Cricket 4 U

Clinical Australia lifted the World Cup trophy for a record third successive time after claiming a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in a farcical ending to a rain-shortened final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Gilchrist's (149) innings, the highest in a final surpassing the 140 not out made by Australia captain Ricky Ponting against India in Johannesburg four years ago, was the centerpiece of the champions' 281 for four. In reply, Lanka, who were set a revised target of 269 off 36 overs under Duckworth-Lewis method, managed only 215 for 8.

They had a glimmer of hope during a second-wicket stand of 117 between left-handers Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakkara (54). Hogg broke the partnership by claiming Sangakkara and Jayasuriya followed his partner immediately conceding his wicket to part-timer Clarke.

Aussie bowling attack spearheaded by McGrath and with the likes of Bracken, Hogg and Tait kept 1996 champions out of hunt claiming wickets in regular intervals.

Scorecard

But the game ended in farce with Australia thinking the final was finished due to bad light after 33 overs of the Sri Lankan innings, in a match reduced by rain to 38 a side, only for play to resume in pitch darkness on a ground without floodlights.

The scoreboard on the ground flashed up with 'Congratulations Australia' but the Sri Lankans were then recalled by the umpires to finish the final three overs in the pitch darkness at the Oval.

Australia laid their hands on the World Cup for the third time when they trounced India by 125 runs in the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and put the Aussies into bat. Ganguly's boys were left ruing the decision as Australian opener Adam Gilchrist pummeled the Indian bowling into submission with a power-packed 57 off only 48 balls.

Ricky Ponting reserved his best for the occasion as he carted the Indian bowlers to all parts of the Wanderers as he clobbered a career-best unbeaten 140 to pave the way for a massive Aussie total. Damien Martyn also joined in the fun hitting a fine 80 to take Australia to a massive 359 for two off its allotted 50 overs.

Chasing 360 for a World Cup win was never going to be easy and the men in blue just could not get going on a day when the Australians didn't seem to put a foot wrong.

Virender Sehwag was the lone saving grace as he provided early impetus with almost a run-a-ball 82 but the rest of the batsmen failed to prosper to be fold up for 234 handing Kangaroos a huge victory. Ricky Ponting was named Man of the Match.

Australia claimed the World Cup for the second time when they outsmarted Pakistan by eight wickets in a lop-sided summit clash.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistan batsmen failed to justify thr move of skipper Wasim Akram as they fell like ninepins to be shot out for a paltry 132. Ejaz Ahmed was the only batsmen to reach the twenties scoring 22.

Star leg-spinner Shane Warne cast a web around the Pakistani batsmen snapping up 4 for 33.

Needing just 133 for victory, Australian opening duo of Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist were in a hurry to finish off the game as they rattled up 75 for the opening wicket. Gilchrist as usual took the Pakistan bowlers in a big way as he bludgeoned a whirlwind 54 off only 36 balls before he fell. Mark Waugh stayed till the end scoring a unbeaten 37 to script an impressive victory for Australia in just 20.1 overs. Shane Warne was named Man of the Match.

Sri Lanka pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in a World Cup final when they upstaged the redoubtable Australians by seven wickets at the flood-lit Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore.

Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga won the toss and opted to insert Australia into bat. Australian captain Mark Taylor led by example as he clocked up an aggressive 74 to set the Kangaroos on a sound footing rightaway. Ricky Ponting played the middle-overs well as he constructed a well-compiled 45. ODI specialist Michael Bevan gave the innings a late thrust with an invaluable 39 off to propel Australia to 241 for seven off its 50 overs.

In pursuit of 242 for victory, Sri Lankan lost the famed dashing opening duo of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana but experienced Aravinda De Silva and Asanka Gurusinghe steadied the ship as they were embroiled in a fine 125-run stand for the third wicket.

Gurusinghe departed for a superlative 65 but De Silva carried on to eke out a match-winning century (107). Skipper Ranatunga joined the party fashioning a handy 47. Aravinda De Silva was named Man of the Match.

Pakistan cornered its main World Cup glory getting the better of England by 22 runs in the final at the Melbourne Cricket ground.

