Lanka's win in Wills World Cup will never be forgotten

By A.C. De Silva

Eight countries participated in the first Prudential World Cup. They were divided into two groups as `A' and `B'.

England, New Zealand, India and East Africa group `A'. The group `B' consisted of Australia, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. All the countries except Sri Lanka and East Africa had "Test" status at the time.

At Old Trafford in Manchester, West Indies had an easy time beating Sri Lanka by 9 wickets. Sri Lanka playing first were all out for just 86 runs.

The match ended at 3.30 p.m. England time. The spectators were not happy about the way the match went. So, the organisers arranged 20 over "exhibition match" between the two sides to bring back the spirit of the spectators.

Sri Lanka vs Australia match played at Kensington Oval in London on June 11th was a match, much talked about by cricket fans.

In this match, Australia who lost the toss, were put into bat. The Aussies made 328 in 60 overs losing 5 wickets. There were many among the spectators who thought that the Sri Lankan batsmen will be out to a low score when they called on to face bowlers in the calibre of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson.

But Sri Lankan batsmen faced the Australian pacemen with courage, nullifying the predictions of the critics.

Opener Sunil Wettimuny and Duleep Mendis got injured when facing Jeff Thomson's pace bowling and had to be hospitalized. If not, the match result may well have been different. At the end of 60 overs Sri Lanka's score of 276 for 4 wickets was something remarkable. Australia won the match by 52 runs.

After the 1975 World Cup, came the next one in 1979 the counters were once again divided into 2 groups. England, Pakistan, Australia and Canada were in group `A'. The group `B' consisted of New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka and India. This tourney started on June 9th 1979.

West Indies who were champions in the previous World Cup, were in first place in group `B'. New Zealand was in second place beating Sri Lanka and India, but lost to West Indies.

Sri Lanka, "turn the table" in the first round by winning a match for the first time in a tournament. This was something remarkable for Sri Lanka.

On 18th of June, Sri Lanka recorded this fine win by beating India by 47 runs, at Old Trafford in Manchester. Sri Lanka under the leadership of Bandula Warnapura, who lost the toss, but was asked to bat first. Sri Lanka scored 238 and lost five wickets in their allotted 60 overs. Lanka's batsmen Sunil Wettimuny 67, Roy Dias 50, Duleep Mendis 64, Sudath Pasqual 23 not out.

In reply, India were all out for 191 in 54.1 overs. Tony Opatha took 3 for 31. Somachandra de Silva 3 for 29 and D.L.S.de Silva 2 for 36.

The Sri Lanka's attacking batsman Duleep Mendis who tucked into his glorious knock of 64 three sixes was named `Man of the Match.'

The 3rd World Cup tournament came in 1983 and Sri Lanka participated as a country with "Test status." This is something that Sri Lanka had hardly won after a long period of time.

On this occasion Duleep Mendis captained the Sri Lanka team. Countries with Test status, plus the non Test status Zimbabwe played in this tournament.

England, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka were in group `A'. The group `B' included West Indies, India, Australia and Zimbabwe. This time the game pattern was somewhat different. There were 24 matches in the first round.

The 3rd Prudential World Cup tournament started on 9th June, 1983. Of the early matches, on the 18th of June, Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 3 wickets to get a valuable win. Sri Lanka won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat first and the Kiwis were all out for 181 in 58.2 overs.

Ashantha de Mel in a superb spell of bowling took 5 for 32 and it gave the team a fine spirit. However, it was not an easy task for Sri Lanka batsmen. Somehow careful batting by Brendon Kuruppu and Roy Dias helped Sri Lanka to reach 184 in 52.5 overs losing 7 wickets. Ashantha de Mel was `Man of the match.' But Sri Lanka could not go much far in the tournament.

The 1987 World Cup saw the previous World Cup being divided into two groups as `A' and `B'. India, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe were in group `A'. In group `B' were Pakistan, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka. This time too the time table included 27 matches as it was in the previous tournament.

Pakistan winning the toss batted first and made 267 for 6 wickets in 50 overs with saved Miandad making 103 in exactly 100 balls, Ramiz Raja made 76. Sri Lanka all out for 252 in 49.2 overs. Roshan Mahanama made 89 off 117 balls. Asanka Gurusinha made 37 and Aravinda de Silva 42.

