The Greatest World Cup Performances

Lara upsets South Africa, and West Indies' great escape

After more than four months out, Lara announced his return in sublime fashion © AFP

Lara upsets South Africa ... again, World Cup 2003
He had not played a serious game in five months since falling ill the previous September. In his own words, he had to " to push and shove myself to get to the front of this young, talented side". But nothing had changed. Again, he walked into a semi-crisis - the story of his and Sachin Tendulkar's life - with West Indies on 7 for 2, and almost perished first ball. Makhaya Ntini produced an edge that Jacques Kallis dropped at second slip and for the rest of the day, the South Africans were mute witnesses as Lara looted runs with his flashing scimitar.

Lara chose not to counterattack on arrival. Caution was the mantra as the first 15 overs produced only 30. The parsimonious Kallis replaced the metronomic Shaun Pollock and the runs ceased to a trickle. Then, in the 19th over and against the run of play, came the first imperious blow from the master. He sent a full-pitched delivery from Allan Donald soaring over long-off for the first six of the tournament. The floodgates had opened, and Donald and Lance Klusener bled runs as Lara started to impose himself. West Indies went past 100 in the 30th over as Lara celebrated his 50 with two successive fours off the expensive Nicky Boje.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell almost immediately but Carl Hooper joined Lara and the duo set about milking the bowling. In the 39th over, Lara cruised into the 90s with a six and four off Klusener. However, he started to cramp up and had to get treatment. A cut off Kallis moved him to 98 and he reached his 16th ODI ton in the 42nd over. Two fours later, he fell, going for broke. However, inspired by his example, Ricardo Powell and Ramnaresh Sarwan biffed 63 runs in five overs to propel West Indies to a winning score.

Lara's first 50 had taken 78 balls, but his next fifty spanned only 43 and he left his imprint all around the ground. Both his World Cup centuries had come against South Africa, and he left the field to a standing ovation from the Newlands crowd that he had held in thrall for 181 magical minutes. Sriram Veera

The Murray-Roberts heist, World Cup 1975

But for Murray's unbeaten 61, West Indies would never have become the first winners of the competition © Getty Images

Seven games into the tournament, the inaugural World Cup produced its first thriller. West Indies and Pakistan, the unpredictables of cricket, faced each other for the first time under the warm Edgbaston sun. Even before the game started, Pakistan suffered a loss when Asif Iqbal, their captain and allrounder, had to opt out due to illness. Majid Khan took up the leadership baton and elected to bat. Most of the Pakistan batsmen were plying their trade on the county circuit and that came handy against the likes of Andy Roberts, Keith Boyce, Bernard Julien and Vanburn Holder.

Mushtaq Mohammad was the watchdog, coming up with a half-century, as did Wasim Raja and the Majid himself, who top-scored with 60. But was a target of 260 enough against the versatility of Clive Lloyd's men? Mohammad was not so sure. "Anything in the region of 260 was a very good winning target. But against West Indies, we were apprehensive as they had a mighty batting order."

But all his fears were allayed as the livewire Sarfraz Nawaz charged in and snapped up three quick wickets - those of Gordon Greenidge, Roy Fredericks and Alvin Kallicharran. Soon, 36 for three became 99 for 5. Clive Lloyd was still there when Deryck Murray joined him. But once again, just as hope started to float, Pakistan struck. Javed Miandad was known as an upcoming young bat, but little did the men from the Caribbean know that he could also tweak the ball a little. Lloyd departed in dubious circumstances, given out to a googly.

Even if there were plenty of overs, Murray was running out of partners. At 201 for nine, Mohammad bet his last dime: "no way were they going to win." But two pesky gentlemen were at the crease: Murray was known to keep his cool and Andy Roberts, that unsmiling assasin, was no rabbit. There were still 16 overs left and Murray's only concern was to ensure that Roberts batted through the rest of the overs.

The strategy began to work, and it was Majid that blinked first, perhaps fatally. He bowled his main man Sarfraz out in the hope that they could bowl out the opposition. It backfired. Ultimately, five were required off the last over. Majid had to pick from his remaining options, and he chose Wasim Raja.

Roberts was on strike and "knew five singles could do it". He tried to pull the first one and missed it completely, but the ball hit the pads and they ran two. Without taking any further chances, they stole another two to midwicket, playing on the fact that the fielders had not been brought in. Scores tied. Was there a further twist? It wasn't to be, as the batsmen had decided to run no matter where the ball went.

The only twist in this tale came when it was learnt that Sarfraz had been awarded the Man-of-the-Match, even before the game had finished. Nagraj Gollapudi

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Matches

South Africa v West Indies at Cape Town

Pakistan v West Indies at Birmingham

Players/Umpires

Brian Lara

Deryck Murray

Andy Roberts

Sarfraz Nawaz