Boasting the most feared and most formidable bowling foursome in contemporary world cricket, Australia need no assistance to best Roston Chase’s now-struggling-to-find-their-feet West Indies. In the first match of the three-Test series they won by 159-runs in Barbados last week, they seemed to get it anyway. From an unlikely source. …
Read More »RBL 5 for Fun: Kassiram leads stingy Bamboo bowling attack, as St Joseph TML reined in
A disciplined bowling attack proved decisive in the St George final of the inaugural Republic Bank-sponsored RBL Five For Fun cricket competition, as Bamboo Settlement Government Primary School defended a batting score of 53 runs from five overs (and a total of 111 inclusive of bonus points) to hold off …
Read More »1975 CWC: When WI ruled the world! Lloyd’s flourish creates history
(Part 51.) Lloyd’s crowning glory. West Indies cricket has enjoyed many moments of celebration, but few match lifting the trophy at the first Men’s Cricket World Cup—50 years ago today, 21 June 1975. For the final time and for the final edition of this 51-day series, here’s Tony Cozier’s match …
Read More »1975 CWC: The statistical standouts of the first Men’s tournament
(Part 50.) Judge by numbers. After exactly seven weeks of counting down, here we are: one day to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies victory over Australia in the inaugural Men’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s. Ahead of the grand occasion—and it gets grander and more …
Read More »1975 CWC: Gilmour guts England, Aussie all-rounder makes dream debut
(Part 49.) Gary Gilmour’s day. While the West Indies were breezing past New Zealand at The Oval in London in one semi-final, a relative newcomer to the Australian side had a day to remember up at Headingley in Leeds, as Ian Chappell’s men overcame their old rivals, England, to book …
Read More »1975 CWC: ‘Kalli’, Julien and Greenidge among standouts, as WI cruise past Kiwis
(Part 48.) West Indies too good. With just three days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies triumph in the 1975 Cricket World Cup final, we focus now on the semi-final contest between the tournament favourites from the Caribbean and the perennial overachievers from way Down Under, …
Read More »1975 CWC: CWI finally recognises WI heroes; Guyana did not wait
(Part 47.) When Guyana hailed its conquering hero It has taken the imminent occasion of the 50th anniversary of the West Indies victory over Australia in the 1975 World Cup final at Lord’s for the game’s regional administration to finally recognise that historic triumph in a manner deserving of the …
Read More »1975 CWC: The numbers don’t lie—how inaugural tourney exceeded expectations
(Part 46.) Getting inside the numbers. At the last men’s 50-overs-per-side Cricket World Cup in 2023, Australia’s vanquishing of previously unbeaten hosts India and their ruining of the anticipated victory party at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad earned them a champions’ purse of US$4 million. Compare that to the …
Read More »1975 CWC: Turner turns up to book ‘Kiwis’ semi-final clash with WI
(Part 45.) Turner turns up again. With only six days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies victory over Australia in the 1975 World Cup final, and having put the focus on the Caribbean side’s surprisingly easy defeat of the ‘Aussies’ on the last day of group action …
Read More »1975 CWC: Genius Kallicharran spanks Lillee to take Windies to semis
(Part 44.) ‘Kalli’ the conqueror. There are just seven days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies victory over Australia in the 1975 World Cup final. And on this day, we focus on the first meeting of those two teams at The Oval in London, on the …
Read More »1975 CWC: “Never before or since did I know fear on a cricket field”; Hurricane Thomson batters Sri Lanka
(Part 43.) ‘Thommo’ on the rampage. With eight days to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ defeat of Australia in the 1975 Cricket World Cup final, and after spending the last two editions of the series focusing on the Caribbean side’s thrilling one-wicket win over Pakistan in Birmingham, we now …
Read More »1975 CWC: The day that Windies stopped being ‘Calypso Cricketers’
(Part 42.) “West Indies surely now cannot win!” Television commentator and former Australian captain and leg-spinner Richie Benaud’s crisp, precise tone had pronounced on the West Indies’ fate against Pakistan at the 1975 World Cup. Keith Boyce had just dragged a delivery from seamer Naseer Malik onto his stumps to …
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