The first World Cup was held in England in 1975 at a time when the limited-overs game was still very much in its developing stages.
Even some top players – Sunil Gavaskar, for example – were pretty much unaware of the tactics involved with the ODI cricket. Nevertheless, the event was a big success, especially with an exciting finish at the Lord’s.
Since then, the World Cup has grown steadily both in size and in stature. Now it’s a truly global event.
My plan here is to form an ODI team, including an 12th man, picking up just one player from each World Cup event. Left-handers are quite prominent in my team, and two of them will form my opening pair.
Mark Greatbatch (New Zealand, 1992)
The 1992 World Cup was a special one in many ways. For the first time BTV, in collaboration with a satellite channel, showed most of the matches live; back in 1987 we only got the semi-finals and the final live.
And the cricket in the middle was quite brilliant, with South Africa making their World Cup debut, Dipak Patel opening the bowling for the Kiwis and Pakistan fighting like cornered tigers – they still needed Australia help to qualify for semis.
But it was the aggressive batting of left-hander Mark Greatbatch that was the biggest highlight of this tournament. Initially there was no plan for him to bat as an opener. He wasn’t even in the team for the opening fixture against Australia. It was the injury to John Wright that gave him the chance against South Africa, and he took the opportunity well.
The Kiwi target was 191. In those days such targets were considered tricky. Often the chasing team would lose early wickets or get bogged down in the middle overs before eventually losing the match. Here there was no drama after the opening pair of Greatbatch and Rod Latham put on 114 in double quick time. Greatbatch’s 68 from 60 balls included nine fours and two sixes. Overall in seven World Cup matches he scored 356 runs at an impressive strike rate of 88.
Given he was among the pioneers of aggressive ODI batting, I am a bit surprised to see his overall ODI batting average of 28.28.
Adam Gilchrist (Australia, 2007) (wicketkeeper)
Here Australia got a chance to revenge their defeat in the 1996 final, and they took it well. Weather intervention at Bridgetown meant that the final was reduced to a 38 over match, and it certainly suited the wicketkeeper-batsman from Australia. Opening the innings, he smashed the Sri Lankan bowling to the all corners of the Kensington Oval for 149 from 104 balls. The Lankan bowling was blown away as ‘Hurricane Gilchrist’ hit the Caribbean Island.
The Matthew Hayden-Gilchrist opening pair put on 172 runs in just 23 overs. Hayden’s contribution was just 38.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand, 2019)
When I formed a combined Test team picking just one player from each Test-playing nation the No. 3 slot gave me the least headache: Don Bradman was the obvious choice. Here I had to think hard before selecting my choice for No 3. Viv Richards (1979) and Ricky Ponting (2003) scored matchwinning hundreds in the finals, Mohinder Amarnath was man of the match in both the semi-final and the final of the 1983 World Cup, and Shakib Al Hasan performed brilliantly in 2019 despite his team finishing only eighth in the ten-team event.
But my vote is for Kane Williamson, the Kiwi captain. He was adjudged the player of the series after scoring 578 runs at an impressive average of 82.57. He hit back-to-back hundreds against South Africa and the West Indies, but it was his captaincy that impressed me most. He accepted the ‘defeat’ in the Lord’s final in a most gracious manner.
An interesting fact about Williamson is that he started his ODI career in 2010 with a couple of ducks in a tri-nation event in Sri Lanka.
Kane Williamson. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka, 1996)
The explosive batting of Sanath Jayasuriya was one of the major highlights of the event, but then the left-hander failed in both the semi-final and in the final. Instead it was De Silva, who held the Sri Lankan batting together in these matches.
His unbeaten 107 from 124 balls in the final at Lahore was a measured innings. He knew the target and planned his innings accordingly. He was the obvious choice for man of the match in the final.
But technically his 66 from 47 balls at Eden Gardens was even better. The Lankans lost both their openers in the very first over. Coming to the wicket at one for two, he produced a brilliant counterattack. The wicket wasn’t perfect for batting, as the Indians found later in the match. The best part of his innings was that while he scored at a rapid rate, there was no slogging.
When Anil Kumble bowled him, the score was 4-85, which meant that during his stay at the wicket his team scored 84 runs, of which his own contribution was 66 (78.57 per cent).