On 13th October at Karachi National Stadium, Sri Lanka played against West Indies. In this game, West Indies won by a huge margin of 191 runs. West Indies who lost the toss, were put into bat, they scored 360 for 4 wickets in their 50 overs.

Desmond Haynes 105 off 124 balls, Captain Vivian Richards recorded the highest individual score in a World Cup Cricket match 181 off 125 balls and it included 16 fours and 7 huge sixes. In reply, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets in their 50 overs. The Lankans scored only 169 runs. Arjuna Ranatunga made 52 not out and captain Duleep Mendis 37 not out.

Then came the Benson and Hedges World Cup - 1991/92. This was the 5th World Cup Tournament and it started on February 1992.

On February 23rd Sri Lanka played against New Zealand at New Plymouth.

New Zealand who were put into bat, scored 312 in their 50 overs losing 4 wickets. Andy Flower made 115 in 152 balls, but was on the losing side.

Sri Lanka batted well and made 313 for 7 wickets in 49.2 overs to win. Roshan Mahanama (59), Athula Samarasekera (75), Arjuna Ranatunga (88) and Sanath Jayasuriya (32). So, Sri Lanka won the match by 3 wickets.

Then Sri Lanka next played against South Africa at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on March 2. Here too victory smiled on Sri Lanka this time by 3 wkts.

South Africa batted first and made 195 in 50 overs. For Sri Lanka, S. Don Anurasiri took 3 for 41 and Arjuna Ranatunga 2 for 26.

Sri Lanka was 87 for 4 wickets at one stage, but opener Roshan Mahanama (68), Arjuna Ranatunga (64 not out) were involved in a fine partnership of 67 runs and they carried the Sri Lanka to 198 in 49.5 overs losing 7 wickets. So, Sri Lanka won the match by 3 wickets. Allan Donald 3 for 42 was the most successful South African bowler. Arjuna Ranatunga was the `man of the match.'

There is a chapter that will not be forgotten in Sri Lanka's cricket for a long, long time. In the history of the game in Sri Lanka, the most memorable event that took place was none other than the 1995/96 "Wills" World Cup tournament and here, Sri Lanka won the World Cup.

It was at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 17th March, 1996 where the Sri Lanka team under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga made a historical victory by beating the strong Australian team. All Sri Lanka were happy. It was a day/night match. It was recorded in history as the first day/night one-day International played in Pakistan. After winning the toss, Arjuna Ranatunga the Sri Lanka captain invited to Australians to bat. Australia was restricted to 241 for 7 wickets in 50 overs.

Aussie Captain Mark Taylor opened the innings skilfully. The first wicket fell at 36, then Ricky Ponting who joined Taylor build up a 101-run partnership for the second wicket.

Mark Taylor's 74 off 83 balls included 8 fours and one six, Ricky Ponting 45, Michael Bevan 36 not out and Steuart Law 22. The Australians made 241 for 7 wickets in their 50 overs.

Aravinda de Silva was the most successful Sri Lankan bowler with 3 for 42.

However, everything did not go the way Sri Lanka wanted and Sri Lanka started off badly when opening bat Sanath Jayasuriya was run out for 9 - and this was a great blow for Sri Lanka, then Romesh Kaluwitharane was out for 6. However, Aravinda de Silva joined Asanka Gurusinha and slowly but steadily built up the Sri Lanka innings. The partnership between this pair realised 125 runs for the third wicket brought back Sri Lanka's expectations.

Asanka Gurusinha's 65 off 99 balls included 6 fours and a six. The partnership between Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga for the 4th wicket was an unbeaten 97 runs. Both Gurusinha and Ranatunga thrashed the Australian bowlers to all parts of the field. In Warne's spell of 10 overs, the Sri Lankans grabbed 58 runs. At the end, Sri Lanka scored 245 in 46.2 overs losing 3 wickets to win the Wills World Cup. Aravinda de Silva who was the Man of the Match, lit up the ground hitting 107 off 124 balls and this included 13 fours. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga who assisted him greatly was 47 not out off 37 balls and it contained 4 fours and one six.

Sanath Jayasuriya - the attacking batsman of the Sri Lankan side was awarded the "Most valued player of the Tournament" award for his performance.

The Sri Lanka team received 30,000 pounds and the Wills Cup.