In continuation of our series of articles about the wide coverage of the 1975 Prudential Cricket World Cup, we look at the most consistent bowlers in the tournament, the ones who took most wickets in Cricket World Cup 1975. The tournament was played on fast and bouncy English tracks with most sides having a great quality of bowling line-ups. This often made the batting sides very uncomfortable and despite the tournament played in a 60 over format, most matches remained low scoring. Here are the 5 most successful bowlers who took most wickets in Cricket World Cup 1975.
5. Andy Roberts (West Indies)
The Caribbean speedster from Antigua took 8 wickets in the 1975 Prudential Cricket World Cup in 1975. He was one of the most consistent and quickest pace bowlers in the whole series. Roberts took those 8 wickets in 5 matches with an average of just above 20 and a strike rate of 42.50 balls per wicket. These wickets put him into the top 5 of the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975.
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The quickie maintained a great economy rate of 2.91. Roberts had the best bowling figures of 3 wickets for 39 runs. The right-arm speedster was a part of West Indian fast bowling triumvirate along with Vanburn Holder and Bernard Julien. He spearheaded the Caribbean pace bowling attack for more than a decade.
4. Dayle Hadlee (New Zealand)
The medium-fast bowler from New Zealand took 8 wickets in the 4 matches that he played during the 1975 Cricket World Cup. He maintained a pretty decent average of 20.25 and a strike rate of 34.50 balls per wicket. Hadlee was also very economical in most of the group matches finishing with the overall economy rate of 3.52 run per over. These wickets put him into the top 5 of the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975.
His best bowling figures we 3 wickets for 21 runs against East Africa, a match that his side won by 181 runs. Hadlee however proved pretty expensive in the all-important semi-final match against the mighty West Indies batting order. He was taken on particularly by the hard-hitting Alvin Kallicharran.
3. Keith Boyce (West Indies)
In the West Indies pace attack led by tearaway pace bowlers, Keith Boyce was an effective medium-fast bowler to fill in the middle overs during the 1975 Cricket World Cup. He gave his side an extra edge by taking regular wickets. Boyce claimed 10 scalps in 5 matches with a wonderful average of 18.50. These wickets put him into the top 5 of the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975.
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His strike rate was also one of the best at just above 31 runs per wicket while maintaining an economy rate of 3.55 runs per over. Boyce had his best bowling figures against Australia in the all-important final match. He took 4 important Australian wickets conceding 50 runs.
2. Bernard Julien (West Indies)
Julien was another highly successful West Indian fast bowler in the 1975 Cricket World Cup. He also took 10 wickets in the tournament maintaining the extremely economical bowling figures of 2.95 runs per over. Julien’s average in the series was 17.70, with a strike rate of 36 runs per wicket. These wickets put him into the top 5 of the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975.
He was at his best against Sri Lanka during one of the league matches at Old Trafford taking 4 wickets for just 20 runs. Julien had a short but fairly successful career with the Caribbean cricket team from 1973 to 1977. He played a total of 24 test matches and 12 One Day Internationals while representing the West Indies side.
1. Gary Gilmour (Australia)
In an Australian side full of great and tearaway fast bowlers like Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, the left-arm medium-fast bowling of Gary Gilmour was a great surprise. He proved to be the most successful Aussie bowler in the two most important matches, semi-final and final, of the tournament.
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Those were the only two matches that Gilmour played in the whole tournament. He took 11 wickets in those two matches with a wonderful strike rate of 13 runs per wicket. Gilmour’s economy rate was also one of the best at 2.58 runs per over. These wickets put him into reckoning as cricketer with the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975.
In the semis against hosts, England, Gilmour first took 6 wickets for just 14 runs. He then played a match-winning knock with the bat when the Aussie top order was in tatters. In the final match, Gilmour again took 5 wickets for 48 runs. The left-arm bowler dismissed the whole of West Indies’ very powerful middle order with Alvin Kallicharran, Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, and Viv Richards among his great scalps.
Gilmour’s average in the whole tournament was an astonishing 5.63. He however could not ensure his team beat the West Indians in the final despite a great bowling performance. The Aussies lost to the West Indians by 17 runs.
This was our list of Cricketers with the most wickets in cricket world cup 1975. Don’t forget to pen down your comments below.
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