Today we bring to you the 5 best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979 while batting first. The series did not see any team touching or surpassing 300 runs unlike the previous edition of 1975. Most of the matches were low scoring ones with some teams being restricted for less than 100 runs in few. Some great batsmen however powered their teams to healthy totals which would later culminate into wins. Here are the 5 best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
5. West Indies (244/7 vs New Zealand)
The Caribbean and Kiwi teams met in the last league match of Group B at Trent Bridge. They had both already qualified for the knockout stage. The West Indians batted first and put 244 runs on the board. Their batting was led by opener Gordon Greenidge who scored 65 runs and Captain Clive Lloyd who made an unbeaten 73 runs of 80 balls.
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The Caribbean bowlers later defended the total by restricted New Zealand to 212 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Andy Roberts led the West Indies bowling attack by taking 3 Kiwi wickets including their star batsman Glenn Turner. Among the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
4. Pakistan (250 vs West Indies)
In the first semi-final match at the Oval cricket ground, the Pakistanis needed to score 287 runs to beat the mighty West Indies team. They started with a very positive intent as Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas put 166 runs for the 2nd wicket. Pakistan was cruising at 176 for the loss of just 1 wicket before they lost their way.
Collin Croft struck a few quick blows taking 5 Pakistani wickets. The team was finally all out for 250 runs. The Pakistanis showed a lot of stomach for a fight but the quality of the West Indian bowling attack was too good to be dominated for a long time. Among the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
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3. West Indies (286/9 vs England)
The final of the cricket world cup 1979 saw the defending champions West Indies up against the hosts England. The English team had home support and were looking very confident. That belief was further strengthened when the English bowlers got the top 4 Caribbean batsmen out on a total score of less than 100. Vivian Richards and Collis King then put on a great partnership to power their team to a very strong total of 286 runs. Richards score 138 runs in the match while remaining unbeaten.
The home team in return was all out for 184 runs though they had a big opening partnership of 129 runs. The West Indies bowlers bowled an attacking line and kept taking regular wickets. Joel Garner got 5 wickets for his side. The Caribbean side was thus victorious in their second consecutive world cup final. They had reigned supreme in the 1979 cricket world cup to be called as the world champions again. Among the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
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2. Pakistan (286/7 vs Australia)
Pakistan team was much improved in all departments in the 1979 cricket world cup. The met the Aussies at Trent Bridge. While opting to bat first the Pakistani batsmen put in a master class. The team scored 286 runs with all top-order batsmen contributing well. The skipper Asif Iqbal top-scored with 61 runs from just 57 balls. It was a very healthy total for the Pakistani bowlers to defend.
The Aussie batters felt scoreboard pressure right from the start of their innings. They were all dismissed for 197 runs and Pakistan won the match by 86 runs. Majid Khan and Sikander Bakht led the Pakistani bowling claiming 3 Aussie wickets each. The victory at Trent Bridge proved very decisive for Pakistan later to make it to the knockout stage in the 1979 cricket world cup. Among the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
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1. West Indies (293/6 vs Pakistan)
The West Indies and Pakistan teams met each other in the second semi-final of the 1979 cricket world cup at the Oval. The Caribbean team was defending their 1975 title while Pakistan had their first experience of the knockout stage. West Indies side batted first and posed a formidable total of 293 runs on the scoreboard. Their innings were perfectly set up by the great opening partnership of 132 runs between Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
The middle-order batsmen Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, and Collis King then took the Caribbean innings forward by making healthy contributions. In return, the Pakistanis who were perfectly placed in the chase at 176/1 lost their way after that. The whole Pakistan team was then dismissed on just 250 runs with Collin Croft and Vivian Richards taking 3 wickets each. The West Indies won the match by 43 runs and again got a place in the 1979 cricket world cup final. This one leads the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979.
These were the best team totals at Cricket World Cup 1979. Don’t forget to put in your comments.
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