Can you imagine a World Cup of just 15 games? The players wore traditional cricket whites and there were no restrictions on fielding. The matches were 60 overs a side and the final was played until 8.42pm with no floodlights, but under the bright English sun.
The 1975 World Cup was played from June 7 to June 21, the longest day of the year. Though it happened 35 years ago, the exciting moments are still alive for many fans. There was no global television coverage and most fans followed the matches on radio. Which is why nostalgic feelings came flooding when I met Dayle Hadlee, the International Cricket Council Global Cricket Academy coach in Dubai. Hadlee had played in that edition of the tournament for New Zealand.
Glenn Turner was the star batsman of the tournament scoring 333 runs and Hadlee was witness to his unbeaten 171 against East Africa. Hadlee took three wickets in that match. Sunil Gavaskar's unbeaten 36 during which he also carried his bat through the entire 60 overs was also a talking point. Today such an innings may have been classified as an act of sabotage.
India, who went on to win the World Cup eight years later, played the first match against England at Lord's and lost by 202 runs.
The final was exciting with the West Indies scoring 291 for eight, thanks to skipper Clive Lloyd's spectacular 102. Australia looked like turning the tables at one point when they were 162 for three, but with 21 runs remaining Viv Richards ran out Ian Chappell on 62 with a direct hit and West Indies won by 17 runs. One of the best matches of the tournament was between West Indies and Pakistan which the former won by one wicket. Chasing Pakistan's 266 for 7 the West Indies lost nine wickets for 203 runs, but wicket-keeper Derrick Murray and last man Andy Roberts steered their team to victory with two balls to spare.
