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(Part one.)
50 years.
It is almost a lifetime. Or, with the realities of life here these days, two lifetimes, maybe three.
Given the turbulence of West Indies cricket for nearly 30 years now, it may feel like more than half-a-century ago. But no, in 50 days’ time, God willing, we will reach the 50th anniversary of one of the seminal moments in the Caribbean game—indeed the global game.
Murray later clinched a 17-run victory by running out last man Jeff Thomson, in the last of five run outs in the Australian innings.
Photo: Sportstar (India).
It was in the late evening of 21 June 1975 that alert wicketkeeper Deryck Murray’s underarm return to the stumps ran out lower order batsman Jeff Thomson to give the West Indies a 17-run victory over Australia in the inaugural Prudential World Cup final.
That moment—and the celebrations which followed, as Clive Lloyd held the trophy aloft in one hand and the ‘Man of the Match’ award for a superb hundred in the other—are part of an unforgettable experience for those fortunate enough to have been among the full house at Lord’s or were following it ‘live’ on radio throughout the region, before eventually catching glimpses of the grand occasion via television highlights several days later.
The delayed broadcast of the 1975 World Cup final must seem incomprehensible from our current reality, where everything—celebratory or catastrophic, trivial or traumatic—is available for immediate viewing, via the ubiquitous smartphone.
West Indies won the match by 17 runs and repeated as champions four years later at the same venue.
A strong, boisterous West Indian fan presence was a feature of England tours by the Caribbean squad from the 1960’s to the 1980’s, but has all but disappeared since.
Photo: PA Images/ via ESPNCricinfo.
Yet even with such ease of access via YouTube and other platforms, that inaugural men’s World Cup tournament has faded into the distant past. For the younger generations, even those keen on the game, such an historic first global triumph for West Indies cricket falls into the Star Wars category: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”
It seems appropriate therefore, with 50 days to go to the 50th anniversary of that crowning moment, to relive the experience—not just with the statistical details of the players and the matches leading up to the big moment, but the context of that time.
Let us consider the impact that this World Cup had on the international game and its age-old structure, even as the so-called purists were turning their noses up at what they considered to be a corruption and a cheapening of the traditional format.
So, stay with us for the 50-day journey to 21 June as we track the many tributaries of the game that eventually flowed into an occasion which should still be celebrated as a glorious moment in West Indies cricket.
First though, we need to clear the air on one thing. And that’s why tomorrow we will explain why the 1975 World Cup is not the first global cricket tournament, as most of us think it is.
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Fazeer Mohammed is a journalist/broadcaster with almost 40 years’ experience across a range of media.
His interest in cricket, and particularly its history, started at home via his father’s small collection of autobiographies and magazines, offering perspectives and context which have informed his commentary and analysis on contemporary issues in the game.
