With the World Cup just around the corner we pick ten of the most memorable moments from the tournament.
Memorable moments from previous tournaments
With the World Cup just around the corner we pick out some memorable moments from tournaments gone by.
GATTING'S MOMENT OF MADNESS
(Australia v England, 1987 final, Eden Gardens, Calcutta)
England had looked to be cruising to 1987 World Cup glory in Calcutta - until captain Mike Gatting handed the initiative back to Australia in bizarre fashion. Chasing 254, England seemed well placed at 135 for two and with Gatting and Bill Athey at the crease. Australia skipper Allan Border brought himself on to test the England pair with his left-armers. Inexplicably, Gatting - not known as a risk-taker - attempted to reverse-sweep the first delivery he faced from his opposite number, which pitched around off stump. The ball hit his shoulder and flew behind to wicketkeeper Greg Dyer. Gatting's exit slowed the pursuit and resulted in a rise in the required run-rate which left England needing 17 from the final over. They fell short and Australia won by seven runs.
'SUPERMAN' RHODES RUNS OUT INZY
(Pakistan v South Africa, 1992 group match, The Gabba)
Images of Jonty Rhodes' 'Superman' run-out of Pakistan batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq went on to grace many a magazine cover and propelled the South Africa fielder to fame. Inzamam, whose side were on 135 for two chasing a revised target of 194, set off for a run but was turned back by captain Imran Khan. Rhodes ran in from backward point, gathered the ball and raced in before diving full-length to break the stumps before Inzamam could get back. Pakistan faltered from then on and South Africa won by 20 runs.
RAIN DELAY COSTS PROTEAS
(England v South Africa, 1992 semi-final, Sydney Cricket Ground)
England advanced to the final after beating South Africa in controversial circumstances in their semi-final in Sydney. After a 12-minute rain delay, the Proteas' victory target was revised from 22 runs from 13 balls to an impossible 21 runs from one ball. This rule was replaced for one-day international matches in Australia after the 1992 tournament, with the Duckworth-Lewis method coming into effect for the 1999 event onwards. England went on to lose the final by 22 runs to Pakistan in Melbourne.
BOTHAM AND GOOCH NOT AMUSED
(pre-Pakistan v England, 1992 World Cup final, Melbourne Cricket Ground)
Sir Ian Botham and Graham Gooch caused a stir by walking out of the World Cup final official pre-match dinner after being far from impressed at Australian comedian Gerry Connolly's act. The Queen impersonator joked that the royal family was to be privatised and sponsored by Fosters. The opening pair strode out mid-meal, leaving their team-mates and a stunned audience behind them. The next day, Botham was out for a duck and Gooch 29 as Pakistan triumphed.
GIBBS 'DROPS THE WORLD CUP'
(South Africa v Australia, 1999 Super Six, Headingley)
Australia captain Steve Waugh must have feared the worst after clipping a ball to Herschelle Gibbs at square leg, but was let off the hook by the South Africa fielder. As the Proteas must have expected, he went on to take advantage. Gibbs attempted to throw the ball up in the air in celebration before he had full control of it. Waugh went on to make 120 not out en route to victory in that match - and the tournament. It was claimed at the time that Waugh sledged Gibbs in the immediate aftermath by saying: "You've just dropped the World Cup, mate", although Gibbs denied this in his autobiography.
A RUN TOO FAR FOR PROTEAS
(South Africa v Australia, 1999 semi-final, Edgbaston)
Just four days after their Headingley meeting, the most dramatic finish in the history of one-day cricket saw eventual champions Australia scrape through to the final on Super Six net run-rate after both sides had been bowled out for the same score at Edgbaston. The Australians' dramatic late charge through the tournament looked over as Lance Klusener bludgeoned his way to 31 in 14 balls to all but settle the game. Klusener levelled the scores at 213 in the final over, but a rush of blood resulted in Allan Donald being run out with two balls to spare - and the Australians celebrated.
LEVEROCK'S CATCH OF THE DAY
(Bermuda v India, 2007 group match, Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad)
Dwayne Leverock's spectacular slip catch to dismiss India's Robin Uthappa was one of the enduring images of the 2007 event in the Caribbean. Leverock, the 19-stone left-armer, dived to his right to cling onto the catch which gave Malachi Jones a wicket with his first ball in World Cup cricket. Jones immediately burst into tears at the enormity of it all. Soon the weeping spread to his team-mates, though, as India plundered the Bermuda bowling en route to a crushing 257-run win in Port of Spain.
FOUR-STAR MALINGA
(Sri Lanka v South Africa, 2007 Super Eight, Providence Stadium, Guyana)
South Africa completed an extraordinary one-wicket victory over Sri Lanka after Lasith Malinga became the first bowler in international cricket to take four wickets in as many balls. With a single boundary needed to reach their 210-run victory target, Malinga produced a ferocious yorker which rearranged Shaun Pollock's stumps. When Andrew Hall spooned another full delivery to cover next ball panic well and truly set in. Jacques Kallis ensured he got on strike for the hat-trick ball but his audacious drive provided wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara with a low catch. It was fairytale stuff when Makhaya Ntini was undone by another screaming yorker which crashed into the base of the stumps. However, Charl Langeveldt and Robin Peterson got South Africa over the line.
FARCICAL ENDING IN BARBADOS
(Australia v Sri Lanka, 2007 final, Kensington Oval, Barbados)
Australia became the first side to win three successive finals by securing a 53-run victory in bizarre circumstances over Sri Lanka. The world champions began their celebrations when Sri Lanka, who had slipped to 206 for seven chasing Australia's 281 for four, accepted the offer of bad light and walked off shortly after 6.10pm. But as the stage for the presentation ceremony began being assembled on the outfield, umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor ordered the players to continue with the game for the remaining three overs. In pitch black conditions, Sri Lanka continued to reach 215 for eight before the players, by now barely visible to the crowd, could begin their celebrations.
GILCHRIST'S GLOVE SECRET
(post-Australia v Sri Lanka, 2007 final, Kensington Oval, Barbados)
Australia batsman Adam Gilchrist admitted after the 53-run World Cup final victory over Sri Lanka that he used a squash ball to give him a better grip. Gilchrist's batting coach Bob Meuleman was the man behind the idea. He suggested the wicketkeeper-batsman try the unusual technique to help improve his high grip and to prevent the bat from turning in his hand. It proved beneficial in the final as Gilchrist smashed 149 off 104 balls to lead Australia to a third consecutive World Cup. Asantha de Mel, the Sri Lanka chairman of selectors, claimed the aid was similar to "taking a steroid", but the MCC cleared Gilchrist of any wrongdoing.
