A giant leap for one-day internationals

Four years after 46,000 people turned out for what was the first ODI, and after more than a decade of well-attended Gillette Cup county matches, eight teams lined up for the first World Cup.•Getty Images

India, with only two ODIs under their belt, never believed England's massive total could be chased. Sunil Gavaskar bizarrely batted out 60 overs for an unbeaten 36, claiming he needed the batting practice.•Getty Images

Australia expected a similar cakewalk after Alan Turner's 101 powered them to 328 against lightweights Sri Lanka.•Getty Images

England's batsmen had piled on the runs in the first phase of the tournament, but crumbled to Australia's Gary Gilmour on a damp Headlingley pitch in the semi-final.•Getty Images

It wasn't a stroll to the final for Australia, though, as they in turn tumbled to 39 for 6 before being rescued by Gilmour and Doug Walters.•PA Photos

Opposing captains Ian Chappell and Lloyd seemed relaxed on the eve of what was to be a memorable final at Lord's.•Patrick Eagar/Getty Images

But with just 12 on the board, Fredericks trod on his stumps and was out for 7.•Patrick Eagar

Lloyd thoroughly dominated a stand of 149 for the fourth wicket with Kanhai.•Getty Images

Ian Chappell made a fighting half-century...•Patrick Eagar

The match ended astonishingly late (8.43pm) and Lloyd's men became worthy winners of the first World Cup.•Getty Images

Dennis Amiss, scorer of the first two ODI centuries, made another on the opening day of the tournament, hitting 137 as England racked up 334 against India.•PA Photos

New Zealand's Glenn Turner also smashed a hundred on the opening day, belting 171 against the minnows from East Africa.•Getty Images

Australia's innings was interrupted by a bunch of Sri Lankan protesters, who had to be escorted off the pitch. During the chase, Sri Lanka's batsmen battled a furious spell from Jeff Thomson to finish on an impressive 276.•Getty Images

Gilmour took six of the first seven England wickets to bundle them out for 93, finishing with dream figures of 12-6-14-6.•Patrick Eagar

In the other semi-final, New Zealand could only manage 158 against West Indies after their star batsman, Turner, was dismissed for 36.•Associated Press

The stands were packed for the game.•Patrick Eagar

Rohan Kanhai played the sheet-anchor role to steady the innings, going 11 overs without scoring.•PA Photos

The pair's efforts steered West Indies to a challenging 291, a total their boisterous fans were delighted with.•PA Photos

... before he too was run out by Richards. Chappell's dismissal put West Indies within sniffing distance of the world championship.•Patrick Eagar/Associated Press

In the second round of matches, England again had an easy time due to Keith Fletcher's big hundred against New Zealand.•Getty Images

Perhaps the most anticipated game of the league phase was the clash between Australia and West Indies. Clive Lloyd's men prevailed, with Alvin Kallicharran blasting 35 off his last ten balls from Dennis Lillee.•Patrick Eagar

One of Gilmour's wickets was courtesy an acrobatic catch by Rod Marsh to dismiss Tony Greig.•Patrick Eagar/Getty Images

Kallicharran pocketed another Man-of-the-Match award for calmly guiding West Indies into the final in the company of Gordon Greenidge, with whom he put on 125 for the second wicket.•Getty Images

After Australia chose to field, opener Roy Fredericks hooked Lillee for six early.•PA Photos

Kanhai was happy to hand the strike to West Indies' batting hero of the day, Lloyd, who clubbed an 85-ball 102.•PA Photos

Australia's chase was hampered by a series of run-outs. Greg Chappell was their second top-order batsman to fall to a direct hit from Viv Richards.•PA Photos

Lillee and Thomson briefly made things exciting with a 41-run stand for the final wicket before yet another run-out sent the West Indies fans into delirium.•Patrick Eagar/Associated Press