1975 Cricket World Cup :  Jeff Thomson ( Australia )  v  Sunil Wettimuny ( Sri Lanka )

• Group Match, The Oval

  Stung by the criticism of his constant overstepping in Australia's previous match, Thomson was at his most ferocious best. He first put Duleep Mendis in St Thomas' Hospital by hitting him on the head with a bouncer - then got to work on Sunil Wettimuny. The Sri Lanka opener withstood several blows to the body, and Thomson unsportingly tried to run him out as he hopped around after being struck on the foot. He battled on to a game 51 but eventually decided to call it a day and join Mendis in A&E after chopping the ball on to the same battered foot for a second time.

1987 Cricket World Cup :  Allan Border ( Australia )  v  Imran Khan ( Pakistan )

• Semi-final, Lahore

  The gritty Border silenced 40,000 fans by captaining his unheralded side to a surprise victory over the home favourites. Border first dug Australia out of trouble in a dogged third-wicket stand with Mike Veletta, before Imran hit back with three late wickets. Pakistan's reply to 267 began disastrously, but Imran cracked 58 in 112-run stand with Javed Miandad to throw the game back into the balance. It was Border who made the crucial breakthrough, having Imran caught on the boundary to turn the game Australia's way.

1992 Cricket World Cup :  Martin Crowe ( New Zealand )  v  Allan Border ( Australia )

• Group Match, Auckland

  Australia endured a miserable trip across the Tasman as their captain Border was completely outsmarted and outplayed by his Kiwi counterpart, Crowe a man not fully fit and whose captaincy had been the subject of much criticism. Crowe first defied the Aussies with a brilliant unbeaten 100, playing much of it on one leg to protect a knee injury. He then dumbfounded the Australians by opening the bowling with probably the slowest attack in world cricket in Chris Cairns and spinner Dipak Patel. He mixed in plenty of medium pacers in one and two-over spells, and Australia were unable to counter.

1992 Cricket World Cup :  Moin Khan ( Pakistan )  v  Mike Whitney ( Australia )

• Group Match, Perth

  This childish skirmish between Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin and Australian tailender Whitney is probably the closest the World Cup has come to fisticuffs. Whitney had enjoyed little luck with the ball - and as Australia collapsed towards defeat in an ill-tempered affair, Moin's constant chattering obviously irked. The pair exchanged heated views and had to be separated by Bruce Reid and umpire Piloo Reporter. Wasim Akram resolved the problem by bowling Whitney to wrap up the game soon after.

1996 Cricket World Cup :  Arjuna Ranatunga ( Sri Lanka )  v  Shane Warne ( Australia )

• Final, Lahore

  The rivalry between Australia and Sri Lanka was plain as Ranatunga strode out to bat to be met by a hostile Warne glare. The Aussies had wound the tropical islanders up the wrong way during the tournament - and prior to the game, Ranatunga fanned the flames by intimating that their golden boy was overrated. Warne was in his last over when the Sri Lanka captain came in. Although the hard work had been done, Ranatunga showed no remorse, clobbering his first ball through the bowler's fingers for four and whipping the next for six. He rubbed it in by poking his tongue out.