England’s route to the final
GROUP STAGES Feb 22, Perth: England 236-9 beat India 227 by 9 runs
England won the toss and chose to bat, but struggled with the pace of Perth. Graham Gooch and Robin Smith formed a 142-run partnership, but after Neil Fairbrother’s dismissal, England lost six wickets in five overs. India rallied, with Ravi Shastri leading the chase, but Ian Botham claimed four run-outs to seal England’s win.
Feb 27, Melbourne: West Indies 157 lost to England 160-4 by 6 wickets
Winning the toss, England cantered to their eighth successive one-day international win. After West Indies opener Des Haynes was caught off Phil DeFreitas’ bowling, four toporder batsmen fell for a measly 55. In reply, Gooch oozed class to reach 65, with Graeme Hick also posting a notable 54.
Mar 1, Adelaide: Pakistan 74, England 24-1 - No result
The heavens proved to be Pakistan’s saving grace as rain deprived England from a thumping victory. Derek Pringle used the damp conditions to his advantage, and the use of swing and seam helped him claim 3-8 in 8.2 overs. Pakistan’s tail recovered slightly from 47-8 to 74 all-out, but at 17-1 at lunch, England would have surely claimed maximum points.
Mar 5, Sydney: Australia 171 lost to England 173-2 by 8 wickets
Australia were desperate to get their World Cup going against their bitter-rivals, and Tom Moody started well, scoring 51. However, Ian Botham was the star of the show, claiming 4-31 – his best figures in limited-overs internationals. He then made 51 as England cruised home.
Mar 9, Ballarat: England 280-6 beat Sri Lanka 174 by 106 runs
England chose to bat in front of a boisterous crowd, and won comfortably after a stunning finale. After 40 overs, England were 174 for four – 10 overs later, they had notched another 106 runs, with Alec Stewart scoring a phenomenal 59 off 36 balls. Roshan Mahanama and Athula Samarasekera staged a brief comeback, but Chris Lewis’ four wickets meant England romped to victory.
Mar 12, Melbourne: South Africa 236-4 lost to England 226-7 by 3 wickets (revised target)
England were given a scare without the injured Gooch. Led by Kepler Wessels, South Africa recorded 236 that was revised to 226 in 41 overs due to rain. Stewart opened quickly, scoring 40, but the wicket of Botham threatened defeat until Fairbrother stepped up with 75 to seal England’s win.
Mar 15, Wellington: England 200-8 lost to New Zealand 201-3 by 7 wickets
After winning without Gooch in their last outing, England had further injury woes with Fairbrother, Lewis and DeFreitas all carrying knocks. Dipak Patel did the damage for the Black Caps with the ball, claiming the wickets of Botham and Stewart, while Andrew Jones starred with the bat, scoring 78.
Mar 18, Albury: Zimbabwe 134 beat England 125 by 9 runs
A memorable World Cup upset. Zimbabwe were restricted to a paltry 134. However, England failed in the low chase, with Ali Shah and John Traicos’ bowling securing an unlikely victory.