Clive Lloyd (West Indies, 1975)
The Windies captain led from the front in the final and played an innings that was way ahead of his time. His 85-ball 102, coming to the wicket at 3-50, was truly a captain’s knock. His effort would look even more impressive if we consider the fact that the Australian bowling outfit was no pushover – it had Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Gary Gilmour and Max Walker. But it was Lloyd’s day, and he showed little respect for the opposition attack.
Clive Lloyd (Photo by PA Images via Getty Images)
Collis King (West Indies, 1979)
The second World Cup final at Lord’s was effectively decided mid-afternoon when Viv Richards and Collis King went mercilessly after the England backup bowlers. The King-Richards combination produced 139 runs for the fifth wicket. Viv was eventually named man of the match for his 138 from 157 balls, but initially it was King who dominated the show. His 86 came from just 66 balls with ten fours and three sixes.
It was an Adam Gilchrist-like assault just a few decades earlier. Viv was very much the junior partner in the fifth-wicket partnership – a rare experience for him. King’s batting was the most explosive seen in the whole event.
Lance Klusener (South Africa, 1999)
Well, he was the hero, and he was the villain. His 16-ball 31 – a strike rate of 193.75 – at a time when wickets were falling regularly at the other end should have led to a memorable victory for the Proteas, taking them to their first-ever World Cup final appearance. Instead it was just a set-up for a tragedy.
Until his miscommunication with Allan Donald, he had hardly done anything wrong in this World Cup. He ended it with 281 runs – an average 140.50 boosted by six not-out innings – at a strike rate of 122. He also took 17 wickets at 20.6 apiece. But in the end his brilliant all-round show counted for little following a moment of madness.
Winning the player of the series award was only a small consolation for the Zulu.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Abdul Qadir (Pakistan, 1983)
Qadir is one of a number of players who came for consideration in more than one World Cup. His 1987 performance was brilliant – even Pakistan wicketkeeper Saleem Yousuf struggled to pick him properly. But then Pakistan was always a great hunting ground for him. I rate his performance in the 1983 World Cup as more impressive, and it defied the conventional theory of the time.
The West Indie had won the first two tournaments playing four frontline pace bowlers, and most of the teams were trying to copy them. Even India, the traditional hub of spin talent, won the 1983 World Cup with minimal contribution from their spinners.
Even the Pakistan selectors, renowned for maverick selections, were reluctant to use Qadir in ODIs, and he made his ODI debut in the World Cup against New Zealand. He wasted no time in making his mark.
In a cloudy and wet Edgebaston – in fact the reserve day was required to complete the match – he appeared unplayable to the Kiwi middle order, and he ended with figures of 12-4-21-4. On the second day, he contributed an unbeaten 41 with the bat and was adjudged the man of the match despite Pakistan losing the fixture.
His second man-of-the-match effort came against Sri Lanka at Headingley, a venue where seam bowlers normally excel. Needing 236 for victory, the Lankans were well placed at 2-162, but then Qadir took 5-44.
Overall he took 12 in six matches for an average of 22.00 and an economy rate of 3.90.
Mitchell Starc (Australia, 2015)
This World Cup saw some memorable batting displays. Kumar Sangakkara was scoring hundreds every other day, and Martin Guptill, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Glen Maxwell and others produced memorable batting efforts. But the final itself was decided by the Australian left-arm seamers. Starc was simply superb with the new ball, and it was his bowling the Kiwi captain Brendon McCullum that gave Australia an early edge. They never allowed the opposition back in the game.
Starc was the joint top wicket-taker along with Trend Boult, taking 22 wickets at just 10.18 apiece.
Mitchell Starc (Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto)
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka, 2003)
In ten matches Vass took 23 wickets at just 14.40 apiece. His 6-25 at Pietermaritzburg completely destroyed the Bangladesh top order. He took four wickets in his first five deliveries, including a hat-trick. As a Tiger fan, it was very painful for me to watch, but Vaas was simply brilliant on the day.
His eight for 19 against Zimbabwe in Colombo at the SSC is still an ODI record.
Craig McDermott (Australia, 1987)
Australia went to the World Cup on the back of five successive ODI losses, and they surprised a lot of people by lifting the cup. Their success was mainly based on their sound game planning.
It was their bowling plans that initially raised the eyebrows. While most of the other teams depended on their spinners – New Zealand even played three spinners against Zimbabwe at Hyderabad – Allan Border’s men mainly relied on their pace attack. McDermott and Bruce Reid were the main wicket-takers, while Steve Waugh and Simon O’Donnell acted as the backups.
