(Part 35.) No unlucky 13. Clive Lloyd’s 1975 Cricket World Cup squad marked the first time that a West Indies team toured England to play limited-over matches exclusively. It was also the 13th visit there by a Caribbean side—certainly no ill omen as it turned out—in the 75 years since …
Read More »1975 CWC: Does the Caribbean care about Windies history? Does the CWI?!
(Part 34.) Because we forgot. As this 50th anniversary series approaches the actual days of competition at the 1975 World Cup, a question from the latest interviewee prompted today’s piece, which focuses inwards on our general attitude towards history—and, in this specific case, an historic sporting occasion that can serve …
Read More »1975 CWC: How Jeff Charles represented Dominica in historic WI moment
(Part 33.) Pride of Dominica. Tony Cozier and Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira were the two prominent members of the broadcast team bringing “live” radio ball-by-ball commentaries to the Caribbean audience of the five West Indies matches at the 1975 Cricket World Cup. But there was a third member of the team, …
Read More »Russell, Holder join WI T20 squad to face England; Pooran asks to be rested
West Indies have added veteran allrounders Andre Russell and Jason Holder to their T20 International squad, as they prepare for three T20Is against England and another three against Ireland later this month. However, the Maroon Men will be without dynamic 29-year-old batsman Nicholas Pooran, who asked to be rested for …
Read More »1975 CWC: ‘Inculcating the right sort of habits’; how Lloyd helped guide Windies to title
(Part 32.) Let it snow, let it snow. Today is a significant day in the history of English cricket. Not for anything to do with action on the field of play, but a bizarre weather phenomenon which prevented play: a freak snowstorm. Yes, coming to the end of spring, with …
Read More »1975 CWC: ‘The 1975 World Cup final was the best cricket match that I’ve stood in!’
(Part 30.) A Bird’s eye view. Let’s just try to imagine the setting 50 years ago today, a week before the opening round of group matches at the 1975 Cricket World Cup. A real sense of anticipation no doubt with all eight teams competing for the first time for the …
Read More »Carty does it against IRL, Pooran loses it in IPL—what will it mean for West Indies?
You can be forgiven for thinking that the player who helped the regional team best Ireland by 197 runs in Sunday’s third ODI was Nicholas Pooran. Truth be told, when you hear that a current West Indian batsman hit eight sixes and 15 fours in a 142-ball innings of 170 …
Read More »1975 CWC: How Tony Cozier became the Sobers of WI cricket journalism
(Part 26.) Fountain of knowledge. While Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira was almost dizzy with delight at being selected on the Caribbean radio commentary team for the 1975 Cricket World Cup, notwithstanding his limited experience, the man who would become his great friend and travelling companion over the next 40 years had …
Read More »1975 CWC: ‘Reds’ Perreira recalls his part in World Cup adventure
(Part 25.) Last of the Mohicans. Of those familiar voices who related the action of West Indies’ performances at home and abroad via the radio, only Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira remains to tell the story himself of what it was like to be at the 1975 Cricket World Cup. So with …
Read More »1975 CWC: Minor sensation—how trailblazer Learie Constantine became Britain’s best paid cricketer
(Part 23.) All-round excellence. This series started with a clear plan of articles counting down to the 50th anniversary of the final of the 1975 Cricket World Cup on June 21. However, in doing a bit of web browsing—you can’t really call it research because the information is sitting right …
Read More »1975 CWC: Why West Indies cricketers felt at home in England during the 1970s
(Part 22.) Home away from home. When it came to familiarity with British conditions, England weren’t the only team at home for the 1975 Cricket World Cup. For the vast majority of the West Indies squad, it was already their cricketing home for at least five months a year on …
Read More »1975 CWC: “He did things no one else could do…”
(Part 21.) An impatient King. Without resorting to your trusty search engine or any personal archives, can you name the players who have Cricket World Cup winners’ medals from both the 1975 and 1979 tournaments? Most are straightforward. Gordon Greenidge: who opened with Roy Fredericks in the first final and …
Read More »