Still the greatest all-round Cup effort

In the 40 years since the inaugural World Cup, there have been some strong contenders for the most brilliant all-round performance in the tournament.

Kapil Dev's efforts to take India to the 1983 title, Ian Botham's 4-31 and 53 against Australia in 1992, Aravinda De Silva's 107 not out and 3-42 in the 1996 final and Andy Bichel's 7-20 and match-winnings runs against England in 2003 are all memorable performances.

But none have matched the impact of the late Gary Gilmour in the very first tournament, according to teammate and former Australia skipper Greg Chappell.

Gilmour wreaked havoc against England in the 1975 World Cup semi-final, taking 6-14 and scoring a match-turning, unbeaten 28.

"There have been many very good all-round cricketers like Imran Khan, Ian Botham and more recently Jacques Kallis but I don't think any of them have dominated a game in a World Cup like that," said Chappell.

"I'm struggling to think of any other performances that match it."

Gilmour's wickets helped bowl England out for a meagre 93, only for Australia to suffer their own collapse and slump to 6-39.

Gilmour was in devastating form with the ball in the '75 World Cup

It's that match situation that Chappell says gives Gilmour's efforts the edge above all others.

"Gary was a mercurial cricketer. He bowled at good pace, left-arm medium-fast, he could swing it both ways, and was a left-handed striker of the ball," said Chappell.

"When he came to the crease he did what he did best and played some shots, it came off and it was a sensational all-round performance.

"I think England still felt they were a chance, despite being bowled out for that low score, and they probably would have but for the performance of Gary Gilmour on the day.

"I still remember some of the shots he played that day. They were as audacious as his bowling had been in the morning.

"He struck some terrific shots, hit a lot of balls in the middle and England would have won that match nine times out of 10."

The World Cup these days is the pinnacle event for one-day cricket and teams are planning years in advance to peak for the tournament. It wasn't always thus, with Chappell admitting in 1975 the Australian team saw it as a sideshow to an upcoming Test series.

"The most important part of it was the Test series that was going to come after the World Cup; this was a bit of an entrée leading into the main course," Chappell said.

Despite Gilmour's 5-48 in the final, West Indies won the 1975 World Cup final by 17 runs, Clive Lloyd (102) and Rohan Kanhai (55) guiding the Calypso kings to 8-291 from their 60 overs.

"I think Rohan Kanhai probably set the scene," recalled Chappell. “Without his innings early in the piece, Clive (Lloyd) may not have been able to do what he did.”

Australia's reply was unravelled by three run-outs from Viv Richards, including both Chappell brothers.

"It wasn't bad running, it was just brilliant fielding," countered Greg Chappell, who made 15 in the final while Ian posted 62.

"We knew he was a good fielder. It got past Viv, we ran and he chased it, he picked it up, did a spin in mid-air and threw it in the one motion.

"It bounced three times side on and it hit the stumps.

“I was out by an inch."