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

Road to the cricket World Cup 2019. Collis King and Vivian Richards launch ferocious assault for the crown. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’

England v West Indies (final) • Lord's, London, 23 June 1979

Vivian Richards in belligerent form.

Collis King on the rampage.

For over a-decade-and-a-half, Vivian Richards was king. On this mid-summer day Collis King put him in the shade. The two were associated in an exhilarating partnership, and Richards went on to get a super hundred. But King was simply brilliant in this game, and the king would be the first to admit that such was the case.

The West Indies began the final in exactly the same manner as they had done the previous one, four years earlier. They lost early wickets, and three had gone around the fifty mark. In 1975 Clive Lloyd had taken over at that stage. In this match the skipper too fell at 99 in the 30th over as Chris Old held a brilliant return catch. The champions were a worried lot when allrounder Collis King joined Richards.

They need not have been so apprehensive because King was in awesome form. The pair first repaired the damage, and at lunch the West Indies were 125 for four off 34 overs. Richards was on 55, and King 19. Mike Brearley has been hailed by many as an outstanding captain, though others feel that he was over-rated because the opposition was often feeble. In this final his calculations went awry.

After lunch Brearley put on his non-regular bowlers. This was just the opportunity Richards and King were looking for. They pounced on it with glee. Geoff Boycott was smashed for 38 runs off his six overs, with 11 coming off the 4th, and 15 off the 6th. Graham Gooch was carted for 27 in 4 overs. Brearley then tried Wayne Larkins with disastrous results. He was thrashed for 21 in two overs, with 16 coming off the second. And so 86 runs were logged in those 12 overs.

Perhaps Brearley could have pressed on in attacking mode. Maybe he could have bowled the occasional trundlers in tandem with the accomplished ones. Even these tactics might not have worked. One will never know. The score now stood at 210 for four at the end of 46 overs. The partnership continued as King and Richards piled on the runs.

Finally, King fell in the 51st over. His blazing 86 came off a mere 66 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes. The pulsating 139-run partnership spanned only 21 overs. King was simply breathtaking. Farokh Engineer wrote: "It looked as if the spirit of Learie Constantine lived again in his body." All this while Vivian Richards managed only 46 runs. Amazingly, he was overshadowed - for once.

Perhaps Richards' pride had been hurt. He went on a rampage thereafter and hit 43 of the last 48 runs in 9 overs. He lofted the last ball of the innings in his nonchalant manner for a huge six. The West Indies finished at 286 for nine as Richards remained unbeaten with 138 off 157 balls with 11 fours and 3 sixes. The crowd was satiated.

The score was too big for England. Brearley and Boycott did put on 129 runs for the first wicket but they laboured for 38 overs to get them. They had already batted their side out of the match, and when Joel Garner claimed 5 wickets in 11 deliveries he only hurried the inevitable. Needless to say, the match will be remembered for the scintillating batting of Collis King and Vivian Richards as the West Indies lifted the gleaming Prudential World Cup for the second time.

West Indies       : 286 for 9 wickets (60 overs)

England                : 194 all out (51 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. Clive Lloyd’s searing innings in the first final in 1975. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’

A glorious finale

Australia v West Indies (final)  •  Lord’s, London, 21 June 1975

West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd blazing away in the World Cup 1975 final.

    

The stage was set for a battle royale at the Mecca of cricket. The atmosphere was electric as the first-ever World Cup final began. Dennis Lillee bowled a well-directed bouncer and Roy Fredericks, as was his wont, hooked it perfectly for a six. As all eyes followed the ball, Fredericks began to walk away. Soon everyone realised that the batsman had dislodged the bails while completing the stroke. Remember, bouncers were not no-balls in One-day cricket in those days. That was as dramatic a start as one could have wished.

Not long after, the Australian pacemen bagged two more wickets, both caught behind by Rod Marsh. That was the signal to the tall, slightly stooping and stoic West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd to enter the arena. And how he belted the Australian attack! There was so much savage power behind those strokes that only he could have played them.

The experienced Rohan Kanhai was an admirable foil, as they first repaired the fractured innings and then put it on the road to a big total. Lloyd reached his century off just 82 balls, the fastest in the World Cup until Canada's John Davison set a new mark in 2003. The pair put on a record 149 runs for the fourth wicket off just 26 overs. Lloyd’s contribution in this stand was 102 which included 2 sixes and 12 fours. The last 81 runs of the partnership came in a mere nine overs. The Australians were mesmerised by this brilliant performance.

The later batsmen carried on the good work, and the West Indies finished just 9 runs short of 300 which put them firmly in control of the match. Gary Gilmour did well to pick up a five-wicket haul close on the heels of his six scalps in the semi-final.

The Australians are nothing if not gritty fighters. After the early loss of Rick McCosker, they made steady progress as Alan Turner and Ian Chappell put on valuable runs for the second wicket. They were, however, stunned by the brilliant fielding of a rising Caribbean star named Vivian Richards. He made direct hits to run out Turner, and then Greg Chappell. Incredibly, he made another lightning pick-up and accurate return, with Ian Chappell still out of his ground. These run outs must surely have been the turning points of the match. They certainly set the stadium alight.

