World Cup Trivia – 1979
World Cup Trivia – 1979
A special mini tournament of 60 overs matches was played for the ICC Trophy to determine the two associate teams to join the six test playing nations. Sri Lanka and Canara who were the finalists of the ICC Trophy joined the six test playing nations to compete in the second World cup.
Gundappa Viswanath was the top scorer in India’s innings with 75 runs against West Indies at Birmingham on 09.06.79 in the opening fixture of 1979 edition. West Indies won this game by nine wickets. The triumph was achieved through a magnificent hundred by Gordon Greenidge who remained not out with 106 and was concerned with an opening stand of 138 runs with Desmond Haynes for the first wicket. This opening partnership was the first of the four partnerships that the West Indies batsmen have posted for the first wicket in World Cup Games.
Sri Lanka’s match against New Zealand at Nottingham on 09.06.79 witnessed one of the rare instances in the World cup of rival wicketkeepers making their one day debuts. Sri Lanka capped SA Jayasinghe, while New Zealand’s debutant wicket keeper was WK Lees
Canada made its debut in World Cup as well as One day Internationals when they met Pakistan at Leeds on 09.06.79. Pakistan won this game by eight wickets. Canada was led by BM Mauricette who also kept wickets. He is first cricketer to lead a team and also keep wickets in the World Cup. As on date there are three cricketers who have led the team and also kept wickets in the World cup – AJ Stewart of England, LK Germon of New Zealand and Khaled Mashud of Bangladesh. h
The fifth game of this World cup between West Indies and Sri Lanka at The Oval on 13th June 1979 was abandoned due to rain with out a ball being bowled. It was rescheduled for the reserve day – next day, that is 14th June 1979 and again there was no play due to rain. It was rescheduled for the next day and had to be abandoned. This was first match which was abandoned for three consecutive days due to rain interference and remains the only instance in World Cup Games as well as One day Internationals
The lone instance of rival captains dismissed for zeros in the World Cup was witnessed in the game between England and Canada at Manchester on 14.06.79. Canada skipper BM Mauricette was bowled by Willis for zero and England’s captain JM Brearley was leg before wicket to JN Valentine with out scoring. Canada were dismissed for 45 the then lowest total in the World Cup Games. This game saw the first of the eight instances in the World Cup in which two bowlers of the same team captured four wickets.
In Canada’s innings RGD Willis and CM Old returned with figures of 4 for 11 and 4 for 8 respectively. Canada’s FA Dennis became the second batsman to be dismissed through the mode of dismissal “hit wicket” . He was dismissed of the bowling of RGD Willis for 21. The first instance of a hit wicket dismissal in a World cup game is credited to Roy Fredericks of West Indies who was dismissed by Lillee for 07 against Australia at Lord’s on 21,06.75. As of now there are five dismissals through hit wicket in World Cup Games. FA Denis to his credit has the highest individual score of 21 amongst them. In Canada’s innings of 45, only FA Denis reached the double figures of 21, providing the first of a lone batsman registering double figures in a World cup game
The first ever instance of rival captains registering zero and a fifty excluding hundreds was witnessed in the game between England and Pakistan at Leeds on 16.06.79. England’s skipper JM Brearley was caught by Wasim Bari of Imran Khan without opening his account, while Pakistan captain scored 51 before he was leg before to Ian Botham. This game provides the second instance of the first wicket falling without a run on the board in World Cup games, the first such instance occurred in the game between Australia and West Indies, when Australian opener RB McCosker was dismissed by West Indies at The Oval on 14.06.1975
DF Whatmore of Australia is credited with the distinction of the first ever substitute fielder to pouch a catch in the World Cup games. He caught Pakistan skipper Asif Iqbal of the bowling of Alan Hurst for 61 in the game between Australia and Pakistan at Nottingham on 13th June 1979. Later Whatmore coached Sri Lanka to Victory in 1987 World Cup and is presently the coach of Bangladesh Team in the ensuing World Cup. Alan Hurst is now the refree on the ICC Panel
RS Madugalle, the present Chief of Referees of ICC Panel made his one day debut in the game between Sri Lanka and India at Manchester on 16.06.1979. He made four runs in this game. Sri Lanka, the non test playing nation beat the test playing nation India by 47 runs in this game.
Alan Hurst’s 5 for 21 in the game between Australia and Canada at Birmingham on 16.06.1979 provides the fourth instance of an Australian bowler capturing five plus wickets in the WC Games. The previous three instances are DK Lilee {5-34 vs Pak at Leeds on 07.06.75}, Gilmour {6-14 vs Eng at Leeds on 18.06.75} and Gilmour {5-48 vs Win at Lord’s on 21.06.75}. With KH Macleay bagging 6 for 39 against India at Nottingham on 13.06.83} Australia has five five plus wickets in the World Cups. Australia is the only team in the World Cup to have five five plus wickets hauls
Zaheer Abbas scored his individual ninety in World Cup games when he made 93 against West Indies at The Oval on 20.06.79. His first ninety was 97 against Sri Lanka at Nottingham on 14.06.75.
Asif Iqbal is credited with the distinction of capturing first four wickets as a captain. He took four for 56 against West Indies at The Oval on 20.06.79. As of now there are only seven instances of a captain returning with a four wicket haul in the World Cup games.
Joel Garner emulated Gilmour by capturing five for 38 in the finals of 1979 World cup game for West Indies against England at Lord’s on 23.06.79. Gilmour had taken 5 for 48 in the finals of the 1975 World Cup game for Australia against West Indies at Lord’s on 21.06.75.
Gilmour’s 5 for 48 in the World Cup finals of 1975 and Garner’s 5 for 38 in the World cup finals of 1979 are the only two instances in which a bowler has captured five wickets in the finals of the World Cup in the eight editions playe
d so far.
Garner’s 5 for 38 in the finals of 1979 edition remains the best bowling figures in the finals of any World cup.