Aussies open Cup account
The 1987 World Cup was the first to be held outside England, co-hosted by India and Pakistan. The teams were the same as in 1983, and the format was also the same; eight teams in two groups of four, with teams playing each other twice, and the top two to progress to the semifinals. Because of the shorter daylight hours in the subcontinent, the match length was reduced from sixty overs per innings in the previous editions to fifty in 1987.
Champions: Australia
The cricket world in 2010 has gotten used to Australia’s dominance, but in the mid-80s Australian cricket was not in the robust health as it is in now. A clutch of heavyweights including Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and Rodney Marsh had exited the scene, and the new generation initially found life without the greats tough. Toughness though is a quality Australians are born with, and the team had begun to gel under Allan Border’s stewardship. This triumph was the start of Australia’s resurgence to the top of the cricketing world.
A majority of the Australian squad went on to carve out stellar careers. The openers, David Boon and Geoff Marsh, finished second and third in the tournament run charts respectively. They were equally adept at attack and defence. The portly Boon was one of the best players of his era, a fact he proved by top-scoring in the final. They were followed by a formidable middle order comprising Dean Jones, Allan Border, Tom Moody, Steve Waugh and allrounder Simon O’Donnell. All were strokeplayers, an important attribute on subcontinent pitches — generally more batsman-friendly than pitches in England.
The keeper was Greg Dyer — a safe keeper who might have played more cricket had Ian Healy played in another era — and he will be remembered for his catch off Mike Gatting’s much-maligned reverse sweep in the final.
The bowling was in the hands of Craig McDermott, Bruce Reid, Tim May, Simon O’Donnell and Steve Waugh, who started his career as an allrounder capable of making important contributions with the ball. McDermott finished the tournament as the highest wicket-taker. Off-spinner Peter Taylor was also in the squad, and he was picked for games where a turning pitch called for two spinners. Tim May was the first choice spinner. The attack was a varied and balanced one with McDermott providing raw pace, Reid and O’Donnell offering variety with their left arm pace, Steve Waugh’s medium pace mixed with well-disguised slower deliveries, and the spin of May and occasionally Taylor that is a must in subcontinental conditions.
The big surprise of the tournament was that West Indies, the best team in the world of the era, crashed out before the knockout stage. That blew the tournament wide open, as locals dreamed of an India-Pakistan final when the hosts made it to the semis. Australia beating Pakistan and England beating India put paid to that hope, and instead it was an ‘Ashes final’ at Eden Gardens. Australia took the trophy, thanks to David Boon’s 75 and O’Donnel and Waugh’s economical bowling. It was, as is now known, the first of many.
