We at Crickick.com bring the World Cup Trivia of each edition starting from today. The trivia are exhaustive and informative. Read on ………..

First World Cup – 1975

The first world cup tournament was held within five years of the birth of the limited over internationals {05.01.1971}. The first game of the World cup was played between England and India on 07.06.75 at Lord’s. Prior to this game, only 18 One International games were played and the first game of the World Cup was the 19^th One day International

The world cup consisted of 15 matches on five playing days. All these 15 matches were played at Test Match venues. Edgbaston, Headingly and The Oval hosted three games each, while Lord’s, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge hosted two games each

Eight countries participated in the competition – six test playing countries and two associate members – Sri Lanka and East Africa.

The inaugural match was played at Lord’s between India and England on 07.06.75. On the same day, two more games were played – between New Zealand and East Africa at Edgbaston ; between Australia and Pakistan at Leeds

England’s JA Jameson faced the first ball of the world cup, while the first ball of the world cup was bowled by India’s Madanlal.

India’s skipper Srinivas Venkataraghavan is credited with the distinction of pouching the first catch of the world cup and Mohinder Amaranath who made his debut in this game is credited with the first wicket of the World Cup – JA Jameson caught Venkataraghavan bowled Amaranath.

DL Amiss is credited with the distinction of registering the first ever hundred in the world cup. He made 137 in this game. In reply India made 132 for 3 wickets in 60.0 overs in which Sunil Gavaskar made 36 not out off 174 balls. Little Master Gundappa Viswanath top scored in India’s innings with 37 of 59 deliveries which contained five hits to the fence.

The first ever instance in the One day Internationals – batsman’s individual score greater than the team’s total occurred in this game. India made 132 for 3 while DL Amiss made 137.

The other first’s of the world cup are listed below

First score of 300 plus runs by a team – England’s 334 for 4 in 60.0 overs. This is also the first instance of a team registering 300 plus run in One day Internationals.

First win by a margin of 200 plus runs – England won by 202 runs

First three figure partnership – 176 runs for the second wicket between DL Amiss and KWR Fletcher

First instance of a batsman registering 15 fours in an innings – DL Amiss’s 18 fours in his knock of 137

First instance of a bowler conceding 80 plus runs – KD Ghavri’s figures of 11.0-1-83-0 {Ghavri was making his one day debut in this game}

The second match between New Zealand and East Africa at Edgbaston on 07.06.75 saw GM Turner became the first batsman to register a score of 150 plus runs in the World Cup as well as in One day Internationals. He made 171 not out in this game and with it he earned the distinction of becoming the first captain to register a hundred in the world cup games. He emulated SM Gavaskar of India to become the second batsman in the history of One day internationals to carry the bat through the allotted overs. Richard Hadlee became the first bowler to bowl six maiden overs in a world cup game when he returned with figures of 12.0-6-10-0.

The third game between Australia and Pakistan on 07.06.75 at Leeds witnessed the first ever five wicket haul in the world cup as well as in One day Internationals. Australia’s Denis Lillee took five for 34 in this game. His bowling figures read 12.0-2-34-5. Jeff Thomson bowled twelve no balls in this game which included five no balls in his first over. His bowling figures read 8.0-2-25-1

Sri Lanka was dismissed for 86 by West Indies at Manchester on 07.06.75 in their first ever game in One day Internationals. Sri Lanka became the first team in the World Cup games to be dismissed for a total less than 100 runs in World Cup Games. BD Julien of West Indies accounted for the first ever exact four wicket haul in the World Cup Games when he returned with figures of 4 for 20 in this game. West Indies capped Vivian Richards and Andy Roberts in this game. Both these cricketers have carved a niche in the game of cricket. This match got over before 3.30 PM. The teams played an exhibition game for the crowd.

India became to first country to win a one day game without losing a wicket when they trounced East Africa at Leeds on 11.06.75. After dismissing East Africa for 120 runs in 55.3 overs, India romped home victors by scoring 123 without losing any wicket. SM Gavaskar and FM Engineer scored 65 and 54 respectively. Bishen Singh Bedi returned with the most economical figures from 12 overs when he returned with figures of 12.0-8-6-1. Bedi’s eight maiden overs in this game provide the lone instance of a bowler bowling eight maiden overs in the world cup games.

