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Cricket World Cup moments: Benedict Bermange counts down from 40-31

Benedict Bermange’s ‘World Cup Moments’

Each and every Cricket World Cup has delivered some truly memorable moments and this summer's will be no different!

To help get you in the mood ahead of our biggest summer ever, Sky Sports Cricket statistician Benedict Bermange has compiled his top 70 World Cup moments.

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So sit back and enjoy - and why not join the debate and share your memories by filling out the feedback form at the foot of this page? Then make sure you join us for the first match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup when hosts England take on South Africa at the Kia Oval - live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 9.30am on Thursday May 30.

40: Roy Fredericks out hit wicket in the 1975 final
The 1975 Final began with Roy Fredericks and Gordon Greenidge opening the innings for the West Indies with the dangerous Dennis Lillee starting the proceedings for Australia. With just 12 runs on the board, Roy Fredricks hooked a bouncer from Lillee over the fine-leg for six, only to lose his balance and fall on the stumps. He was adjudged hit-wicket and departed for only seven.

West Indian batsman Roy Fredericks, November 1968.
Image: Misfortune befell West Indian batsman Roy Fredericks in the World Cup final of 1975

39: Clive Lloyd dropping Geoff Boycott in the 1979 final
In reply to West Indies' 286-9 in the 1979 World Cup final, England made steady progress, getting to tea without losing a wicket. Boycott was on strike shortly after tea when he came down the pitch to Richards and mistimed his stroke. The ball arced gently to Clive Lloyd, who dropped the catch at mid-on. But by the time the first-wicket stand finally ended with the score on 129 in the 39th over, the damage had been done. England were running out of overs and the rest collapsed in a heap.

England and Yorkshire batsman Geoff Boycott looks on during at tour to the West Indies in 1981.
Image: England Geoff Boycott got a life - but West Indies ran out winners in 1979

38: Gavaskar's go-slow, scoring 36 not out in 60 overs
England had piled up 334-4 after opting to bat first at Lord's, thanks largely to 137 by Dennis Amiss. Opening the India innings, Sunil Gavaskar batted right through the 60 overs of the inaugural match of the first-ever World Cup. He faced 174 balls to score 36, finding the boundary just once as India lost by a massive 202 runs.

 Sunil Gavaskar of India hits out during the Prudential World Cup match between England and India held at Lord's, London, Great Britain on the 7th of June 1975.
Image: England failed to budge Sunil Gavaskar but it didn't hurt their chances in 1975

37: Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts add 64 for the 10th wicket to win
Mushtaq Mohammad made a watchful half-century, Wasim Raja made a fifty too, and Majid Khan top-scored with 60 as Pakistan made 266-7 against the West Indies at Edgbaston in 1975. The West Indies struggled to 99-5 and then 203-9 9 when Andy Roberts joined Deryck Murray with 16 overs left. Five runs were eventually needed from the last over, and the West Indies sneaked home in a thriller

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4th January 1976: West Indies cricketer Deryck Murray. (
Image: Deryck Murray. steered West Indies home in the presence of Andy Roberts in 1975

36: Andrew Flintoff and the Pedalo incident in 2007
England opened their 2007 World Cup account with defeat to New Zealand in St Lucia. That evening - which was only two days before England's next game against Canada - Flintoff and several other team-mates headed to a bar. Flintoff then decided he needed to have a nightcap with Ian Botham, who he believed was on a yacht moored off the beach. So he dragged this pedalo into the water and had to be rescued from the sea after the pedalo capsized.

ormer England cricketer Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff (R) reacts next to friend and England cricketer Steve Harmison (L) after a successful attempt to break the fastest 100m in a pedalo world record on Hyde P
Image: Andrew Flintoff back on choppy waters, this time with Steve Harmison (L)

35: Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel conjure a miracle win against England at Port Elizabeth in 2003
Andy Bichel took an amazing 7-20, limiting England to 8-204 from their allotted 50 overs in the 2003 match at Port Elizabeth. Andy Caddick then took four wickets to leave Australia 48-4 in the ninth over. Michael Bevan steadied the ship but three quick wickets rocked the boat and it was left to Bevan and Bichel to guide Australia home. Fourteen was needed with two overs to go, and after Bichel launched James Anderson for a monster six and a boundary, the required two runs were scored from Andrew Flintoff's final over.

Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel of Australia walk back to the pavilion after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Pool A match between Australia and England held on March 2, 2003 at St George's Park i
Image: Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel celebrate a miraculous escape against England in 2003

34: Allan Lamb produces an incredible victory for England against the West Indies at Gujrunwala in 1987
West Indies compiled 243-7, but England began sedately, and found themselves needing 91 from the final ten with Allan Lamb standing as the last specialist batsman. By the time Courtney Walsh started the 48th over, England still needed 34. Lamb took 15 runs from that Walsh over, but a tight one by Patrick Patterson, who gave away just five runs, brought it down to 14 needed from the final over. Walsh buckled under the pressure conceding a no-ball and four wides, and England sneaked home.

Nov 1987: Allan Lamb of England in action during the World Cup final against Australia at Eden Gardens in Calcutta, India. Australia won the match by seven runs.
Image: Allan Lamb held his nerve to see England to an unlikely victory against West Indies

33: De Villiers's fastest 150 against the West Indies at Sydney in 2015
AB de Villiers hit the fastest 150 in one-day internationals as South Africa condemned West Indies to a crushing 257-run defeat at Sydney in 2015. He took just 64 deliveries to reach 150, beating the previous best, set by Australia's Shane Watson, by 19 balls. He finished 162 not out from 66 balls as South Africa made 408-5 in their fifty overs. 222 runs came from the last 15 overs, with De Villiers's 73 from the last five another ODI record.

South Africa's batsman AB de Villiers (bottom R) celebrates his century as teammate Rilee Rossouw (R) applauds him during the 2015 Cricket World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground on February 27, 2015.
Image: South Africa's batsman AB de Villiers celebrates his remarkable century

32: Tamim Iqbal goes after Zaheer Khan and Bangladesh beat India in 2007
Rahul Dravid's decision to bat against Bangladesh at Trinidad in 2007 backfired as they were dismissed for just 191, with only Ganguly and Yuvraj passing twenty. 17-year-old Tamim Iqbal then teed off against Zaheer Khan and by the time he was dismissed for 51 from 53 balls, Bangladesh were well on the way to a famous triumph. Half-centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan sealed the triumph which helped usher India out of the competition.

Port-of-Spain, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Bangladesh Cricketer Tamim Iqbal Khan plays a shot during the group stage match between India and Bangladesh at the Queen's Park Oval stadium in the Port of Spain, in Trinidad and Tobago, 17 March 2007
Image: Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal goes on the offensive against India in Trinidad

31: Kepler Wessels inspires South Africa to victory over Australia in 1992
After serving a two-decade ban, South Africa returned to international cricket before making their World Cup debut in 1992. From the first ball of the match, Geoff Marsh's clear edge was taken by David Richardson, but the umpire remained unmoved. However, that inspired the South Africans, who restricted Australia to 170-9. Captain Kepler Wessels led from the front, with an unbeaten 81 which saw his side to a comfortable victory by nine wickets with 13 balls to spare.

SYDNEY - FEBRUARY 26: Kepler Wessels of South Africa is congratulated by Dean Jones of Australia after the ICC Cricket World Cup match in Sydney, Australia on the 26th of February 1992.
Image: Kepler Wessels, of South Africa, is congratulated by Australia's Dean Jones (left)

Watch the opening match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup - featuring England and South Africa - live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 9.30am on Thursday May 30.

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