Faded from memory
| 13:32 UK time, Saturday, 3 March 2007
What was the most significant event which occurred over the weekend of 7-8 June 1975?
Music lovers might argue it was reaching number one in the UK music charts. For cricket fans, however, it was undoubtedly the start of the first World Cup.
Since then, the tournament has been graced by all the greats of the modern era, Viv Richards, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Imran Khan, Steve Waugh, Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting to name just a few.
Alongside them, however, are players who disappeared into cricketing obscurity after a brief appearance on the world stage.
Whilst checking back through the records of previous World Cups, I came across several names who I don't remember at all - although that may, in large part, owe as much to my age as their low profile.
Here, in no particular order, are a few of the World Cup's 'invisible men'. If you know where they are now, or better still, if you're one of them, please get in touch.
1999 New Zealand seam bowler played the last of his four one-day internationals against Scotland in Edinburgh, when he bowled six overs for figures of 0-31. Cricinfo tells me he later "reneged" an on agreement to play county cricket for Notts.
1996 Do you recall Zimbabwe batsman ? Me neither. Like Bulfin, he played four one-dayers for his country, the last of them against West Indies in Hyderabad. In that game, he took 35 balls to make nine before being run out.
1992 The tournament ended in triumph for Pakistan, but seam bowler was a peripheral figure. He took the wicket of India's Ajay Jadeja but that was his only success in three matches and he didn't play in the final. Talking of India, I don't remember Subroto Banerjee either.
1987 I came across seam bowler whilst conducting research for our World Cup A-Z. He only played twice for Australia and his main achievement was to have New Zealand's John Wright caught and bowled for 61 in a group game in Chandigarh. Was it a straightforward catch or a brilliant one? You tell me.
1983 Pakistan reached the semi-finals before losing to West Indies and played five of his 10 one-dayers during the tournament. He even contributed 77 to a match-winning partnership with Imran Khan against Sri Lanka but it's all a blank to me.
1979 Australia weren't a major threat as Australia, unlike eventual winners West Indies, chose to leave players involved in Kerry Packer's World Series at home. In a second string Australian team, (one cap) and (two caps) were two of the lesser lights. made his only appearance for New Zealand during the tournament which seems a bit harsh as he took 3-48 against Sri Lanka.
I wonder who won't be making headlines in the Caribbean!
NOTE: For those of you who don't know who Windsor Davies and Don Estelle are - see below:
This post is closed to new comments.