Cruising at 135 for 2 chasing 254 in the 1987 World Cup final, Mike Gatting attempted a reverse sweep off Allan Border's first ball, gloved it to wicketkeeper Greg Dyer, and triggered the collapse that lost England the World Cup.
The 1987 Reliance World Cup final at Eden Gardens was the first World Cup final not played at Lord's. Australia, led by Allan Border, made 253 for 5 in 50 overs; England were well placed at 135 for 2 in reply when Border, a part-time left-arm spinner, came on to bowl. Gatting, who had been hitting the ball cleanly, moved to play a reverse sweep off the very first ball Border bowled to him. The ball struck his shoulder via the bat and lobbed gently to wicketkeeper Greg Dyer, who almost dropped it. Gatting was out for 41. England, who had been 135 for 2, lost six for 81 and finished 246 for 8, seven runs short. The shot has been replayed thousands of times. Australian coach Bob Simpson said publicly afterwards that Gatting's choice of shot 'was the moment we won the World Cup'. Gatting has said many times since that he does not regret the shot — 'it was the right shot until the moment it wasn't'.
Border brought on to bowl part-time left-arm spin
Gatting reverse-sweeps the first ball
Glove deflection to Dyer behind
England lose 6/81 from 135/2
Australia win by 7 runs
Australia innings
253/5 in 50 overs
England 31 overs
135/2, Gatting set
Border's first ball
Reverse sweep — caught Dyer
Final score
England 246/8; Australia win by 7
“It was a shot I had played a thousand times. That one didn't come off.”
“When Gatting reverse-swept that ball, I knew the World Cup was ours.”
Gatting's captaincy survived the World Cup but did not survive the 1988 Pakistan tour and Shakoor Rana row.
One of the most consequential single shots in cricket history — a captain's reverse sweep that gifted Australia their first World Cup.
The shot is the textbook example of 'reading the room' in white-ball cricket and is shown in coaching academies as a case study in shot selection.
England
1932-08-12
In August 1932 the MCC selectors confirmed Douglas Jardine as England's captain for the 1932-33 tour of Australia, a decision contested at the highest levels of English cricket and one that — combined with Plum Warner's appointment as tour manager — would set the conditions for the Bodyline series.
England
1934-03-21
On 21 March 1934 Douglas Jardine wrote to The Cricketer that he had 'neither the desire nor the intention' of playing in the upcoming home Ashes series. The announcement, taken as a quiet resignation, removed the architect of Bodyline from the field before Australia returned to England — a precondition Australia's Board had implicitly demanded.
England / Gloucestershire
1937-11-15
In November 1937 Wally Hammond — the leading professional batsman of his era — was accepted by MCC as an amateur, opening the door to the England captaincy he received six months later for the 1938 Ashes. The change crystallised inter-war debates about the amateur-professional divide and the unwritten rule that England's captain be amateur.