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.

The Cricket World Cup - Memorable Performances…..3 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

FANTASY KNOCK BY KAPIL DEV

Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells  •  18 June 1983

This was the quintessential One-day innings. As India found themselves in deep trouble against a razor-sharp Zimbabwe side, skipper Kapil Dev strode in and played one of the greatest knocks in the history of One-day cricket. Kapil Dev ranks among the best allrounders the game has known. Yet he was a far more talented batsman than his records indicate. This innings showed exactly why.

It was a lively wicket at the Nevill Ground and the Zimbabwean pacemen Peter Rawson and Kevin Curran exploited it to the hilt. Sunil Gavaskar was leg-before to Rawson for a duck: zero for one. Krish Srikkanth was caught by Iain Butchart off Curran, also for a duck: 6 for two. Mohinder Amarnath was taken behind off Rawson for 5: 6 for three. Sandeep Patil was dismissed similarly off Curran for 1: 9 for four. Wicketkeeper David Houghton completed his third consecutive dismissal as he caught Yashpal Sharma off Rawson for 9: 17 for five; and it was an unprecedented calamity for India.

Roger Binny now joined Kapil Dev, and the skipper decided it was no time for half-baked measures. He launched a blitzkrieg. Binny was a resilient partner, and he helped his captain add 60 for the sixth wicket. Binny fell leg-before to John Traicos for 22. It was now 77 for six. Ravi Shastri scored only 1 before Duncan Fletcher had him caught by Andy Pycroft. India were precariously placed at 78 for seven.

Madan Lal came in now, and his role was limited to keeping his wicket intact while Kapil Dev was on the rampage. Kapil attacked in his inimitable style, hitting the ball to all parts of the ground. He drove, off the front foot and the back, through the gaps into the fence. Anything short was cut ferociously. If the ball was anywhere near, or outside, the leg-stump, Kapil would swivel in a flash and, as was his wont with his left leg bent in the manner of Lord Shiva, smite the ball anywhere in the region between mid-wicket and fine-leg.

Kapil Dev was a master in the art of lofting the ball out of the ground. One step forward - and bang - with perfect timing, and the ball would next be seen sailing high up in the distance. It was Kapil at his swashbuckling best. Madan Lal, no mean hitter of the ball himself when the bowling was less than genuinely quick, was left applauding for the most part. Madan Lal scored 17 before he was caught by Houghton off Curran. He had helped Kapil add 62 for the eighth wicket.

Syed Kirmani came in at 140 for eight, and now Kapil really let himself go. There was a shower of fours and sixes. Kapil blazed to his century off 100 balls. The pair added 126 runs before the overs ran out. Kirmani's contribution was 24 not out. Kapil remained undefeated with 175 off a mere 138 balls, which broke Glenn Turner's World Cup record score of 171 against East Africa in 1975.

Kapil had batted for a mere three hours, and hit 16 fours and 6 sixes - a round 100 in boundaries - in a stupendous innings which will never be forgotten. Zimbabwe, as they often did, went down fighting. But Kapil Dev had obliterated everything in the blazing morning's play. It was an innings of rare brilliance, the like of which is seen perhaps once in a decade. After this, Kapil's team never looked back and went on to wrest the title, creating one of the most stunning upsets in history. Hail Kapil Dev.

(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.

The Cricket World Cup - Memorable Performances…..2 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

KING AND RICHARDS LAUNCH FEROCIOUS ASSAULT FOR THE CROWN

Lord's, London  •  23 June 1979

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.

(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.

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

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.

The Cricket World Cup - Classic Matches…..10 : Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘Indian Spring’

COLD COMFORT FOR FAVOURITES 

IN DEAD HEAT

England v India  •  Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

27 February 2011

This was a key contest in India’s bid to wrest the title on home turf. Sachin Tendulkar and the belligerent Virender Sehwag provided a-run-a-ball start. After a charmed early life, the Delhi blaster fell for 35 off 24 deliveries with 6 boundaries, the total four short of 50. Gautam Gambhir helped the little master carry the team to a seemingly unassailable position. Tendulkar gradually assumed the role of aggressor. He tonked Paul Collingwood for 2 sixes, and then blasted Graeme Swann for two more off successive deliveries. James Anderson too came in for special treatment as the duo carved three boundaries in an over.

