On this day in 1975, was played one of the most exciting cricket World Cup matches. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'The Big Book of World Cup Cricket'

Dramatic last-wicket stand

PAKISTAN v WEST INDIES  • EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM, 11 JUNE 1975

Deryck Murray.....the resilient gloveman played a stellar role with the willow.

The great paceman Andy Roberts could wield the long handle but this was an amazing effort.

     This was the quintessential One-day match, the kind its founding fathers would have envisaged. Fortunes fluctuated wildly, and with just three deliveries remaining the outcome hung in the balance. The favourites were on the ropes, with the challengers poised for a long time, trying to deliver the knockout punch. This match has gone into the annals as one of the most exciting.

Pakistan elected to bat and steadily built up a formidable score. The innate lazy elegance of Majid Khan, deputising for skipper Asif Iqbal, was in full evidence as he played a strokeful knock of 60. Mushtaq Mohammed drew on all his experience, and later Wasim Raja played some belligerent shots, both hitting up half-centuries.

The talented Pakistanis set a challenging target of 267 in 60 overs for the fancied West Indies. This was just the spur for the temperamental giant Safraz Nawaz to put pressure on the West Indies. In a devastating burst he demolished the top order. Gordon Greenidge and Alvin Kallicharran were caught behind and Roy Fredericks was trapped in front of the stumps. Sarfraz had taken three for 8 in 3.4 overs. Veteran Rohan Kanhai helped his captain Clive Lloyd stage a minor recovery.

Then began a regular procession. At 166 for eight, with only wicketkeeper Deryck Murray and two tail-end pacemen left, an upset win for Pakistan seemed a certainty. The West Indies had long been rated as a team of brilliant players but often incapable of applying themselves under pressure. On this occasion Deryck Murray dug in his heels. He found an able ally in Vanburn Holder. They put on 37 runs for the ninth wicket. But just when the partnership was assuming ominous proportions, the wily Sarfraz returned to have Holder snapped up. At 203 for nine, surely it was all over bar the shouting. The sight of the phlegmatic Andy Roberts emerging from the pavilion could not have inspired much confidence among the Caribbean supporters.

Amazingly, the West Indies were not ready to call it a day. Run-by-run they inched towards their target. As they survived over-after-agonising-over, a tiny ray of hope began to emerge. For the Pakistanis it became increasingly frustrating, and as the crucial final overs approached, the alarm bells were ringing loudly. Murray and Roberts displayed admirable composure as they steadily chipped away. Leg-spinner Wasim Raja came on to bowl the final over in a desperate bid to coerce last man Roberts to miscue. The fast bowler was in no mood to fall into the trap with the goal so close at hand. He pushed the fourth ball to mid-wicket to pull off a sensational win for the West Indies.

A one-wicket victory with two balls to spare, and that as a result of an unbroken last-wicket stand of 64; it was not a match for the faint-hearted. Former England captain Tony Lewis wrote: "It was a superb triumph for the game of cricket which manages many things which politicians envy." As for the heroes, take your pick : Murray, Sarfraz or Roberts.

Pakistan          : 266 for 7 wickets (60 overs)

West Indies     : 267 for 9 wickets (59.4 overs)


The Big Book of World Cup Cricket is available at an attractive price on Amazon:
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The Big Book of World Cup Cricket

Published in India by Sporting Links

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

The Cricket World Cup - Memorable Performances…..1 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

KALLICHARRAN TAMES THE TIGER

Kennington Oval, London  •  14 June 1975

The clash everyone looked forward to in the 1975 World Cup was the one between Australia and the West Indies. They were the best teams at the time and were battling hard to gain the initiative in Group B. Both sides had impressive bowling line-ups, and the batsmen found runs hard to come by. That was till Alvin Kallicharran strode into the arena.

The pacemen had enjoyed themselves for much of the Australian innings. Rick McCosker went to the third ball of the day, caught off his gloves at backward short-leg as a Bernard Julien snorter took off from a length. Soon Andy Roberts and Keith Boyce got among the wickets, and Australia slid to 61 for five. Ross Edwards, showing fine form, and Rodney Marsh arrested the slide with a 99-run partnership, but all that the Aussies could manage was 192 in 53.4 overs.

The West Indies lost Gordon Greenidge at 29, and that was when Kallicharran took over the match. Kallicharran is Rohan Kanhai's cousin, and was often dubbed as the left-handed version of the former captain. Both diminutive and superb strokemakers, they could be astonishing on their day. Kallicharran also possesses an effervescent outgoing personality, and was always a likely candidate to be a crowd favourite.

Kallicharran's silken smooth strokes were in evidence right from the start. The elegant left-hander took the attack to the Aussies. He was particularly severe on Dennis 'Tiger' Lillee. The great paceman was left bewildered as he had rarely been treated with such disdain. As Kallicharran waded into him, Lillee bowled faster, only to be hit harder by the little man.

He brought the house down in the 31^st over, hammering four fours off a fuming Lillee. In his next over Kallicharran hit a huge six high up above long-leg. In an exhilarating sequence, Kallicharran smashed 4.4.4.4.4.1.4.6.0.4 – 35 runs off 10 deliveries from the paceman. Lillee was at his wits' end. When he pitched up, Kallicharran was on to it like lightning and driving through the covers. If he tried to bounce, Kalli would hook fiercely. To use Dennis Compton's words: "The short-pitched balls held no terrors for the West Indian. He got on to the back foot and right behind the line and hooked them mercilessly".

Kallicharran raced to 78 off 83 balls with 14 fours and a six in an hour and three-quarters. He had put on 124 for the second wicket with Roy Fredericks when he finally mishooked a bumper from Lillee and was caught at mid-wicket. Lillee eventually had his revenge but it was too late as the West Indies were already on the road to victory, and his own analysis in shambles. Fredericks fell soon after but Vivian Richards and Kanhai saw the side to victory. Lillee finished with one for 66 off 10 overs.

It was a brilliant display by Kallicharran, worth going miles to see. Those who saw it or heard about it on the radio, shall never forget the excitement.

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

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011

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