The 1975 Cricket World Cup opened with a thrilling group stage encounter between India and England at Lord’s on June 7, 1975. The defending champions of England were competing against a potent Indian team under the direction of Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan. England won the toss and chose to bat first on a typical English overcast morning. In this post we talk about India Vs England 1St Match Scorecard June 7 1975.
Match Summary
England openers Dennis Amiss and John Edrich began watchfully against the new ball pairing of Abid Ali and Madan Lal. Runs were hard to come by early on and Edrich fell for just 6 runs off the bowling of Madan Lal. Amiss and new batsman Keith Fletcher then stabilized the innings with a steady partnership.
Amiss went on to score a brilliant 137 off 147 balls, including 18 fours and 1 six. He held the England innings together with vital partnerships first with Fletcher and then Tony Greig. England accelerated in the final overs with Alan Knott providing a late blast, scoring 45 off just 27 balls.
England finished their 60 overs at 334/4, a tremendous total at the time. For India, only medium pacer Mohinder Amarnath could claim a wicket out of the bowlers.
Chasing a huge 335 for victory, India lost opener Sudhir Naik early for just 5 runs leaving them at 17/1. But then a 165-run stand between Farokh Engineer and Sunil Gavaskar steadied the Indian run chase. Engineer was the aggressor, scoring 64 runs off 55 balls with 10 fours and 1 six.
Gavaskar played the anchor role perfectly with a composed 97 off 120 balls. After their dismissals, Brijesh Patel kept India in the hunt with a rapid 50 off 36 balls. But once he fell, India’s lower order collapsed as Chris Old and Geoff Arnold mopped up the tail. India was bowled out for 285 in the 56th over, losing by 49 runs.
Batting Performances
Dennis Amiss played a stellar innings, making 137 runs from 147 balls while negotiating the early swing threat superbly. His century set the platform for England’s big total.
Alan Knott provided quick runs at the death with an unbeaten cameo of 45 from just 27 balls to accelerate England’s scoring.
Farokh Engineer counter-attacked for India with 64 from 55 balls continuing his fine batting form. Gavaskar anchored the chase with a classy 97.
Bowling Performances
For England, Chris Old finished with excellent figures of 3/42 in 12 overs. Geoff Arnold snared 2/43 in 11 overs. They restricted India’s scoring in the latter half of the innings.
India’s Mohinder Amarnath was the lone bowler to stand out with 1/43 in 12 overs as England amassed 334 runs. The other bowlers struggled for control.
Match Analysis
England’s openers started cautiously before Amiss played a game-changing innings to lift the total beyond India’s reach. Knott’s late blitz further boosted the score to 334/4. In response, Engineer and Gavaskar gave India a great platform before the lower order failed to keep up with the asking rate. England’s bowlers held their nerve better to complete a 49 run victory.
Amiss was deservedly awarded the Man of the Match for his brilliant 137 which proved the difference between the two sides. Overall, England showed their class and experience to successfully defend a big total in pressure situations. For India, their over-reliance on the top order was exposed. But they had served notice of their potential in this World Cup.
Match Highlights
- Dennis Amiss scored a masterful 137 to setup England’s total of 334/4 from 60 overs.
- Alan Knott provided late fireworks with a quickfire 45 off just 27 balls.
- Farokh Engineer (64) and Sunil Gavaskar (97) both batted superbly for India in the run chase.
- Chris Old (3/42) and Geoff Arnold (2/43) bowled excellently at death overs to restrict India.
- England won by 49 runs after bowling out India for 285 in 55.3 overs.
In summary, Dennis Amiss’ century and a late order surge helped England post 334/4. India made a great attempt at chasing it down but England’s depth in bowling saw them home by 49 runs. It was a thriller of a World Cup opening match between the two sides. I hope this India Vs England 1St Match Scorecard June 7 1975 helps you.