To the credit of the Aussie batsmen, most of them chipped in with useful scores. But at 233 for nine the fight seemed to have gone out of them. That was to under-estimate the Australians who were not ready to surrender the ultimate prize easily. The unlikely pair of Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee got together to try and carve out an even unlikelier win. As the runs mounted along with the lengthening shadows, tension ran high. Forty-one priceless runs had been added for the last wicket. With nine deliveries left, and the clock nearing 9 p.m., only 18 runs were required. It was possible. Was this a miracle in the making?

Just then Thomson panicked. Missing a delivery from Vanburn Holder, he rushed out of his crease. His desperate dive back was not enough as Deryck Murray effected a fifth run out. It was a thrilling finish to a great final. Everyone wished there would be many such in the future. E.W.Swanton wrote in Barclay's World of Cricket: "It had been a miraculous day, in cricketing terms: perfect weather, perfect pitch, a superb game and a great finish."

West Indies    : 291 for 8 wickets (60 overs)

Australia        : 274 all out (58.4 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

With the Indian team endeavouring to win their first Test series in Australia, a glimpse into the cordial relations between Don Bradman and the Indian players during the first tour Down Under in 1947-48. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

 

Indian team arriving at Adelaide for the 1947-48 tour to Australia.

In his Farewell to Cricket, Bradman paid compliments to Amarnath: “I look back on the season with him as my opposite number as one of my most pleasant years. Lala, as he was called, certainly believed in speaking his mind at all times and was not averse to expressing his opinion in regard to a controlling authority or an individual but in Australia he always did with the utmost courtesy and tact. Amarnath was such a splendid ambassador and throughout the tour, I found him and (Pankaj) Gupta (manager) absolutely charming in every respect. They co-operated in all conceivable ways to try and make the games enjoyable and the most wonderful spirit of camaraderie existed between the Australian and Indian players.”

Amarnath, on his part, was unstinted in his praise for Bradman. He wrote in The Sportstar: “I am yet to see another Bradman. Probably none would in the times to come. When people make comparisons between Bradman and others, I laugh. Such was Bradman’s mastery that even Test cricket was One-day cricket for him. Has anyone made 300 in a day in a Test? So please don’t insult The Don by making silly comparisons. I know he never came to India but then it was good for our bowlers. On our pitches, where the ball does nothing, it would have been like going shopping for him and he would have batted day and night.”

Regarding the characteristics of Bradman’s batting, Amarnath observed: “Bradman’s eyesight was remarkable. He would spot the ball so easily, when batting or fielding. Bradman was essentially a back-foot player. And an absolute delight to watch. Among the shots he played, the pull obviously was the most outstanding. He could pull any ball from anywhere, even those going away on the off-stump. His square-cut came from the middle of the bat and the speed with which the ball travelled to the boundary was amazing. I remember in the first Test at Brisbane, he played a square-cut off (S.W.) Sohoni and the ball came back five yards after hitting the fence.”

Hazare referred to Bradman’s tendency to often run, or jog, back to the pavilion after being dismissed. In an article in The Week, Hazare stated: “Whenever he got out, he always used to run to the pavilion! He never questioned the umpire’s decision. Most of the time he started running to the pavilion even before the umpire’s finger went up. We didn’t find him getting angry on the field. He was a cool person. He didn’t want to waste energy on anger.” Bradman’s exit was quite in contrast to his entry towards the crease. Then he would walk in slowly, collecting his thoughts, taking in the atmosphere, getting used to the light. When his job was done he would depart hurriedly, getting away from the heat of battle to relax and rejuvenate in the dressing room.

Sarwate spoke more about the personal qualities of Bradman. He said in The Sportstar: “He was a great tactician, a great captain. But he was also a great sportsman, a perfect gentleman and a true ambassador for cricket. I have not seen many opponents appreciating a good stroke or a good ball. The Don always had nice words if you played a good shot or bowled a good ball to him. Signs of a good sportsman who appreciates a good act and it did not really matter to him if the player was on his side or the other.” Sarwate also recalled in The Week, “Don was very confident but not arrogant and that was the way he behaved with us. He never tried to show that they were playing against a very inferior side.” All this may sound bizarre and outlandish in the modern age of sledging. True, this is a very different era, of cut-throat commercialism, but abuse on the field is certainly a bane of present-day cricket. If players find it difficult to be gentlemanly nowadays, they should at least refrain from being loutish, particularly in this electronic age when impressionable minds watching on live television are quick to imbibe crass behaviour as being an acceptable way of life.    

Equally effusive in his appreciation of The Don, C.S. Nayudu also told The Sportstar: “As a cricketer he had no match and he was simply a lovable character as a down-to-earth human being. I know people said he was aloof at times, but we all found him such an easily approachable man.” The verdict was unanimous. Bradman and the Indians got along very well.

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

Follow him on:

Blogs: https://singhiv.wordpress.com and https://indravikramsingh.blogspot.in

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ivsingh and

https://www.facebook.com/Indra-Vikram-Singh-478036209195171/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IVRajpipla

Don’s Century is available at an attractive price on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859

Other books by Indra Vikram Singh available on Amazon:

A Maharaja’s Turf  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166832

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket  https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166840

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