RB McCosker and A Turner were concerned in a first wicket partnership of 182 runs for Australia against Sri Lanka at The Oval on 11.06.75. This remained as a world cup record stand for the first wicket till 1995-96. A Turner registered the first pre-lunch hundred when he made 101 off 113 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries and one over it. Sri Lanka’s Duleep Mendis and S Wettimuny were injured by the deliveries from Jeff Thomson. This match witnessed the first ever instance of four batsmen registering fifties in the world cup as well as One day Internationals. RB McCosker {73}, A Turner {101}, GS Chappell {50} and KD Walters {59} were the batsmen who registered fifty plus scores in this game. As on date there are only four instances of such a feat in world cup games. This game also witnessed the first instance of openers registering a fifty and hundred in the world cup games – RB McCosker {73} and A Turner {101}. As on date there are only six instances of such a feat in the world cup games.

West Indies carved a nail baiting win over Pakistan at Edgbaston on 11.06.75. West Indies achieved the win by one wic
ket with two balls to spare through a ninth wicket stand of 64 runs between Wicket keeper batsman Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts. Javed Miandad was one of the batsmen who made his debut in this game for Pakistan along with Parvez Mir while West Indies capped Gordon Greenidge in this game. Sarfraz Nawaz returned with figures of 4 for 44, the first of the two instances of a bowler returning with figures of 4 for 44 in World Cup Games.

John Snow of England captured four wickets conceding five runs in his opening spell against East Africa at Edgbaston on 14.06.75. His final figures of the match read 12.0-6-11-4. This game witnessed the first three batsmen registering fifties in world cup games. B Wood {71}, DL Amiss {88} and FC Hayes {52} were the batsmen who registered fifties for England. As on date there are only two such instances in World Cup Games. East Africa became the second team to dismissed for a total less than 100 runs in World Cup Games. East Africa were all out for 94 in 52.3 overs.

Glenn Turner became the first batsman to register two hundreds in the same world cup, when he made 114 not out against India at Old Trafford on 14.06.75. Earlier he had scored 171 not out against East Africa at Edgbaston on 07.06.75.

West Indian batsman Alvin Kallicharran scored 35 runs of ten successive deliveries from Denis Lilee during his knock of 78 in the game between West Indies and Australia at The Oval on 14.06.75. Kallicharran’s run spree against Lilee read thus – 4444414604. Lillee during these ten deliveries had bowled five bouncers. Lillee’s match figures read 10.0-0-66-1.

Sadiq Mohammad {74}, Majid Khan {84} and Zaheer Abbas {97} registered fifties in the game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge on 14.06.75 to provide the second instance of first three batsmen registering fifties including hundreds in a world cup game. Zaheer Abbas 97 in this game provides the first instance of a batsman registering individual ninety in a world cup game.

Gilmour captured six wickets in the match between England and Australia at Headingley on 18.06.75. His analysis read 12.0-6-14-6. He became the first bowler to capture six wickets in the world cup as well as the One day Internationals. This game was the first semi finals and lasted 65 overs. England were bowled out for 93 in 36.2 overs and Australia took 28.4 over to surpass the target. England’s 93 provides the third instance of a team dismissed below 100 runs in the world cup games.

BD Julien of West Indies became the first bowler to capture exact four wickets in world cup games on two occasions. In the game between West Indies and New Zealand at The Oval on 18.06.75, Julien returned with figures of 12.0-5-27-4 in this game. The earlier occasion when Julien had four wicket haul was against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford on 07.06.75 when he had the bowling figures of 12.0-3-20-4.

West Indies lifted the first World Cup title trouncing Australia by 17 runs at Lord’s on 21.06.75. Clive Lloyd, the West Indian captain registered 102 runs off 85 balls with the help of 12 fours and two sixers. This was the farewell game for Rohan Kanhai and he made 55 and was concerned with 149 run stand with Lloyd. KD Boyce was the wrecker-in-chief in England’s innings as he returned with figures of 12.0-0-50-4. Vivian Richards was responsible for three run outs in this game. A Turner, Skipper Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell were the batsmen dismissed run out in Aussie innings with Vivian Richards having a hand in these dismissals. Gary Gilmour took five wickets in this match as he returned with figures of 12.0-2-48-5. This analysis earned him the distinction of becoming the first bowler to account for five plus wickets in consecutive world cup games and also in One day Internationals.