June 23, 1979 – Led by an unbeaten knock of 138 by Sir Viv Richards, West Indies defeated England to win the 2nd ICC One Day International Cricket World Cup.
West Indies were defending champions having won the 1st World Cup in 1975. It was England’s first time in the finals.
England won the toss and sent West Indies to bat. The West Indies got off to a stumble 99/4 with the loss of Gordon Greenidge (9 runs), Desmond Haynes (20 runs), Alvin Kallicharan (4 runs), and captain Clive Lloyd (13 runs).
Viv Richards and Collis King came together when the score was 99/4 and set a blistering pace on the English bowlers with a 139-run partnership of which King had 86 runs from 66 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes. Viv would bat alongside King and then carry on to an unbeaten 138 from 157 balls, 11 fours, and 3 sixes, contributing to an imposing 286 for 9 from the allotted 60 overs.)
The English batsmen got off to a steady but slow start, with 129 runs (10 fours) in 39 overs by the opening pair. There would be a monumental batting collapse with England all out for 194 in the 51st over.
Gordon Greenidge ended the tournament as the leading run scorer with 253 runs from four games, followed by Viv Richards who finished with 217 runs from four games which included the highest individual score of the tournament of 138 in the finals.
The 138 not out by Sir Vivian Richards in 1979 is still the highest ever one day (ODI) score by a male cricket at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London and is still regarded as one of the most memorable innings ever seen at the grounds.
