The Greatest World Cup Performances

Beefy's last stand, and Sri Lanka run into Thommo

With the clock winding down, Botham conjured up one last hurrah against the auld enemy © AFP

Beefy's last stand

England v Australia, 18th match, Sydney, 1992

By 1991-92, Ian Botham had no right to still be a force in international cricket. Of all the ageing legends to make their bow in that World Cup, it was Botham's portly frame that was the least flattered by the skin-tight light-blue pyjamas that England were required to wear throughout the campaign.

Two months earlier, while his team-mates had been seeing off the Kiwis in a tricky Test tour, Botham was luvvying it up at the Bradford Alhambra, starring as the King in the pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk - "The expressionless Botham is the only wooden thing on stage apart from the beanstalk," wrote a critic in the Daily Express, "and even that projects itself better." It was no way for a legend to fade out of the game.

And so, back he came for one last hurrah - a 100th Test, against New Zealand at Wellington, followed by one final starring role against his favourite foes, Australia. Wounded by defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, the Aussies were teetering on the brink of an early exit, and Botham was only too willing to give them the necessary shove. From 145 for 4, with Steve Waugh and Allan Border well set, Australia lost their last six wickets for 26, with Botham barrelling in to grab four in seven balls.

Border was bowled through the gate, Ian Healy was caught at midwicket, Mark Taylor and Craig McDermott made second-ball ducks. Botham finished with his best ODI figures of 4 for 31, and that was just for starters. Sensing blood, he and Graham Gooch ripped into the target, adding 107 for the first wicket. Botham's share was 53 from 77 balls - he never again made an international half-century.
Andrew Miller

Brave Sri Lanka run into Thommo

Thomson's blistering pace ended the Sri Lankan resistance © Getty Images

Sri Lanka v Australia, 7th match, The Oval, 1975

Two minnows - East Africa and Sri Lanka - joined the Test-playing countries for the first World Cup in 1975. Sri Lanka, still referred to in many newspapers as Ceylon, had a rich cricket pedigree and several talented players, although upsets weren't predicted in what was their first real test in meaningful competition.

After a nine-wicket drubbing by West Indies in their opening game, they headed south to take on Australia, and after being asked to bat, the Australians piled on 328 for 5. In reply, Sri Lanka reached 150 for 2 in the 32nd over, up with the clock and fighting hard. They had weathered Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson's opening salvos, but when the pair returned, it proved too much.

Sunil Wettimuny and Duleep Mendis were repeatedly struck on the body, with Thomson, steaming in from the Pavilion End, causing the most damage. Both batsmen were hit, but Mendis was laid out by a ball Alan Gibson in The Times described as "not a bouncer but a short ball aimed at the body". "I hit this bloke on the head," Thomson explained. "They were only little fellas so you couldn't call it a bouncer exactly."

Mendis was knocked out and fell down as if shot and, according to Thomson, as he was brought round, muttered: "Oh my God, I'm going" - a comment which he vehemently denies making - and left the field for hospital while Thomson was roundly booed.

The noise grew in Thomson's next over when he floored Wettimuny, who had already been hit sickening blows on the legs and body. In the previous over he had been struck on the instep, after which Thomson had offered a sympathetic observation. "Look, it's not broken you weak bastard. But if you're down there next over, it will be."

Sure enough, the first ball of Thomson's next over landed once more on Wettimuny's instep and he jumped around in agony. Thomson recalls that, egged on by his team-mates, he picked up the ball and threw down the stumps at the striker's end with the distressed batsmen out of his ground. "I jumped up and appealed," Thomson said. "No other bastard moved. They all sat or stood there with their arms folded. They'd done me stone cold."

"Wettimuny limped most of the way off," Gibson wrote, "but had to be picked up before he reached the pavilion." Both men were taken to hospital. Both were discharged the next day, but Wettimuny was forced to walk on crutches because of a damaged instep and Mendis missed Sri Lanka's last match with a lingering headache.

It was certainly an experience," said Mendis, before adding: "Although I don't remember too much about it." Wettimuny, meanwhile, recalled that on arrival at hospital he was asked who had injured him. "Thomson," he replied. A nearby off-duty policeman, unaware that he had been felled on the cricket field, walked over and asked: "Would you like to press charges?"
Martin Williamson

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Matches

Australia v England at Sydney

Australia v Sri Lanka at The Oval

Players/Umpires

Sir Ian Botham

Duleep Mendis

Jeff Thomson

Sunil Wettimuny