Just when they seemed to have seized control, with Gambhir bringing up his half-century, the canny Swann knocked back his stumps. The second wicket had realized 134 runs in 21.5 overs. Another left-hander Yuvraj Singh filled the breach, and India continued to cruise. Tendulkar raised his fifth hundred in the World Cup, flicking the ball off his hips to the boundary. He had faced 103 deliveries. In the next over he rocketed Swann for his 5^th six. Now looking to score off every ball, Tendulkar fell for 120 off 115 balls, having cracked 10 boundaries besides his five delightful shots over the ropes. The stand was worth 56 in 8.4 overs. Skipper Mahendra Dhoni joined in the fun, helping Yuvraj add another 69 runs in just 7.4 overs. The latter brought up his fifty but the two strokeplayers fell off successive deliveries. At 305 for five, with 23 balls left, India were poised for a huge total. But the later batsmen floundered and the innings folded up in the penultimate ball for 338. Tim Bresnan, varied his deliveries cleverly, and bagged a five-wicket haul, conceding 48 runs.

England looked undaunted as the aggressive Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss logged up 68 runs off nine-and-a-half overs. But it was when Ian Bell allied with his captain that India were pushed against the ropes. Strauss reached his century in 99 balls. The accomplished Bell too stroked on at around a-run-per-ball. The left-hander ushered in the hundred partnership with a six off Yuvraj over long-on. Bell celebrated by lofting leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for a similar six, thereby recording his own fifty. A hush fell over the packed Chinnaswamy Stadium as the pair progressed steadily. Powerplay and cramps had Bell attempting a big hit, only to hole out off the persistent Zaheer Khan. It was a 170-run partnership in 26 overs that seemed to have settled the issue for England. And then, coincidentally, Strauss was trapped leg-before-wicket off the next delivery, as Zaheer swung in his yorker. His 158 came off 145 balls with 18 boundaries and a six. Was the English innings replicating the Indian as Zaheer bent Collingwood’s off-stick, and Matt Prior too perished soon?

With 50 required off 28 balls and just four wickets left, the pendulum appeared to have swung back towards the hosts. But the euphoria was short-lived as the lower order swung their bats merrily. With seven wickets down, 29 were needed from the last two overs. Swann and Bresnan swept Chawla for sixes, and then the latter was bowled but 15 runs came off the over. Munaf Patel came on and Ajmal Shahzad crashed a straight six off the third ball. Five runs were needed in three deliveries, then two in one. Patel bowled full and straight, Swann drove to mid-off and scrambled a single. The scores were level. It was the fourth tie in the World Cup. The crowd was satiated. Strauss summed up the issue aptly: “We’re happy and devastated at the same time but privileged to play in a game like this.”               

India 338 all out (49.5 overs), 

England 338 for eight wickets (50 overs)

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

Indian Spring will be released later this year.

The Cricket World Cup - Classic Matches…..9 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

UNPRECEDENTED FEAT 
LIGHTS UP BRAND NEW STADIUM

South Africa v Sri Lanka  •  Providence Stadium,

28 March 2007

The first international match in the Providence Stadium, just outside Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, produced one of the most exciting matches in World Cup history. With the weather uncertain as well, Mahela Jayawardene took a brave call by electing to bat.

Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly with Charl Langeveldt forcing Sanath Jayasuriya and Jayawardene to hole out. Then Herschelle Gibbs flew into the stumps Jonty Rhodes-style to run out Chamara Silva. At 98 for five in the 25th over, South Africa were on top. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold put together a fighting 97-run stand off 130 deliveries. Dilshan (58) fell at 195 off the penultimate delivery of the 46th over, and then followed a veritable procession. In their bid to rev up the scoring rate, the Sri Lankans swung their bats, only to hit steepling catches. The beneficiary on three occasions was Langeveldt who returned with neat figures of five for 39 off his 10 overs. The last five Sri Lankan wickets fell for 14 runs in the space of 17 balls.

Chaminda Vaas struck back immediately, bringing in the last delivery of his first over sharply to castle Abraham de Villiers for a duck. Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis settled into a long partnership. The skipper looked in ominous form, raising a-run-a-ball fifty. Muttiah Muralitharan had him caught behind but by then he had cracked 7 fours besides a six off Chaminda Vaas over long-off. Gibbs helped Kallis put on 65 runs. Magical Murali took a smart return catch to send back Gibbs, and then trapped Mark Boucher leg-before first ball. Justin Kemp scratched around for a while before perishing but Shaun Pollock helped Kallis take the Proteas to the doorstep of victory.

