Published: Feb 04, 2015, 01:24 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 04, 2015, 01:38 PM (IST)
History
Four years after the World Cup 1975, International Cricket Council (ICC) organised another edition of the tournament. Once again England was chosen as the venue and Prudential Assurance the official sponsors. Just like the previous edition, the matches were 60-over One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and the quota per bowler was 12 overs.
The six Test-playing nations made it once again. Sri Lanka and Canada, finalists in the 1979 ICC Trophy, also qualified. West Indies entered the tournament as favourites and made small task of their opposition. There was no close encounter as they steamrolled over one side after another to clinch the title.
Crippled severely by Kerry Packer and his wallet, Australia went into the tournament with a second-string side and did not reach the semi-final. India had a sorrier tale: they managed to take only three wickets from their first two matches, and ended up losing to Sri Lanka in the third match. It was the first time an Associate nation beat a Test-playing nation. Canada, on the other hand, did not put up much of a contest; they reached a low when they were bowled out for 45 against England at Old Trafford; it remained the lowest ODI score for over 13 years.
The matches were generally one-sided, making it possibly the least remembered of all World Cups. There were two exceptions, both featuring England wins: they defended 165 against Pakistan at Headingley to avoid West Indies in the semifinal, where they beat New Zealand by nine runs in the semifinal at Old Trafford to meet Big Brother in the final at Lord’s.
West Indies had beaten Pakistan by 43 runs in the semifinal at The Oval, and though they were reduced to 99 for four, Viv Richards (138 from 157) and Collis King (86 from 66) smashed the English attack, taking the score to 286 for nine. A slow start from Geoff Boycott and Mike Brearley did not help, and Joel Garner claimed five for 38 to bowl out the hosts for 194 to give West Indies their second consecutive title.
Classic matches
Mike Hendrick blows Pakistan away
Canada skittled for 45 by England
India suffer shocking defeat against Sri Lanka
Semifinal: England survive New Zealand scare to reach final
Final: Viv Richards, Collis King and Joel Garner play pivotal roles in annihilating England
Trivia
Surprisingly, this was the only second multi-nation ODI tournament (after World Cup 1975). The concept had not caught up with the world.
The contest between West Indies and Sri Lanka, scheduled to be played at The Oval, did not get going despite having two reserve days. It was the first no-result match in the history of the tournament.
With the above match being rained out, World Cup 1979 was restricted to 14 matches — the least till date.
Sri Lanka became the first Associate Nation to win an ODI.
There were only two hundreds in the tournament — by Richards and Gordon Greenidge. The count is the least for any World Cup.
Statistics
Most runs: Gordon Greenidge (253), Viv Richards (217), Graham Gooch (210)
Most wickets: Mike Hendrick (10), Brian McKechnie (9), Asif Iqbal (9), Chris Old (9)
Highest team score: 293 for 6, West Indies against Pakistan at The Oval, June 20
1979 World Cup: Facts, figures, and statistics
