Watch the highlights of Australia vs West Indies 15th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1981/82 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 15th ODI match played between West Indies and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 19th January 1982.
Australia awarded the match with a faster scoring-rate of 3.89 run-rate, when they required another 22 runs to win from 41-ball and qualify for the the best-of-5-finals in a rain-hit game of the 15th match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
West Indies scored 189 for all-out in 50 overs with top scorer by Viv Richards 64 (94) and Malcolm Marshall 32* (43)
Australia best bowler by Len Pascoe 3/44 (10) and Mick Malone 2/27 (10)
Australia scored 168-7 in 43.1 overs with top scorer by John Dyson 37 (75) and Rick Darling 34 (61)
West Indies best bowler by Andy Roberts 3/15 (10) and Michael Holding 2/34 (6.1)
This match reported by Brian Mossop (Third Party Reference from SMH)
Australia scrapped into the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup final after their amazing match with the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground —a result that could mean as much as $300,000 to the Australian Cricket Board.
Australia needing to score 190 runs after dismissing the West Indies for 189, were in trouble at 168-7 in the 44th over with Allan Border, on 30, the last of the recognised batsmen.
It was touch and go whether Australia could reach the target and a record crowd of 52,053 for a one-day match at the SCG was almost hoarse with excitement as the tension mounted. Then, with Border in full cry trying to lift his side home single-handed, rain blanketed the ground to give Australia the match on a countback. Although there were still 6.5 oven remaining, a Sydney County Council ruling that forces the SCG floodlight to be turned off by 10.30pm at the latest meant that the match had to be abandoned.
The players left the field at 9.58pm and it was still raining long after the game had been officially called off at 10.20pm.
The Australians were awarded the match with a 3.89 run-rate, just ahead of the 3.78 achieved by the West Indians.
The result meant that Pakistan, who finished the preliminary series equal with Australia on eight points, were edged out of the $50,000 best-of-five match finals.
The Pakistanis were behind the Australians on strike rate and are expected to leave for home on Friday, leaving the Australians to take on the West Indies in the first final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.
It was the result the ACB had been hoping for, because Australia's presence in the finals will almost certainly double the crowds that would have watched a West Indies v Pakistan finals. The crowd last night was beyond expectations — and the value they got for their money will undoubtedly bring them back again when the third final is played at the SCG next Tuesday.
Ann in case anyone suspected a rigged game as the West Indians crashed for 189 off their 50 overs in fine batting conditions, Viv Richards, who led the side and top-scored with 64, had a stern last word.
"We did not come here to throw the game," he said, putting to rest any suspicion that the West Indies might have been prepared to play Australia into the finals. "That's life. It was in the rules and we were a little unfortunate," Richards said.
Australia's record against the West Indies under the lights speaks for itself. Today's win was the filth in five meetings between the teams since 1979.80. But rarely can there have been as much drama attached to a game that the Australians had to win.
The delirious crowd saw:
• Richards pummel the bowling after Dennis Lillee had given Australia a great start in the first over by removing Gordon Greenidge.
• A West Indies batting struggle.
• Another Greg Chappell duck
• An Australian struggle that was probably mercifully relieved by the rain.
Chappell faced only two balls before going lbw to the man-of-the-match, Andy Roberts, who bowled brilliantly to finish with 3-15 off his 10 overs.
It was Chappell's third duck in one-day internationals and his sixth of the season. It came just when the Australian captain had appeared to have turned his back on a mid-season form slump and at a most unfortunte time for Australia.
The Australians had recovered from a poor start to their innings with a 51-run stand between Rick Darling (34) and John Dyson (37).
Dyson collided with the giant West Indian fast bowler Joel Garner in one of numerous incidents that laced the Australian innings and was yorked by the next ball from the same bowler.
Border, whose whirlwind onslaught in the over before the match ended made it look as if he knew the rain was on its way, was also involved in a collision, bumping into Larry Gomes as he scampered through for a quick run.
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