McDermott’s selection over Simon Davis, renowned for his excellent economy rate, wasn’t an easy one. In 1986 McDermott had performed poorly in India – in four ODIs he bowled 36 overs to take just one wicket, conceding 197 runs. Roger Binny was the unfortunate victim in Ahmedabad.
But a year later everything clicked for the tall Queenslander. Encouraged by his captain to bowl fast and straight, he took 4-56 in the opening fixture against India. But his biggest success came in the semi-final in Lahore. Chasing 268 for victory, the home side fell behind the required rate, losing early wickets. But then Wasim Akram was promoted to No. 6, and he effortlessly hit two sixes off the spinners. Border brought McDermott back into the attack, and his bowling of Akram effectively settled the issue.
He took a bit of a pasting with the ball in the final, but promoted to bat at No. 4, he played a little cameo of 14 from eight balls.
In a World Cup dominated by the spinners, McDermott emerged as the top wicket-taker, with 18 victims.
(Shaun Botterill/Allsport UK/Getty Images)
Yuvraj Singh (India, 2011) (12th man)
The 2011 World Cup still holds a special place in my memory, though not for the cricket. My beloved dad passed away during this event. It was him who first introduced me to this great game, and quite appropriately our final conversation was related to cricket.
On 27 February India took on England at Bangalore in the 11th match of the event. In the evening, as I went to the hospital to see my dad, he asked me about the Indian score. He died peacefully the next morning, but I wasn’t there at the time.
Needless to say, I didn’t watch much cricket during this World Cup, and hence I had to rely on the stats to pick my choice here. Yuvraj Singh was the player of the series, and here I have selected him as the 12th man.
He started the tournament with three 50s and later added a hundred against the West Indies in Chennai. He accompanied MS Dhoni as India reached their target in the final. With the ball he took 15 wickets with a career-best 5-31 against Ireland in Bangalore.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
But he could've scored earlier so that series was put away earlier and not have the series hanging later as it was.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
BTW, l did read it but my glasses were of the none-Rose variety.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
The difference between Hussey and Boof was when Hussey did get selected he did play. That never happened to Boof in the Test arena or in ODI’s first time round. 3 or 4 years for ODI and 9 years for tests. —— And, yes, there were times when the Comatose one should’ve been dropped and we had a bloke pasting away *two* FC competitions to all parts of the ground wasting away. —— The worst that can be said of Boof was that he was not as healthy as he should’ve been and that physical issues played their part in closing his career. Dougie must’ve been a hero of Boofs. —— The record of being the 3rd highest scorer of FC runs, of all-time, indicates he should’ve played tests way earlier than he did. And as I’ve said before, he scored his 5 centuries *quicker* than any of his peers except Hayden whom he equalled. Look at the 150 names below him.
Renato CARINI
Roar Rookie
I really like that stat of yours, Bernie. Scores in the deciding Test. . . A great idea.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
To talk further of those 12 tons that were the only one in the match for Australia, 8 were in wins, only one loss which was in a dead rubber anyway, and three draws none of which were dead rubbers. The three draws were all final tests and two of them enabled Australia to preserve a series lead the other ensured the series remained square. The long and the short of it is that it's no problem whatsoever to think Lehmann should have played a lot more test cricket than he did. It's a big big problem to think he should have done so at Mark Waugh’s expense.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I am assuming Blewitt was selected when Bevan got dropped because he was an excellent player of fast bowling and the very next series we were out to dethrone the West Indies. I've said it before that Lehmann was a better player of pace than Bevan and a better player of spin than Blewitt. Lehmann wasn't any more unlucky than Mike Hussey who actually had a more stellar test career when eventually selected at a more advanced age than Lehmann was. It doesn't matter that Mark Waugh often didn't make big run in innings where everyone else did, because he so often did when most others didn't. 12 of his 20 test tons it was the only ton for Australia in that game. Without him in the team, we would have lost in the West Indies 1995, in South Africa 1994 and 97, and would have squandered our series lead in Pakistan 1998. We would also have lost at home in 1996-97 and 97-98 to the West Indies and South Africa respectively and would have had to settle for a drawn series at home against England in 1998-99. I'm sure Lehmann would have done more given the chance, but neither Waugh would have been the one to make way for any sane selection panel.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I was cricket-aware through the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and saw what happened. You have conveniently overlooked that Boof was selected for test duties and dropped without making the XI. Then selected in the ODI squad and never given a go being dropped again. —– In 93/94 he scored 1,087, in 94/5 1,104 & in 95/96 1,237. If I remember correctly Blewett, Law, Bevan and M Waugh never did that and not get selected. They did less and got selected. As for the AO thing why did Blewett get selected then? And in fact why did any Croweater get selected or was square only short for Boof? And did Simmo disdain any test century by an Aussie in Adelaide because of the square boundaries? Don’t think so. —— He is the 3rd highest runscorer in FC Cricket. Only Bradman and Tendulkar are ahead of him. Spin it like Tiger or Clarrie, Warne or McGill, however you want, that is an imposing record. —– I don’t say this to rile you up. My view on Mark Waugh is that he was a comatose passenger who drank an odd concoction of a Nureyev-inspired blend of Adrenalin and Valium milkshake to perform lyrically well at crunchtimes he helped create by not carrying his weight earlier in the series.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Yeah tend to agree a little. All very well for Mark W to pull out something special in a decider...perhaps if he had been less lackadaisical in earlier matches in series, it wouldn't have gotten to the point of all or nothing series "deciders". I guess there is being a team player in all circumstances, and then there is picking and choosing when to step up.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Go crows!
