 183 all out in 54.4 overs.

There was a sensational start to the West Indies innings as Gordon Greenidge shouldered arms to an incoming delivery from Sandhu and was bowled for 1. You could not blame Greenidge, for Sandhu himself thought he had bowled an out-swinger. Instead, the ball came in sharply after hitting the seam. That set the stage for a grand entry by the imperious Vivian Richards. And he batted like the monarch that he often was at the crease.

As he smashed the bowling to all the corners of the hallowed ground, an early West Indies victory looked most likely. Just then he skied Madan Lal high over mid-wicket. Kapil Dev turned and ran after the ball that was rapidly going away from him. After what seemed an eternity the Indian skipper clung on to the prize. The door seemed to have opened for the underdogs. They stuck to their task, bowled tightly, fielded brilliantly and were constantly egged on by their captain. Wickets started tumbling; soon it was 76 for six. Jeff Dujon and Malcolm Marshall hung on for a while, and when the day’s hero Amarnath trapped Holding plumb in front, the sensational upset left everyone dumbfounded. "Now Indian mystics walk through fire", screamed the headline of Tony Lewis' report in The Sunday Telegraph.

And even the diehard Indian fans were stunned by this memorable win.

India               : 183 all out (54.4 overs)

West Indies    : 140 all out (52 overs)

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Follow his blogs:

https://singhiv.wordpress.com/

https://indravikramsingh.blogspot.com/

Indra Vikram Singh’s books are available at attractive prices on Amazon:

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166840

Crowning Glory

Published by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-6-7

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166867

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859

A Maharaja’s Turf

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-3-6

https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming books:

Indian Spring, on India’s triumph in the cricket World Cup 2011

Wonder Down Under, special souvenir on the cricket World Cup 2015

The Cricket World Cup - Memorable Performances…..4 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

CHETAN SHARMA STRIKES THREE OUT OF THREE

Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur  •  31 October 1987

A hat-trick is a coveted feat, no matter what grade of cricket you are playing. And Chetan Sharma was always an interesting character on the field. A tiny, bearded, dynamo of a paceman, he could surprise batsmen with his deceptive speed, no mean feat for a man of such slight build. He was not one to hide his emotions either, and his theatrical, strident and shrill appeals were invariably cause for mirth among the spectators.

Thus when a man like Chetan Sharma achieves a hat-trick, and that too in the World Cup before a capacity home crowd, the scene can well be imagined. Naturally, there was pandemonium. The crowd went berserk as Sharma lay spread-eagled on his back in sheer ecstasy, and his teammates ran towards him in a mixture of disbelief, jubilation and amusement. If ever there was a magic moment in Indian cricket, it was this.

As New Zealand were in the process of building a healthy total, there was no hint of the drama and excitement to follow. Ken Rutherford and Dipak Patel were consolidating the position after four wickets had gone for 122 runs. At 181, Patel was caught by skipper Kapil Dev off Ravi Shasti for a top-score of 40.

This is where Chetan Sharma took over. With the score on 182 he clean bowled Rutherford off the fourth delivery of his 6^th over. Wicketkeeper Ian Smith came in next and Sharma went through his defence too, first ball. Celebrations gave way to a buzz of anticipation as Ewan Chatfield took Smith's place. Kapil Dev called in his field. Each fielder was on his toes, desperate not to let down the little speedster, now hyper-active with excitement. They need not have bothered. Sharma steamed in and let go, and amazingly, Chatfield missed. The ball crashed into his stumps.

The noise was deafening. Chetan Sharma had taken a hat-trick, and all clean bowled. The entire Indian team descended on the triumphant bowler, as the crestfallen Chatfield walked away unnoticed. New Zealand had slumped from 181 for four to 182 for eight.

Martin Snedden and Willie Watson took the score to 221 before the former was run out off the last ball of the innings. India's task was none-too-difficult if the sole purpose was to win the match. They had already qualified for the semi-finals. But to top the group and avoid a clash with Pakistan in the semi-finals - at that stage the final was billed as a showpiece encounter between the sub-continental neighbours - it was necessary for India to win in less than 38 overs, a run-rate of 5.85 runs per over.

Right from the first ball, Krish Srikkanth and Sunil Gavaskar left no one in any doubt that India were out to achieve the run-rate. It was a blazing opening stand as they put on 136 runs in only 17 overs. When Srikkanth holed out, he had scored 75 off just 58 deliveries, having smashed 3 sixes and 9 fours. Gavaskar reached his maiden One-day century off 85 deliveries. It was to be his only one in what turned out to be the penultimate match of his career. At that time it was the second-fastest in the World Cup after Clive Lloyd's blitzkrieg in the 1975 final. Gavaskar's unbeaten 103 came off 88 balls with 3 sixes and 10 fours.

But the most exciting moment of this exhilarating match was Chetan Sharma's hat-trick, the first in the premier tournament until Saqlain Mushtaq emulated the feat in 1999, followed by Chaminda Vaas and Brett Lee in 2003, and Lasith Malinga in 2007.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Distributed in India by Variety Book Depot, Connaught Place, New Delhi, Phones + 91 11 23417175, 23412567

Available in leading bookshops, and online on several websites.