document_title: Firearms policy in the United Kingdom

question_text: when did guns become illegal in the uk

question_tokens: when did guns become illegal in the uk

text: Firearms policy in the United Kingdom

text: Shooting sports[edit]

text: Shooting sports split into different categories in the UK between target shooting, clay pigeon shooting, pest control, and hunting. Sports, once a relatively elitist activity, have become far more popular in modern times amongst people from all walks of life.[12][13]

text: A lot of current civilian rifle clubs trace their history to the 'volunteers' of the middle 19th century, raised locally among the gentry to afford some readiness to counter the constant threat of invasion by Napoleon III. These volunteer organisations and military shooting clubs developed over time into civilian clubs as the Volunteer organisations were incorporated into the Territorial Army. The rise in popularity in the civilian clubs started in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially fullbore rifle events sponsored by the military and National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom to improve the general standard of marksmanship under the auspices of Defence of the Realm.[14]

text: Impact of firearm legislation[edit]

text: In 2012 the Home Office reported that, "in 2010/11, firearms were involved in 11,227 recorded offences in England and Wales, the seventh consecutive annual fall".[15] Firearms statistics in England and Wales include airguns and imitation guns, which make up a high proportion of these recorded offences (see under "Firearms crime" below). However, this was a return to the levels seen prior to the legislation in 1997. Firearms offences almost doubled in the eight years following handguns being made illegal.

text: Fully automatic (submachine-guns, etc.) are "prohibited weapons"[16] and require explicit permission from central government to permit ownership. Generally, such permits are not available to private citizens. Semi-automatic rifles over .22 in (5.6 mm) and pistols are similarly "prohibited", although there are exceptions for short barrelled breech-loading semi-automatic and revolver pistols for use for the humane dispatch of animals (classed under section 5). There are also very limited exceptions for pistols both to preserve firearms of historic or technical interest (classed as section 7 firearms)[17] and to enable use by elite sports teams. Semi-automatic shotguns are restricted to a magazine capacity of no more than two shot and is held under section 2 of the Firearms Act, although a 'multi-shot' shotgun can be owned under section 1 (restricted firearms and ammunition) of the Firearms Act. Where the term 'multi-shot' is used, this refers to either a Semi-automatic or pump action shotgun with no restriction on magazine capacity.[18] All other rifles and their ammunition are permitted with no limits as to magazine size, to include: target shooting, hunting, and historic and muzzle-loading weapons, as well as long barrelled breachloading pistols with a specific overall length, but not for self-defence; however if a home-owner is threatened they may be used in self-defence, so long as the force is reasonable.[19] Shotgun possession and use is controlled, and even low-power air rifles and pistols, while permitted, are controlled to some extent. A Firearm Certificate issued by the police is required for all weapons and ammunition except air weapons of modest power (of muzzle energy not over 12 ft·lbf (16 J) for rifles, and 6 ft·lbf (8.1 J) for pistols). Shotguns with a capacity of three rounds or less (up to guns with a magazine holding no more than two rounds, in addition to one in the chamber) are subject to less stringent licensing requirements than other firearms and require a shotgun certificate; shotguns with higher capacity require a Firearm Certificate.

text: Possession of a live firearms round can lead to severe penalties. Live firearms ammunition, other than most shotgun ammunition, may only be purchased and possessed with the authority of a Firearm Certificate. Shotgun cartridges can be possessed by anybody over the age of 15 but no licence is required to hold such ammunition so long as the cartridges contain 5 or more shots.[20] However, a licence covering possession of a firearm capable of firing shotgun ammunition is required for purchase.

text: While Scotland has had its own parliament (Holyrood) since the Scotland Act 1998, power to legislate on firearms was reserved to the Westminster Parliament, which led to tensions between the British and Scottish parliaments, with the Scottish government wanting to enact stricter laws.[21]

text: In Northern Ireland, possessing a firearm with a Firearm Certificate issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland is legal. Firearms control laws in Northern Ireland are primarily regulated by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, slightly different from the law in Great Britain.

text: Gun licensing and legislation[edit]

text: The legislation is interpreted in different ways by different police authorities. For example, some authorities allow clubs to possess long-barrelled pistols for members to use, and allow members who own them to allow other members to use them. Other authorities place the condition that only the owner may fire them; it is considered an offence for anyone else to even touch the firearm. This effectively requires members each to own their own pistol.[22] In 2002 the Home Office issued firearms law guidance to the police, a 212-page long document.[23] A revised version was published in October 2013.[24] In 2012 the British Shooting Sports Council believed that the law needed to be consolidated[clarify], but did not call for a review.[25]

text: Classifications of firearms[edit]

text: Rifles[edit]

text: UK law defines a "rifle" as a rifled firearm with a barrel longer than 30 cm (12 in), and a total length longer than 60 cm (24 in) that does not fall under the classification of long-barrelled revolver or pistol. Single-shot, bolt-action, Martini-action, lever-action (also called under-lever action) and revolver rifles and carbines are permitted, with certificate, in any calibre. Self-loading (also known as semi-automatic) or pump-action rifles are only permitted in .22 rimfire calibre.

