Those Cricket World Cup semi-finals
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On Tuesday New Zealand will play their eighth Cricket World Cup semi-final; a number that is matched only by Australia.
But for the vast majority of matches that is where it all came to an end. A look back at those matches.
1975
The first men’s Cricket World Cup was held in 1975 which seems like 100 years ago in terms of ODIs. The first match was only the 19th ODI ever played. The tournament lasted a fortnight and by the end of it contributed roughly half of the ODIs played up until that point.
It also marked the start of the West Indies Fire in Babylon era. This semi-final at The Oval wasn’t a One Day International as much as a battle against fast bowling.
At 125/5 it was tough. McKechnie and Dayle Hadlee between them managed 1 run off 19 balls; by that stage it was a matter of survival.
Richard Collinge introduced some respectability at the end of it, but overall it was one-sided.
The West Indies went on to win the final.
1979
Between that 1975 and 1979 World Cups New Zealand played a grand total of 5 ODIs which included this ripper with a strange innings from Robert Anderson.
So the format was still nascent when the second World Cup came along, and a semi-final against England who were flying high having dismissed, um, Canada for 45 in pool play.
ODI cricket in 1979 was a pretty grim affair though as England successfully defended 221 in a 60 over match. But New Zealand came painfully close to reaching the target.
Making it even harder to take was that match-winning spell from Geoff Boycott of all people, who revealed a hipster side to him by bowling with his cap on backwards. In the end it was not to be, and the next semi-final was 13 years away.
1992
No ODI is etched into the New Zealand sporting psyche quite like that semi-final at Eden Park. 27 years on and a lot of people can recall the events vividly.
New Zealand had qualified top for the semi-finals and Pakistan were only there due to a rained out match against England in Adelaide.
And for most of the match it was all going to script. Crowe was player of that tournament for a reason as he hobbled to get his side to what looked like a winning total of 262.
Then dibbly dobbly and co applied the brakes as Pakistan dawdled to 140/4. But then a 19 year old walked out and said “I’m not tolerating this stuff.”
A game of if onlys and questions. If only Martin Crowe hadn’t injured himself while batting, and if only John Wright had read the instructions he had in his pocket.
Should Andrew Jones have had a bowl? Should Harris have bowled out earlier?
Those scars run deep.
Next: More Pakistan and a brace of Sri Lankas.