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Yeah Zim were poor. Even Brendan Taylor’s shot to get out today was ordinary when he was going along so well. Wicket looks hard and barren. Just watching Mehidy send down a few at the moment; doesn’t look threatening at all. Tight line and length, but not much in it for him. I don’t know the ground well enough, but I suspect it has a LONG way to go to deteriorate by days 4 and 5.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I get back to tomorrow. I've had it. Watching the footy. Go Crows
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
Watched the 2nd mornings play yesterday and enjoyed it. without taking anything away from Mahmudullah and Taskin the Zims were awful in the field, dropped catches, missed run outs etc. Muzarabani, remember this name; real fast bowling talent from Zim. I expect to hear a lot about this lad. Did exchange a few words with Taskin as well.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
No Mark Waugh would, time and time again, play that pivotal innings at the precise pivotal time to seal a series. He dealt in impact, not shallow stats. In the six years from 1993 to 1999 he played 69 of his 128 tests and made 13 of his 20 test tons. These 69 tests comprised 18 series of 3, 4, 5and 6 tests duration. In the 18 deciding tests in that time he averaged 61 with 6 tons and 11 half’s. Practically reached 50 in every deciding test. That is a big game player.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I remember the calls for Mark because of poor returns, at times, and then he'd a pull out a "Pink Rabbit 103" out of the hat and everyone would wax lyrical as if they had just seen Shakespeare incarnate score a flowing double century replete with every known back-foot shot.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Go and read 'Mark Waugh was better than his average suggested' and then place your hand on whatever is sacred to you and then swear you believe that Mark Waugh should not have been one of the first picked throughout the 1990s and then disprove the facts therein.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
As I'd say to my daughter and son Boof had to score 3 centuries in 15 games a season to make the team and even then someone would get nod over him. ------ We'll never know what we missed by him coming off 2nd best over a long period of time. All 4 of the above would do less than Boof and make the team. He was left wondering what else could he do. He was besting the people promoted around him yet, somehow, it wasn't good enough. This happened too many times.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
What you need to do Rowdy is harness your passion for Boof in the form of an article on the roar showing damning evidence that him not playing 1000 tests is the greatest injustice in this country since Colin Campbell Ross. But you will need to scrutinise what Lehmann was doing in shield cricket at the time of Bevan's selection in late 1994, Blewitt's in early 95 and of course Law's later that same year. But remember, it is not about sheer weight of runs. Who won the shield in these times? Which batsmen contributed most to their state winning the shield. How did Lehmann as a batsman influence or even dictate SA's shield fortunes in these times? What was his pressure average in shield cricket compared to the batsmen who were being picked ahead of him in the wake of Border and Boon's retirements? Why was fellow Sozzie preferred after Bevan's first demise in early 1995? Of all those very vital questions, I actually only know the answer to the last one, but I would love it if you researched the other questions and presented your findings.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Who were England's great batsman between 1997 and 2006 who should have outperformed him in county cricket? I don't disagree Lehmann would have walked into any other test side at the time. But Australia was not just any other test side during the bulk of the 1990s. Tough bickies for poor old Boof.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Who delivered time and time again when needed at pivotal points in series.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He was in England from 1997 to 2006 and averaged better than most over a long time. They love him England's best County.