In the third of five instalments running throughout the New Zealand-England series, we delve into the Wisden Almanack archive to pick out a memorable one-day match between the sides. Here we look back at a bygone era of one-day cricket – the second World Cup in 1979 Match 1: Nothing between them
Match 2: When England were bad in Ahmedabad

Prudential World Cup, 1979 - Old Trafford
England won by 9 runs

It was a different world back then. Players wore white, Geoffrey Boycott opened the innings, and 200 runs in 60 overs was an acceptable score. England were near the top of the one-day tree as well - Boycott aside, they had in Gooch, Gower, Botham and Randall, a middle-order that could have held their own in any era - and on this occasion three of the four came good to steer England to their first final. But, as in 1987 and 1992, they would end up on the losing side.

New Zealand had excelled themselves in reaching the semi-finals for the second consecutive time, but as in 1975, when they were outgunned by the West Indies at The Oval, they could not go all the way. Near misses have become a recurring theme for them as well: seven World Cups, four semi-finals, no finals.

Almanack report
Scorecard

Andrew Miller is on the staff of Wisden.com.

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