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| 1975 ICC Cricket World Cup |
The first World Cup in Englind in 1975 wore a different look from modern standers, for the game was traditional as players had not discarded whites for co-loured clothing clothing and money was scarce. Fielding restrictions were not-existent, and wides and short-pitched balls were not so firmly enforced.
Cricketers playing in English counties had an advantage over their opponents, as inaugural champions West Indies were to prove. The beginning was humble, with no global television coverage and six Test-playing nations in the competition with associate member Sri Lanka and East Africa.
The top two sides from each four-team group entered the semi-finals. The tournament lasted just a fortnight with 60-overs-a-side games.
Four group games were held on each of the first three the semi-finals on the same say, something unthinkable in the modern age of television and marketing. England, Australia and New Zealand easily qualified for the last-four, but the West Indies were involved in the first-ever close match of the World Cup, against Pakistan at Edgbaston. The West Indies thrashed New Zealand by five wickets in the semi-final, but Australia had to bank on Gary Gilmour's all-round performanc (6-14 and 28 not out) to bear England in the other.
The West Indies were 50-3 before posting 291-8 off 60 overs despite a five-wicket effort from Gilmour.
Australian captain Ian chappell led from the from the front with an impressive 62, but fast bowler Keith Boyce took four wickets to reduce Australia to 233-9.
The game was not over as the over as the last-wicket pair of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson threarened to conjure up an unlikely victory. The fight back ended when Thomson became the fifth run-out victim trying to steal a bye to wicket-keeper Murray, who hir the stumps with just balls remaining. Australia lost by 17 runs in a fitting finale to the tournament.
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