World Cup 1987
In the first few days itself, three remarkable matches happened. All memorable. First, Australia defeated India by a run - at the same venue where they tied the test a year earlier. At one stage, India needed some 60 runs in 15 overs with plenty of wickets in hand. Earlier, Navjot Sidhu showed what he could do with spinners and would continue to so for the next 10 years – murder them! India were so comfortable that I hardly cared to listen to the commentary. But Steve Waugh’s nerveless bowling and Craig McDermott’s burst of wickets pushed India to the brink. And the denouement came in the form of hapless Maninder Singh being cleaned up – this time by Waugh.
Geoff Marsh scored a century for Australia when they batted- his first of the two he scored in the ’87 World Cup. Australia never looked like a strong team, but they somehow worked well – probably by simple enterprise. Indian batsmen were so comfortable against their attack that it is beyond belief Australia could defeat India. Possibly, the win here gave them the push they needed to feel a top-class team.
On the same day, England scored a one (or two) wicket, last over victory over the West Indies through an Allan Lamb special. Lamb was a supreme batsman in improbable chases – terrible asking rates of over 10, which are still tough in 2020s, even in T20, were attainable if he got stuck. He did the same to the West Indies by smashing a very disciplined but younger Courtney Walsh for 14 runs in the final over. All through the match, England was way behind the required run rate, but Lamb continued unflustered. It was a setback to Viv Richards, who was leading a depleted West indies team missing Gordon Greenidge and Malcolm Marshall.
As I recall now, Marshall’s absence was a real loss since he was one bowler who could wreak havoc on subcontinent pitches. And without Greenidge at the top of the order, Desmond Haynes looked half a player. Sill, except for England, no other team posed a threat to the West Indies. In the Australian summer of 1986-87, it was England who defeated the West indies 3 out of 4 games to win the Tri- Series, at the time sponsored by Bensen and Hedges.
Then came the real humdinger. Zimbabwe, in pursuit of New Zealand’s mediocre total of 242, were 60 something for the loss of 7 wickets after 25 overs, when David Houghton was joined by Ian Butchart. Houghton soon went berserk, hitting boundaries at will. Such clean hitting was rarely seen under such circumstances. He was majestic and mesmerizing! It took an impossible catch by Martin Crowe to dismiss Houghton. Anyone who has seen the catch by would never forget it. In significance, it was nowhere near to Kapil Dev’s World cup final catch to dismiss Viv Richards, however, technically, it was much tougher. Crowe ran at least 30 meters, stretched and dived full length and tumbled over. We all were disappointed to see Houghton fall. When he got out, Zimbabwe could pull off a victory with enough deliveries left, but their lack of batting depth left them 3 runs adrift. Houghton’s 142 was then the highest individual score against a test team in the World cups.
As I recall now, my life was dictated by cricket. For endless hours, we discussed these matches, scores, or situations. Regurgitating them, simply reliving them. Cricket was a religion, and it is until now. Why?
The World cup of 1987 lacked several players. England could have fielded, Ian Botham and David Gower, West Indies lacked Marshall and Greenidge while Richard Hadlee was always hesitant to tour the subcontinent. England was strong enough with adequate ammunition, but West Indies looked vulnerable for the first time since I had started watching the game. In hay days, a team looks invincible, but it is usually a couple of players who matter. Malcolm Marshall was so terrifying a prospect that opposition lost before the match. Not having him a was great blow to the West Indies, who now faced elimination after another agonizing, last over- last ball in fact- one wicket defeat to Pakistan.
I picked up the action in the second innings when Pakistan were choked by some good middle overs bowling by the West Indies. Or was it the belief that no one could beat the West Indies? Either way, Pakistan lost plenty of wickets and consumed plentiful of overs and still did not manage to reach close to the West Indies’ modest total of 216. We were confident that West Indies would prevail. As it happens, after the names expected to challenge the mighty West Indies were blown away, a little-known wicket-keeper batsman, Salim Yousuf, scored a run a ball half century to take Pakistan close to 200. In the last over with one wicket left, Courtney Walsh, who had until then given away only 26 runs in his 9 overs, needed to defend 14 against Abdul Qadir and the last man Salim Jaffer – a rabbit. Even in T20 age, the bowler is expected to prevail over 60 out of 100 matches.
First three balls yielded 4 runs, with a couple granted to Qadir on the third delivery, courtesy a West Indies overthrow. 10 runs in 3 balls! I recall my friend saying,” asking rate is 20! Ha ha-ha!” Little did we know that Qadir would belt the next delivery for a six and push the dagger fatally into the West Indian hegemony. I still believe that the shot was the reason for the continual decline of the West Indies. England were beating them anyways. Allan Lamb could do miracles like that but now Salim Yousuf and Abdul Qadir, lower order batsmen were stealing the fights. Things had turned. Viv Richards slumped to the ground after the final delivery which yielded the couple needed for victory. Only India had defeated the West Indies so far in the World Cups, now Pakistan had joined India and England.
The six on the fourth delivery was unexpected. Neither Abdul Qadir, nor Walsh or any other person involved believed it was probable. It was stunning.
The drama that unfolded on the last delivery has been enacted countless times and recently rekindled after Ravichandran Ashwin’s dismissal of Jos butler in IPL of 2019. Courtney Walsh had a clear chance of running out Salim Jaffer on his follow through, but he stopped and stood with folded hands as Jaffer, who had gone too far out, came back. Even without the slo-mo replays in those days, a viewer could tell that Walsh had ample time to take the bails off and run Jaffer out.
Walsh was widely praised but West Indies were knocked out of the world cup. Technically though, it was decided on the return game against England.
England lost both games to Pakistan but defeated West Indies and Sri Lanka to qualify. Pakistan lost the return game to West Indies, but it was of no value.
Though Viv Richards suffered these sickening losses, he massacred the Sri Lankans by scoring 181 out of West Indies’ total of 360 in 50 overs. It was huge. Surprisingly, Sri Lanka never competed and settled for 182 in their 50 overs for loss of a few wickets. It was a different era.
A fading memory is the return match between West Indies and Sri Lanka. West indies were restricted to low score of 236 and Sri Lanka almost chased it thanks to a chubby, little batsman called Ranatunga, who scored an unbeaten 80 something.
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