Down The World Cup
1979: Viv Richards's final
The line-ups for the semis were complete and it would be West Indies against Pakistan and England against New Zealand. At Manchester on June 20 England won by 9 runs as they overcame a spirited New Zealand. The capable New Zealand attack, spearheaded by the fiery Hadlee, tied down most of the England batsmen. Brearley played a cautious game and fell for 53. Then followed a bold stand between Gooch and Botham who put on 47 in ten overs. Taylor came in at the end and calmly put Cairns over long on for 6 as England snatched 25 runs from the last three overs. Two left-handers, Wright and Edgar, began New Zealand's task of scoring 222 to win in masterly fashion, putting on 47 in sixteen overs before Old had Edgar leg-before. Then Boycott removed Howarth leg-before. Wright kept New Zealand moving the right way until he succumbed to some brilliant fielding by Randall from deep square leg. Lees lifted Hendrick over mid-on for 6 and Cairns hoisted Botham even further before Hendrick removed them both. With Willis lame, and Botham and Hendrick also limping, it was touch and go, but with 14 wanted from the last over, sent down by Botham, New Zealand went out of the World Cup with their flag flying.At The Oval West Indies took on Pakistan. West Indies thrived on a positive opening stand of 132 by Greenidge and Haynes. In the end Asif claimed the wickets of the first four batsmen, but not before Richards and Lloyd had played some glorious strokes. West Indies powered themselves to 293. Bowling at great pace and hostile with the bouncer, Holding dismissed Sadiq for 10. This setback did not deter Majid and Zaheer who rose to the occasion in a wonderful partnership of 166 off 36 overs that put their side within striking distance. Lloyd, looking for a solution, brought on Richards with his spin and re-introduced Croft. The gamble worked, for although Richards' first over cost 12, Croft made the breakthrough by dismissing Zaheer, Majid and Miandad in twelve balls for 4 runs. Richards followed by disposing of Mudassar, Asif and Imran; and with Roberts proving too much for the tail, West Indies gained their deserved success. It was all set up West Indies were to play England in the final of the World Cup. On another fine day the ground was completely filled by the all-ticket crowd of 25,000. For a long time England put up a gallant fight after Brearley had won the toss and sent in the opposition to bat. However, in preferring an extra batsman in Larkins, Brearley had to call on Boycott, Gooch and Larkins as his fifth bowler. Their twelve overs cost 86 runs - and brought no wickets. On a morning when Botham, Hendrick and Old all acquired movement, England began well enough against a side endowed with capable hitters. Moreover, England produced their highest standard of fielding and soon Randall ran out Greenidge with a deadly underarm return to the bowler's end as he dashed in from mid-wicket. Hendrick dismissed Haynes with a low-taken catch at slip off Old, and he followed this by bowling the left-handed Kallicharran round his legs, just grazing the leg stump. A superb left-handed catch by Old when Lloyd drove the ball back low meant that England had taken the first four wickets for 99 and at this stage clearly held the initiative. Then came the partnership that turned the scales. Richards, the hero of the day and rightly named Man of the Match, was already installed and he found the right ally in King, who virtually took charge from the moment he arrived and made 86 out of 139 put on the fifth wicket in only seventy-seven minutes. Many of these runs came from England's three fill-in bowlers as King struck three 6s and ten 4s in an amazing display. He drove, hooked and pulled with astonishing power and accuracy, so confirming the remarkable form he showed when he toured England with the West Indies team of 1976. Richards, at first, was subdued by Edmonds, but he completed his hundred in the over (the 52nd) following King's dismissal, the result of a well-taken catch by Randall at deep square leg. Pressing for runs, West Indies lost their next four wickets for 48 runs. Richards remained unbeaten, having hit his 138 in just under three and a half hours as it contained three 6s and eleven 4s. The shot of the tournament was when Richards stepped across his stumps and lifted a low full toss from Hendrick from milled stump into the mound stand. That too of the last ball of the innings, it was the ultimate statement of disdain from a batsman in supreme form. England had the better batting conditions in brilliant sunshine and Brearley and Boycott gave them a sound start by staying together for two hours ten minutes, although they never managed to take the West Indies' pace bowlers apart. Boycott occupied seventeen overs to reach double figures, and when Brearley went England wanted 158 from the last 22 overs. This looked to be out of the question, and so it proved. Randall and Gooch made a brief assault, but between them Garner and Croft swept through the remainder of the innings. The 6ft 8in Garner took five wickets for four runs in eleven balls and was twice on a hat-trick as the West Indian supporters made the evening a Caribbean carnival. They lifted the trophy for the second time, with consummate ease. No late dinners for Prince Philip this time around.
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