World Cup 1975: The Dawn Of One-Day International Cricket On A Global Format, A New Beginning

CRICKET, as we knew it, changed for good once the International Cricket Conference – ICC, as it was called then – organised the first World Cup in 1975. The global tournament, which included the then full Test-playing members and two associate teams, a total of eight teams, became the stepping stone to what is now turned into a multi-billion-dollar industry.

The novelty of it all was something else – two groups, each with four teams, would fight for the top two slots and qualify for the semi-finals and then battle for the Prudential Cup (after the sponsors) at Lord’s. Quite a cricket jamboree, this.

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One-Day International (ODI) cricket was just a few years old at this time. The first-ever ODI was the fallout of three days of rain at Melbourne during the 3^rd Test of the Australia-England series in 1970-71, resulting in the match being called off. Instead, the two sides decided to play a 40-over-a-side match on January 5, 1971.

The thing to note here is that these overs were eight-ball overs, as it was played Down Under those days.

First Format

Cut to 1975, and eight teams – hosts England, Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, India, and Pakistan were joined by associate members Sri Lanka and East Africa for the tournament. The tournament format would see each team in the group playing the other in 60, six-ball over matches.

As it turned out, the eventualities of who would qualify for the semi-finals were quite predictable. The Asian sides had little hope on the green English surfaces and the fast-bowling batteries of England, Australia and the West Indies were too formidable. These three, along with New Zealand, entered the semi-finals and eventually, Australia took on the West Indies in the final at Lord’s on June 21.

Classic Final

The final was quite a match after all tickets were sold out three days in advance. West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd scored a century as the Caribbeans scored a formidable 291/8 off 60 overs. Gary Gilmour was in fine nick with the ball, claiming 5/48.

Australia, the eternal fighters, were in the game right till the end. They were down to 233/9, thanks mainly to a total of four run-outs, three being completed by Vivian Richards, before a 41-run last-wicket stand between Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson brought Australia within 18 runs of the target.

But the valiant effort went in vain as another run-out saw the West Indies emerge winners by 17 runs.

India’s Dismal Show

India were new to ODI cricket and their inexperience in the format was there for all to see. Of the three matches they played in the group stage, the sole win came against unknown East Africa.

In fact, India had the ignominy of conceding the first-ever 300-plus score in World Cup history, when England scored 334/4 (although off 60 overs) on June 7.

India’s response was even more inglorious. They ended with 132/3 in the allotted overs, an effort made notorious by opener Sunil Gavaskar’s 36 not out off 174 deliveries!

The next match notched up India’s only win, when they beat East Africa by 10 wickets in front of 720 spectators, but Australia too were too good for them.

India were decided better with the bat. Anshuman Gaekwad contributed 37 at No. 4 but it was a valiant 60-run ninth-wicket stand between Syed Abid Ali (70) and skipper S. Venkataraghavan (26 not out) that gave India 230 runs to defend.

Incidentally, Mohinder Amarnath batted at No. 9 in this match.

But this never enough as opener Glenn Turner scored an unbeaten 114 and New Zealand coasted to 233/6 0ff 58.5 overs to send India packing out of the tournament.

As we said before, cricket was never the same after this. Limited-over matches, as we see now, were beginning grab people’s imaginations. All the action, done and dusted in eight or nine overs was a far cry from long and sometimes tedious days of Test cricket. No wonder that 60-over cricket, and then 50 overs, followed by 20 and now even 10 overs, have become a norm.

Always good to recall where it all began, and who were the pioneers. The sport indeed owes them a lot.