1979 Cricket World Cup

The 1979 Cricket World Cup (aka Prudential World Cup, 1979) was the second version of the tournament and was won by the West Indies. It was held from June 9 to June 23, 1979 in England. The format had stayed unchanged from 1975. Eight countries participated in the event. The primary matches were played in 2 groups of 4 each. The top two teams in each group played the semifinals, whose winners played the final.The matches played of 60 overs per team and were played in white clothing and with red balls. They were all played during the day and hence started early.

The Prudential Cup was lifted by Clive Lloyd, captain of the West Indies who started as the favorites to win the cup again. There was no 'Man of the Series' awarded in 1979.

Group A

June 9, 1979 Scorecard

Australia  159/9 (60 overs)

v

England 160/4 (47.1 overs)

June 9, 1979 Scorecard

Canada  139/9 (60 overs)

v

Pakistan 140/2 (40.1 overs)

June 14, 1979 Scorecard

Pakistan  286/7 (60 overs)

v

Australia 197 all out (57.1 overs)

June 14, 1979 Scorecard

Canada  45 all out (40.3 overs)

v

England 46/2 (13.5 overs)

June 16, 1979 Scorecard

Canada  105 all out (33.2 overs)

v

Australia 106/3 (26 overs)

June 16, 1979 Scorecard

England  165/9 (60 overs)

v

Pakistan 151 all out (56 overs)

June 9, 1979 Scorecard

India  190 all out (53.1 overs)

v

West Indies 194/1 (51.3 overs)

June 9, 1979 Scorecard

Sri Lanka  189 all out (56.5 overs)

v

New Zealand 190/1 (47.4 overs)

June 13, 14, 15, 1979 Scorecard

Sri Lanka

v

West Indies

June 13, 1979 Scorecard

India  182 all out (55.5 overs)

v

New Zealand 183/2 (57 overs)

June 18, 1979 Scorecard

Sri Lanka  238/5 (60 overs)

v

India 191 all out (54.1 overs)

June 16, 1979 Scorecard

West Indies  244/7 (60 overs)

v

New Zealand 212/9 (60 overs)

[edit]Group B

[edit]

Semi-finals

In a very close semifinal match. New Zealand won the toss and chose to field. England started badly, falling to 38/2, before Mike Brearley (53 from 115 balls, 3 fours) and Graham Gooch (71 from 84 balls, 1 four, 3 sixes) Derek Randall (42 from 50 balls, 1 four, 1 six) played well in the second half of the innings, as England recovered from 98/4 to post 221 (8 wickets, 60 overs). In the reply, John Wright (69 from 137 balls) attacked very well in the beginning. Moreover, the loss of wickets bogged New Zealand down, and wrong selection in the batting order, New Zealand started to drop behind. When New Zealand could not achieve the remaining 14 runs from the last over of the match, England went into the final.Gordon Greenidge (73 from 107 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) and Desmond Haynes (65 from 115 balls, 4 fours) set a first wicket partnership of 132 runs in a match dominated by batting.Vivian Richards and Clive Lloyd also contributed solidly, as West Indies ran up 293 (6 wickets, 60 overs) against Pakistan. Majid Khan (81 from 124 balls, 7 fours) and Zaheer Abbas (93 from 122 balls) shared a second-wicket partnership of 166 runs in 36 overs in the reply. Moreover, none of the other Pakistani batsmen flourished, with Javed Miandad being bowled for a duck first ball, and Pakistan lost 9/74, beginning with the dismissal of Abbas. Pakistan was bowled all out for 250 (all out, 56.2 overs) in the high-scoring semifinal, sending the West Indies to the final.

June 20, 1979 Scorecard

West Indies  293/6 (60 overs)

v

Pakistan 250 all out (56.2 overs)

June 20, 1979 Scorecard

England  221/8 (60 overs)

v

New Zealand 212/9 (60 overs)

[edit]Final

Main article: 1979 Cricket World Cup Final

England won the toss and chose to field first. The West Indies got off to a bad start, falling to 99/4 with the loss of Greenidge, Haynes, Kallicharan, and captain Clive Lloyd. However, Vivian Richards (138 from 157 balls, 11 fours, 3 sixes) and Collis King (86 from 66 balls, 10 fours, 3 sixes). King especially ripped through the English bowling, with a strike rate of 130.3. The West Indies were already at 238/5 when the 139 run partnership ended with the loss of Collis King. Vivian Richards and the tail then took the West Indies to a very imposing total of 286 (9 wickets, 60 overs).

The English batsmen got off to a good start. But the openers, Mike Brearley (64 from 130 balls, 7 fours) and Geoff Boycott (57 from 105 balls, 3 fours) scored very slowly. They put together a very crucial opening partnership of 129 runs in 38 overs, playing as if the match were a five-day Test. By the time both batsmen were out, the run rate had risen too high. Graham Gooch played some strokes in scoring his 32, taking England to 183/2. However, the loss of Gooch triggered the most devastating collapse in World Cup history, as England lost 8/11. They were eventually all out for 194 in 51 overs. Vivian Richards was declared Man of the Match.

June 23, 1979 Scorecard

West Indies  286/9 (60 overs)

v

England 194 all out (51 overs)