In 2019 Headingley Cricket Ground, after a gap of exacly 20 years, will once again host some matches in the four-yearly World Cup. Paul Dyson looks back at the previous 12 such games which the famous ground has hosted. The two photos – of a queue waiting to watch England play Australia in the 1975 World Cup semi-final at Headingley and the ground in 1999, when it last hosted a World Cup – both come courtesy of Mick Pope.
The first three World Cups – in 1975, 1979 and 1983 – were all staged in England as was the same competition again in 1999 but next season represents the first time this century that such a tournament has been played within these islands. There will be four matches in Leeds and this is a step-up for the city because in each of the four previous World Cups in England, Headingley has played host to only three matches.
The three World Cup games which were played at Headingley in the 1975 tournament have all previously been covered in this column. They were group games between Australia and Pakistan as well as East Africa and India and the dramatic semi-final between England and Australia.