Pakistan captain Imran Khan saw the toss of the coin fall in his favour and he promptly decided to take first strike. Imran, who himself promoted himself up the order to one-drop after Pakistan lose the two early wickets of Aamer Sohail and Rameez Raja, featured in a significant 139-run stand for the third wicket with master batsman Javed Miandad to take the men in green out of the woods. Imran scored a superb 72 while Miandad made 58. Wasin Akram provided some lusty hitting at the end clubbing an unbeaten 33 off only 19 balls. Derek Pringle was the most successful bowler for England picking up figures of 3 for 32.

Chasing 250 for a win, England batsmen had to withstand a determined Wasim Akram, who bowled an inspired spell to snap up three vital wickets to nullify any plans England might have entertained of pulling off a World Cup triumph.

South-paw Neil Fairbrother scored a steady 62 while Allan Lamb weighted in with a cameo of 31. Wasim Akram was named Man of the Match.

Australia won the World Cup for the first time at the picturesque Eden Gardens in Kolkata (then calcutta) getting the better off traditional rivals England by seven runs in a humdinger of a final.

Australia chose to bat first after skipper Allan Border called the coin. Opening bat David Boon gave the Aussie innings a huge boost from the outset scripting a superb 75 to provide a platform for their middle-order to cash in on that. Skipper Allan Border hit a breezy 31 while Mike Veletta provided a late flourish to the innings racking up an unconquered 45 to steer Australia to a healthy looking 253 for five off its 50 overs.

Chasing 254 for victory, England made a solid start with opener Graham Gooch cracking a belligerent 35. But it was the association between Bill Athey (58) and skipper Mike Gatting (41), which raised hopes of a likely England win.

Allan Lamb tried his best to take his side close to the Aussie total scoring a run-a-ball 45 but once he perished, it all over bar the shouting for England. Steve Waugh and Allan Border snared two wickets apiece. David Boon was named Man of the Match.

India surprised one and all when they upset red-hot favourites West Indies by 43 runs to pocket the coveted World Cup.

Asked to take first strike, Indian batsmen struggled to come to terms with the incisive Windies bowling attack on a strip, which had plenty of juice for the quicks.

Opener Krishmachari Srikanth top-scored with 38 as India were packed out for a measly 183 in 54.4 overs. Sandeep Patil and Mohinder Amarnath spared India the blushes contributing 27 and 26 respectively, which in the context of the match proved invaluable in the end. Andy Roberts did most of the damage for West Indies claiming 3 for 32.

Set a target of 184 for victory, the West Indian batsmen committed hara-kiri to be skittled out for 140. Champion batsman Vivian Richards was the only batsman to provide a semblance of respectability to the score notching 33.

Madan Lal and Mohinder Amarnath, hithero unheralded bowlers, emerged as the nemesis for the mighty Windies as they shared six of the ten wickets between them. Mohinder Amarnath, who chipped in a useful 26 with the bat was named Man of the Match.

West Indies clinched the 1979 World Cup edging out hosts England by 92 runs at Lords.

England skipper Mike Brearley called the coin correctly and had little hesitation in inserting Windies into bat. The move boomeranged on the hosts as West Indies powered by a blazing unbeaten 138 from master blaster Vivian Richards and a timely 86 from Collis King posted a score of 286 for eight off its stipulated 60 overs.

Chasing a target of 287 for victory, England opening pair of skipper Mike Brearley (64) and Geoffrey Boycott (57) put the hosts on a firm footing stringing together a superb century stand. Once the pair was dislodged, Windies maintained a stranglehold over the rest of the batsmen who capitulated in face of some disciplined bowling by West Indies. 'Big Bird' Joel Garner bowled a dream spell to finish with returns of 5 for 30 to shape World Cup glory for the West Indies. Vivian Richards was named Man of the Match.

West Indies won the inaugural Word Cup defeating Australia by 17 runs at the historic Lords cricket ground.

Put into bat, West Indies piled up a mammoth 291 for eight off its allotted 60 overs. Skipper Clive Lloyd led from the front scoring a fine century (102) and was ably supported by Rohan Kanhai who notched a handy 55. Left-arm seamer Gary Gilmour was the pick of the Aussie bowlers picking up a haul of 5 for 48.

Chasing 292 for victory, Australia did get off to a good start with opener Alan Turner scoring a solid 40. Once he fell, wickets tumbled at regular intervals. Barring skipper Ian Chappell who authored a fine 62, rest of the batters came a cropper. Keith Boyce was the wrecker-in chief for the Windies, snaffling 4 for 50. Clive Lloyd was named Man of the Match.