Cricket World Cup history: Craig McDermott, Australia’s robotic pace machine

Craig McDermott was deemed to be a successor to Dennis Lillee. But whereas his great Western Australian predecessor did not leave a lasting imprint on the World Cup, McDermott emerged as one of the leading bowlers in the competition. He may have ultimately finished a few notches below Lillee in the annals of the game, but McDermott was a vital element in the 1987 Reliance World Cup triumph.

The big man was an accurate fast bowler, and penetrative at the same time. The economy of movement in his bowling action made him seem unhurried, but he was as pacy as any. He was another link in the long line of classy Aussie pacemen.

McDermott made his appearance in the World Cup in the nerve-wracking one-run victory over India at Madras in 1987. His role in that match was outstanding. India were cruising serenely at 207 for two with Navjot Singh Sidhu and Dilip Vengsarkar in charge when McDermott struck. He dismissed both, and then Mohammad Azharuddin as well.

Not long after, Simon O’Donnell removed Kapil Dev, and McDermott caught Ravi Shastri off his own bowling. The hosts slumped to 256 for seven. Panic set in with the overs running out and, amazingly, India were bowled out for 269 with one ball remaining.

This was McDermott at his best. Not one to give up under any circumstances, he stunned the middle-order to snatch a famous victory. He finished with four for 56 off his 10 overs.

That was a portent of things to come, not only for the reigning champions but also for the emerging Australian side.

Zimbabwe were defeated easily as McDermott took one for 13 in 7 overs.

With the Kiwis needing 200 runs in the rain-hit 30-overs-a-side game, McDermott conceded 30 runs in his 6 overs capturing the wicket of Andrew Jones. The Aussies scraped through by 3 runs.

India were in top gear in the return match but McDermott, though expensive, claimed three vital wickets. He came on only as second change and broke the half-century opening partnership between Krish Srikkanth and Sunil Gavaskar by having the former caught behind by Greg Dyer.

Then as Sidhu and Vengsarkar started dominating the Aussie attack for the second time in the tournament, McDermott had the in-form turbaned blaster caught by Tom Moody. Soon he had the dangerous Kapil Dev taken at the wicket.

Despite these setbacks India recovered to avenge the stunning reverse of the opening match. McDermott finished with three for 61. This was Australia’s only defeat in the tournament.

McDermott had a bit role in the last two round-robin matches as the side cantered into the semi-finals.

The key encounter brought the best out of McDermott. With Pakistan in pursuit of an imposing target of 268, McDermott bowled opener Mansoor Akhtar for 9. They were soon 38 for three, with McDermott clinging on to a catch, but recovered well through Javed Miandad, skipper Imram Khan and Wasim Akram.

McDermott then got into the act again and ripped through the lower order. He knocked back Akram’s stumps, and then with help from wicketkeeper Dyer snapped up the last three wickets.

If there was any sting in the tail, McDermott made sure that it was snuffed out. It was a superlative effort, for had it not been for his incisive bowling, the Pakistani batsmen might have carried the day.

The difference in the end was 18 runs, and McDermott bagged five for 44 off his 10 overs. Rarely does a bowler get a man-of-the-match award in a one-day game, but this was certainly McDermott’s day.

In the final, McDermott the pinch-hitter made some useful strikes with the bat, and then struck an early blow with the ball by trapping Tim Robinson leg-before for a duck. A see-saw battle ensued.

McDermott came on to bowl the last over with England needing 17 to win. He restricted them to nine, and the title was Australia’s for the first time.

Undoubtedly, McDermott was Australia’s best bowler in their hour of triumph. He took 18 wickets in the 8 matches at 18.94 apiece. This was the highest tally of wickets in a single World Cup along with that of Roger Binny in 1983. Wasim Akram equaled it in 1992; all three played for Cup-winning teams.

In 1999, Geoff Allott and Shane Warne took 20 wickets, the latter for champions Australia. In 2003, Chaminda Vaas bagged 23 wickets but Aussies Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath scalped 22 and 21 respectively. In 2007, Glenn McGrath prised out a record 26, while Muttiah Muralitharan (23), Shaun Tait (23) and Brad Hogg (21) followed him; they represented the two finalists.

In 2011 Zaheer Khan (21) was the top wicket-taker, representing champions India, along with Shahid Afridi. In 2015, the top-wicket-takers were Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult, with 22 wickets each, representing the two finalists. Going back right to the inception of the tournament, the top-wicket-takers were Gary Gilmour and Mike Hendrick, both turning out for the runners-up, in 1975 and 1979 respectively.

There seems to be a lesson in this. If a team is to perform creditably, the strike bowlers must deliver the goods. So it was in the Reliance World Cup, as McDermott played a leading role for Allan Border’s team.

Strangely, no team won the World Cup on home soil till 2011, and it was no different with Australia in 1992. The bouncier wickets produced fewer runs for the most part, and McDermott this time was more economical, though less penetrative. Interestingly, he bowled exactly the same number of deliveries - 438 - that he did in the previous World Cup.

In the opening match he clean bowled New Zealand’s John Wright for a duck and had wicketkeeper Ian Smith caught behind by Ian Healy. McDermott finished with two for 43 in his 10 overs, but Australia lost tamely.

Thereafter it was essentially accurate bowling by him as his team fell away. In the last league match at Melbourne, Australia played more for pride than any prize they might have won. They defeated the West Indies, and McDermott in a fiery burst dismissed Desmond Haynes and Phil Simmons in quick succession. He finished with two for 29 as Australia won the match but failed to advance to the semi-finals.

Significantly, McDermott had an excellent economy-rate of 3.36 runs per over during the tournament. This was admirable for a bowler who had to operate during the dreaded ‘slog overs’ at the end, and also in the beginning of the innings at a time when the concept of ‘hitting over the top’ in the early overs was taking root.

The long years as Australia’s spearhead had taken their toll even on McDermott’s sturdy frame. Though he was only 30 when the 1996 World Cup was staged, McDermott had already been playing international cricket for 11 years. Australia must have hoped for one last effort from this fine fast bowler at the scene of their triumph of eight-and-a-half years earlier.

He had time for just three overs in the only match that he played against Kenya at Visakhapatnam. He took one for 12 before a strained calf muscle put him out of the tournament. Jason Gillespie replaced him in the squad.

McDermott was a conscientious cricketer, very particular about diet and fitness, a non-smoker and moderate drinker. “My aim was to be fit enough to be able to bowl as well at 5.30 p.m. as I would at 10.30 a.m.,” he stated.

For a fast bowler McDermott was quiet, and despite his aggression kept a low profile. In that sense he was the antithesis of Lillee and some other great Australian pacemen. Certainly, he was quite different to his colourful mate Merv Hughes. But he made a huge impact, and played a major part during the revival of Australian cricket in the latter part of the 80s.

Craig McDermott’s World Cup bowling and fielding record:

Matches 17, Wickets 27, Average 22.18, Best 5/44, Economy 4.02, Catches 4

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