Men's Cricket World Cup 1975 – Overview

**Dates:**7 June to 21 June 1975

**Location:**England

**Number of teams:**8 – England, New Zealand, India, East Africa, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were the contestants in the first men’s World Cup

**Overs per innings:**60

**Number of matches:**15

**Format:**Teams were divided into two groups of four each. Each team played the other three in their group once with the top two from both groups advancing to the semi-finals. The team first in Group A played the team second in Group B, and vice versa.

**Semi-finals:**The first semi-final, between England and Australia, was entirely dominated by the little-heralded left-arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour. In just his third and what would turn out to be his third-last ODI, he claimed 6/14 to skittle England for 93. In reply, the hosts bounced back strong to reduce Australia for 39/6. Enter Gilmour, who survived an early dropped catch and went onto top-score with a run-a-ball 28 not out as his side won by four wickets.

The second semi was a rather more sedate affair. Batting first, New Zealand could muster only 158, with Geoff Howarth’s 51 the top score. Bernard Julien and Vanburn Holder shared seven wickets between them. Gordon Greenidge and Alvin Kallicharran each made fifties and combined for a second-wicket stand of 125 to break the back of the chase. Though Richard Collinge’s 3/28 initiated a slide from 133/1 to 151/5, it was too little too late, and West Indies coasted into the final with five wickets and 20 overs in hand.

**Final:**The first men’s World Cup final was contested between West Indies and Australia at Lord’s, and still stands today as one of the most thrilling finales to cricket’s showpiece event. Windies captain Clive Lloyd was the star, choosing the perfect moment to craft what remained his only ODI century. His 85-ball blitz lit up HQ, and rescued his side from a precarious 50/3. His side were also grateful for Rohan Kanhai’s half-century in support, and for Keith Boyce and Bernard Julien’s half-century seventh-wicket stand, which helped boost West Indies from 209/6 to 291/8. Playing what would turn out to be his penultimate ODI, Gary Gilmour backed up his semi-final heroics with another five-wicket haul.

West Indies held the upper hand throughout the chase, though a half-century from captain Ian Chappell and solid support from the rest of Australia’s batsmen ensured they remained in the hunt. It was the fielding that set West Indies apart throughout the game, and their five run outs remain a joint ODI record in a single game. Viv Richards, who suffered a rare failure with the bat, ensured he left his mark on the biggest stage with two direct hits and another joint effort with Clive Lloyd. Keith Boyce chipped in with 4/50 too. At 233/9 the result should have been decided, but a battling stand between old muckers Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee kept their side’s hopes alive until the former was run out 18 runs from glory.

**Top run-scorer:**Glenn Turner – 333 runs

**Top wicket-taker:**Gary Gilmour – 11 wickets

**Retirements:**Farokh Engineer, Rohan Kanhai