Cricket World Cup game between England and Zimbabwe at Lavington Sports Ground was 30 years ago

More than 7000 turned up to see the likes of Ian Botham and Graham Gooch stunned by the minnows from Africa, who didn't even have full ICC status at the time.

Robbie Mackinlay has revisited the events of March 18, 1992, for his latest Glory Days podcast which puts the occasion into suitable context.

"I can't think of a bigger sporting event that's been hosted here," Mackinlay said.

"World Cups don't come to your country very often, let alone to a regional area.

"All the locals got on board and barracked for Zimbabwe.

"Initially they were hoping to see England bat first and for Botham to blast 100 but as the day went on, you got a sense the upset was brewing."

England won the toss, put Zimbabwe in and bowled them out for 134 with Botham taking three wickets.

But the mood began to shift after Gooch was dismissed for a golden duck and, led by Eddo Brandes (4-21), the Zimbabweans went on to win by nine runs.

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England would go on to reach the World Cup final but the result sent shockwaves through the cricketing world and had major ramifications for the underdogs.

"It was a massive mismatch," Mackinlay said.

"Zimbabwe were still an associate member of the ICC and the money they got for qualifying for the World Cup bankrolled Zimbabwean cricket for the next four years.

"Eddo Brandes was a chicken farmer from Harare and they were all pretty much amateurs; accountants, solicitors and farmers.

"But it was the start of a good era because that was Andy Flower's first tour and he went on to be one of the all-time greats in Test cricket."

Mackinlay watched from the hill at Lavington after catching the bus down from Holbrook.

"We had a great day out," he said. "When the crowd sensed there was an upset on, it really came to life.

"They cheered the Zimbabweans home and everyone went away happy with the result."

You can listen to the podcast in full here.

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