Bernard Julien Obituary: A Look Back At The Journey Of West Indies’ 1975 World Cup Hero

Bernard Julien, the gifted left-arm allrounder who played a crucial role in West Indies’ triumph at the 1975 Cricket World Cup, has died aged 75. The former cricketer passed away on Saturday in Valsayn, a town in northern Trinidad.

Julien’s career, though relatively brief at the international level, sparkled with moments that helped define West Indies’ rise to global dominance. Between 1973 and 1977, he featured in 24 Tests and 12 ODIs, earning a reputation as a lively, attacking cricketer who could swing games with both bat and ball.

At the 1975 World Cup, Julien was a key figure in Clive Lloyd’s side that announced West Indies’ arrival as a cricketing powerhouse.

He dismantled Sri Lanka with figures of 4 for 20 in the group stage and followed up with 4 for 27 in the semi-final against New Zealand. In the final at Lord’s, his 26-run cameo helped West Indies post 291 before Lloyd’s brilliant century and a flurry of Australian run-outs sealed a famous victory, the first of the Caribbean side’s two back-to-back World Cup titles.

One of Julien’s most memorable individual performances came at Lord’s in 1973, when he struck a commanding 121 against England, his maiden Test hundred, before returning the following year to take a five-wicket haul against the same opposition.

Julien also enjoyed success in English county cricket, representing Kent from 1970 to 1977, where his all-round exploits made him a fan favourite.

His international career, however, ended prematurely when he joined the rebel West Indies squad that toured apartheid South Africa in 1982–83, a move that effectively shut the door on his return to mainstream cricket.

Cricket West Indies President Dr Kishore Shallow paid tribute to Julien’s legacy while urging the sport to embrace its full history. "As we honour Bernard Julien, we must also reflect with empathy and inclusion," Shallow said.

"His passing is a reminder that those who devoted their lives to West Indies cricket never truly leave us. His contributions, on and off the field, will forever be part of our story. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones."

Bernard Julien leaves behind the memory of a cricketer who embodied flair, fight, and the unmistakable spirit of West Indies cricket at its dawn of greatness.