Watch the highlights of Australia vs West Indies Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 4th Final 1981/82 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the fourth final played between West Indies and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 27th January 1982.
Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards' fifties and Captain Clive Lloyd's quick-fire 41 and Bowlers attack helped to West Indies narrow 18-run victory over Australia, despite a opener Graeme Wood's classy half-century and took a unassailable 3-1 lead to clinch title in the best-of-5-finals' fourth final of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
WEST INDIES scored 234/6 in 50 overs with top scorer by Viv Richards 70 (88) and Gordon Greenidge 64 (124)
Australia best bowler by Jeff Thomson 2/60 (10) and Dennis Lillee 1/30 (10)
AUSTRALIA scored 216/9 in 50 overs with top scorer by Graeme Wood 69 (107) and Kim Hughes 27 (39)
West Indies best bowler by Andy Roberts 3/48 (10) and Joel Garner 2/27 (10)
This match reported by Brian Mossop (Third Party Reference from SMH)
The West Indies are the undisputed kings of one-day cricket after clinching the Benson and Hedges World Series Cup with an easy win over Australia in the fourth final at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
A second-wicket partnership of 138 between Viv Richards (70) and Gordon Grecnidge (64) laid the foundation for a West Indian total of 234-4 off 50 overs.
The Australians, aided by a score of 69 from Graeme Wood, managed 216-9 in reply. But while the winning margin was only 18 runs, the West Indies were never in any danger of losing.
It was the second Benson and Hedges World Series Cup win for the twice World Cup champions and earned them a payout of $32,000. The Australians, beaten 3-1 in the best-of-five series, picked up $16,000.
Richards a consistently heavy scorer in the finals series, won the player-of-the-series crown, worth $2,000 and a gold tray and goblets. But the most disappointing feature of today's match for a crowd of 19,984 was the failure once again of Greg Chappell, the Australian captain, to get among the runs.
The West Indies' determination to wrap up the series and avoid the fifth final was evident on two counts — their decision to bat first and their approach. But if the batting approach seemed subdued, it was as much due to some fine bowling by Dennis Lillee, whose first seven overs cost just four runs, as it was to the need for a steady start.
Patience, not a notable West Indian trait, was very much in evidence. Or perhaps it was merely caution and the need to overcome the hoodoo that had built up around their performances against Australia under lights.
The good start did not come. Lillee trapped Dcsmond Haynes lbw in his fifth over, the ninth of the innings, and the West Indies were 13-1. At the 25-over halfway mark, the total had edged to 57, Importantly Greenidge and Richards were still together.
That they were might well have cost Australia the match. Richards had not scored when he was narrowly run out by Border. The umpire Tony Crafter, his view of the stumps obscured by Len Pascoe, gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt.
The Australians had another chance to remove the star West Indian batsman when he was on 11. But when Jeff Thomson returned to Marsh the wicket-keeper lunged at the stumps instead of throwing the ball and Richards had time to scamper home.
Richards made the Australians pay for the two missed chances. Greenidge was also in a mean mood, and once the halfway point had been reached with nine wickets still in hand, he took a leaf from Richards's book and cut loose.
It took the West Indians only three overs to move the score from 66 to 100 and Australia's hopes of confining their target were dashed. Between them, Richards and Greenidge blasted 14 runs off one over from Mick Malone and followed with 10 off Chappell and 10 off Lillee on the speedster's return to the attack.
It was West Indian batting at its renowned and colourful best as the partnership, so painstakingly conceived, blossomed in a rash of boundaries and power hitting.
Terry Alderman, the Australian seam bowler, will miss the third Test against the West Indies and the tour of New Zealand. Alderman, who missed the one-day finals because of an injured right foot, learned that the injury is a broken bone and not ligament strain as suspected.
Mick Malone, 31, who has played only one Test — against England in 1977 — will replace Alderman in the Australian Test team and will almost certainly go to Ncw Zealand with the Australian team next month.
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