Watch the highlights of England vs West Indies Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 2nd Final 1979/80 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the second final played between West Indies and England at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 22nd January 1980.
Bowlers attack before An superb unbeaten 98 from opener Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards' half-century steers to West Indies emphatic eight-wicket victory over England and took an unassailable 2-0 lead to clinch title in a one-sided game of the best-of-3-finals of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
England scored 208-8 in 50 overs with top scorer by Geoff Boycott scored 63 off 92-balls including eight-fours, Ian Botham struck 37 off 40-balls included 3-fours and a six, David Gower 27 and Graham Gooch 23.
West Indies best bowler by Andy Roberts, Joel Garnel each took 2-wickets and one for Colin Croft - Michael Holding.
West Indies chased 209-2 in 47.3 overs with top scorer by Gordon Greenidge 98 not out, Viv Richards struck 65 off 87-balls including six boundaries and Desmond Haynes 17.
England best bowler by Ian Botham and Peter Willey both took 1-1 wickets.
Gordon Greenidge named Player of the match & finals for his match-winning unbeaten 98-runs knocked off facing 155-balls including nine boundaries.
Viv Richards earned player of the Preliminary series for his brilliant batting performance in the Tri-series.
This match reported by SMH Staff (Third Party Reference from SMH)
The West Indies, the dynamos from the Caribbean, reinforced their World Cup success by storming home to clinch the $50,000 Benson and Hedges World Series Cup with their second successive win against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In a one-sided contest, the West Indies replied to England's 208-8 by knocking off the required runs for the loss of two wickets with 2.3 overs to spare.
It was the first win under lights this season for the marauding West Indians and ruined the promoter's hopes for a third and deciding match, due to have been played at the SCG.
The West Indians picked up $32,000 and the cup as they repeated the result of last year's World Cup final at Lord's to leave England with the runner-up cheque of $16,000.
Viv Richards blazed 65 runs to be named player of the series but it was opening batsman Gordon Greenidge, the scourge of England, who carried off the $2,000 award as the player of the finals.
Grecnidge and Richards shut England out of the contest with a 119-run partnership in 106 minutes after Greenidge and Desmond Haynes (17) put on 61 for the first wicket.
But Greenidge, who hammered 80 in the first final match in Melbourne on Sunday, was still there at the end to hit the winning single and finish with an unbeaten 98 after passing up the chance for his century.
The win was nothing short of a demolition job as the West Indies went after the lucrative prize money with precision and power, content in the knowledge that they could earn a rest before the third test against Australia in Adelaide and the cheque.
Geoff Boycott was England's top-scorer with an aggressive 63 that included eight fours off 93 deliveries in 146 minutes. But despite his contribution, England — the first team into the final — left the SCG a chastened team.
Boycott, despite his problems of the past few days, looked anything but a man with a weight on his shoulders after England had chosen to bat.
The Yorkshire opener might not enjoy playing when not 100 percent fit, but he could hardly have been more impressive as he faced up to the West Indies attack.
He began cautiously enough, but positively bloomed when joined by David Gower after losing his opening partner Graham Gooch (23) and Peter Willey (3), both victims of the lanky Joel Garner.
England were 54-2 when Gower came in the 18th over to help Boycott bump the run rate up to almost four an over during a 50-minute stand which yielded a valuable 64 runs.
Boycott, pulling and driving, headed toward his half-century with off-side and on-side drives to the boundary off Richards, and reached his 50 with his best shot.
Showing supreme confidence against Michael Holding, he picked the finest of gaps to drive the speedster to the fence at extra cover. Boycott was 57 when he was dropped at mid-wicket by Clive Lloyd off Collis King.
But Boycott was out a few runs later to an adventurous hook, caught on the fence behind square leg by Greenidge to give Andy Roberts the first of his two wickets.
Left-hander Gower had employed the unorthodox in reaching 27 before edging Holding to wicket-keeper Deryck Murray, and it was left to all-rounder Ian Botham to maintain the run-chase.
Botham has not enjoyed a happy season with the bat, and if he showed an improvement in form, he still had problems with the bat breaking two of them as he raced to 37.
One of the bats disintegrated after he had lofted Roberts into the Members' stand for a six, and one lucky youngster in the front of the Ladies stand became the proud owner of the damaged equipment.
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