Cricket World Cup 1st X1: 1) West Indies reign

Jubilation as the wicket falls during a Prudential World Cup final between the West Indies and India at Lords, London, June 1983. Photo / Getty Images.

With five weeks to go before the start of the Cricket World Cup, the Herald lists the stories that have defined the tournament

No.1: West Indies reign

The West Indies were the first true force in World Cup cricket. From their opening game of the inaugural 1975 tournament they won their first nine matches - one was abandoned - to dominate the first two cups.

It wasn't until the first match of the 1983 event that they were beaten, by India, who then did them again for good measure in the final soon after.

This was just before the start of the West Indies almost two-decade dominance of the game.

At those cups, they had brilliant batsmen - Viv Richards, Alvin Kallicharran, Roy Fredericks, Rohan Kanhai and Gordon Greenidge - world class bowlers like Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Colin Croft, and all inspired by captain Clive Lloyd.

Lloyd was a dominant figure, hugely respected by his players and no lightweight player.

A physically imposing man with a loping cat-like stride - from which his nickname came -- he led from the front, and it was he who worked out that, after being hammered in Australia in 1975-76 at least in part by brutal fast bowling, that was the way to go.

The results are well documented.

And Lloyd played a critical role in the 1975 final, with his dazzling 102, which got the Windies out of a potential jam and pushed them from 50 for three to 291 for eight - remembering the first two tournaments were 60-over affairs.

Now throw in three run outs from Richards' golden arm among five in the Australian innings and a thrilling finish, with the crowd prematurely invading the pitch before the conclusion, and having to clear Lord's.

The champion quicks Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson scrapped to the end, adding 41 for the last wicket before the West Indies won perhaps cricket's finest ODI by 17 runs on a sunlit evening.

It was cricket's longest day and the perfect start to the global tournament.

Chalk the second final in 1979 up to Richards, Collis King and Joel Garner.

Once more the West Indies were wobbling at 99 for four before Richards and allrounder King put on 139 at pace.

Richards finished unbeaten on 138 off 157 balls; King enjoyed his finest day in Caribbean colours with 86 off 66 balls as they rattled up 286 for nine.

The sight of Geoff Boycott bowling in a cap was a hoot, but the last laugh was on the English as, a genuine bowler short, they had to get through 12 overs between Boycott, Graham Gooch and Wayne Larkins, which went for 86.

In reply, England were far too slow. Boycott and Mike Brearley did put on 129 - Brearley's 64 took 130 balls; Boycott's 57 105 balls - before the giant Garner stepped up and delivered a series of crushing Yorkers as England crumbled to 194. Garner had five for 38 from his 11 overs and the job was done.

There were creaks to come, four years later.