Four runs were required off 32 deliveries with five wickets in hand when Lasith Malinga’s pin-point yorker crashed into Pollock’s stumps. Next ball, Andrew Hall lobbed another slower one into the hands of Upul Tharanga in the covers. That was the end of ‘Slinger’ Malinga’s over. Just one run was scored off the next over but that ensured that Kallis would face Malinga’s hat-trick ball. The perky little paceman steamed in, his mop of ringlets bouncing up and down, and with his low round arm put the ball in just the right place. Kallis edged it into the gloves of Kumar Sangakkara. There was frenzy all around as Daryl Harper pointed his finger skywards. It was the fifth hat-trick in the World Cup following the feats of Chetan Sharma, Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas and Brett Lee.

Malinga was now a man possessed. He produced another yorker that whistled into Makhaya Ntini’s stumps, achieving a feat that no other bowler had done before in international cricket – four wickets in four balls. It was now 207 for nine. The next 11 deliveries produced just a single. With two runs required for a win, Robin Peterson edged Malinga to the third-man boundary. The tension released, Peterson went delirious as he sprinted towards the pavilion, knocking the stumps at the non-striker’s end with a wave of his bat. There was just a tinge of regret as Malinga relived those pulsating moments: “The old ball was reverse-swinging and I got the wickets. I tried to get five-in-a-row, but unfortunately couldn’t. I think we didn’t have enough runs.” Even so, he nearly achieved the impossible.   

Sri Lanka       : 209 all out (49.3 overs)

South Africa : 212 for 9 wickets (48.2 overs)

(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.

The Cricket World Cup - Classic Matches…..8 : Excerpt from ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011’ by Indra Vikram Singh

AUSSIE RESILIENCE ON SHOW

Australia v England  •  St. George’s Park,

Port Elizabeth, 2 March 2003

Even given that an Australia-England face-off invariably has the adrenalin pumping, this match had enough excitement to make a whole tournament memorable. An old hand and a new star – albeit not-so-young – eked out an improbable victory for the defending champions just when they seemed vulnerable. It was indeed a classic contest, reminiscent of the thrilling Pakistan-West Indies encounter at Edgbaston in 1975.

England openers Nick Knight and Marcus Trescothick raced to 50 off 7.1 overs. A 160.1 kph (99.4 mph) thunderbolt from Brett Lee to Knight, the fastest of the event thus far, made no impact. The tide turned as Andy Bichel came on in the 10th over. At 66, he had Knight caught in the gully by Damien Martyn. In his next over, Bichel had Michael Vaughan caught behind, and spread-eagled Nasser Hussain’s stumps. Glenn McGrath removed Trescothick. Bichel had Paul Collingwood nicking to Adam Gilchrist. In eight overs England lost five wickets for 19 runs. Bichel had four for 12 from a six-over spell.

Alec Stewart and Andrew Flintoff effected another twist. They battled for nearly 25 overs to put on 90. The irrepressible Bichel again broke through. He had Flintoff snapped up by Gilchrist, and castled Stewart too. He added Giles to his bag, finishing with seven for 20, second-best in the World Cup after McGrath’s effort against Namibia three days earlier.

Any Australian complacency was ripped away by Andy Caddick. He picked up Matthew Hayden early, and though Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting tried to dominate, he dismissed the wicketkeeper. He trapped Martyn for a duck and sent back the skipper too. Australia reeled at 48 for four. Darren Lehmann and Michael Bevan staged a rearguard before another spate of wickets. At 114 for seven, Australia seemed to be faltering at last. Soon it was 135 for eight as Lee was run out.

Bevan and Bichel dug themselves in. Could ‘Terminator’ Bevan do it again? Would he get necessary support? Bichel was a man inspired. He had come through the ranks. A perpetual reserve, he was in only due to Jason Gillespie’s Achilles tendon injury. He bowled with abandon in this match, as always. Now he batted with determination.

The pair stood firm but the overs were running out. With 14 runs to get off two overs, Bichel chanced his arm against James Anderson. He clouted a slower ball over mid-wicket for six, and on-drove a boundary. Eleven runs came off the over. Finally, Bevan hit Flintoff’s fourth ball to the mid-wicket fence to raise an amazing victory. The stand was worth 73 runs off 74 balls. It was a stupendous turnaround. Bichel would no longer be an aspirant relegated to the bench. There was glee on his face: “To get seven wickets, then be there when the winning runs are scored and walk off having scored 34 not out from no.10. It’s hard to even dream about those days.” Ponting offered another perspective, “England allowed a lot of doubt to creep into their minds and asked themselves: Is this going to be another day when the Australians get up and steal the game away from us just like before.” Actually, for Australia defeat was never an option. 

England          : 204 for 8 wickets (50 overs)

New Zealand : 208 for 8 wickets (49.4 overs)

(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.