text: Pistols[edit]

text: The 1997 law did not ban pistols as such and was drafted in terms of small firearms.[23]:3.2 British law defines a "pistol" as a firearm with a barrel shorter than 30 cm (12 in) or a total length of less than 60 cm (24 in)[26] (this definition encompasses revolvers, revolving pistols). Only muzzle-loading pistols—including muzzle-loading revolvers—are permitted; in practice all such firearms use black powder—a Class 1 explosive—as the propellant. Small quantities of muzzle-loading pistols and revolvers in various calibres, which comply with the regulations, are manufactured.[27] All other pistols are prohibited in Great Britain, with some exceptions such as pistols used for the humane dispatch of injured animals (such as deer) and some historical firearms.

text: Specific models of blank-firing starting pistol that are "readily convertible" to fire live ammunition can also be banned. The Bruni Olympic .380 BBM blank-firing revolver was banned in 2010 on evidence that it was being illegally converted.[28]

text: Long-barrelled revolvers and pistols[edit]

text: "Long-barrelled revolvers" and "long-barrelled pistols" meeting specified criteria are not classified as small, and hence prohibited, firearms; it is legal, with a Firearm Certificate, to possess them. The barrel must be at least 30 cm (12 in) long, and the firearm at least 60 cm (24 in) long, which can be achieved by having a permanently attached extension to the grip or butt of the firearm. Long-barrelled single-shot firearms of any calibre, and semi-automatic pistols of .22 rimfire calibres, are permitted with FAC.[29]

text: Target pistols[edit]

text: Aside from special temporary exemptions for major events such as the 2012 Olympics, pistol shooting for sporting purposes has been effectively banned since 1997. As a result, the GB pistol squad has to practice abroad.[30]

text: A few models of single-shot .22 calibre free pistol, as used in the 50 m Olympic 'Free Pistol' match, have been produced to meet the "long-barrelled pistol" conditions. Some free pistols have removable stabiliser bars extending backwards to improve stability; the UK-legal models have been made with non-removable stabilisers to extend the dimensions, instead of contrived and non-functional grip extensions. Examples are the single-shot Pardini K22 Longarm[31] and the Westlake Britarms Long Pistol, a permitted .22 LR five-shot semi-automatic pistol.[32]

text: Shotguns[edit]

text: Single-barrelled, double-barrelled shotguns, or those with a lever-action or, pump-action, or semi-automatic and fixed magazine capacity of no more than three (2 in the magazine and one in the chamber) cartridges are permitted on a Shotgun Certificate. Shotguns with a detachable magazine or larger fixed magazine are permitted on a Section 1 Firearm Certificate. Types of shotgun ammunition, such as solid slugs can only be bought following the grant of an FAC (Firearm Certificate). There is no limit on the number of guns or amount of ammunition that a SGC (shotgun certificate) holder can acquire or possess at one time, although each shotgun is recorded on the certificates.

text: Airguns[edit]

text: Airguns are firearms like any other according to the definition given in the Firearms Act 1968 at section 57(1).[33] However, they are exempt from the requirement that a Firearm Certificate or Shotgun Certificate need be obtained to possess or acquire them provided that they meet certain limits as to their power.

text: Air pistols with a muzzle energy not exceeding 6 foot-pounds force (8.1 joules) and other airguns with a muzzle energy not exceeding 12 ft·lbf (16 J) do not require a certificate and may be acquired, purchased and possessed by anyone over the age of 18 and who is not a prohibited person as specified in section 21 of the Act which relates to persons previously convicted of crime.[34]

text: The UK Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 controls online or mail-order sales of airguns by way of trade or business; transactions must be finalised face-to-face although the contract of sale may take place at a distance.[35] The airgun may be sent by the seller to a Registered Firearms Dealer (who will act as the sellers agent in the sale) from whom the gun may be collected by the purchaser.

text: The same Act introduced the requirement that a person selling airguns or ammunition for airguns by way of trade or business be a Registered Firearms Dealer.[36] It is not an offence for a private individual to sell an airgun to another person as long as both parties are not legally barred from possessing airguns and the transaction does not constitute a business activity.

text: It became a crime to fire an air weapon beyond the boundary of any premises without the occupier's permission, and increased the lower age limit for buying or possessing an air weapon to 18 years.[37]

text: From 10 February 2011 The Crime & Security Act 2010 (S.46) made it an offence "...for a person in possession of an air weapon to fail to take reasonable precautions to prevent any person under the age of eighteen from having the weapon with him...".[38]

text: Any person who is in a building or is on land as a trespasser whilst having a firearm with them commits the offence of trespassing with a firearm.[39] It is immaterial whether or not they have any ammunition with them at the time or whether they actually intend to use it at the place in which they were trespassing.

text: Ammunition[edit]

text: Explosive, incendiary, noxious (biological, chemical) and armour piercing ammunition types are "prohibited"[16] for civilians. Expanding ammunition is not only permitted but a legal requirement for deer stalking. Holders of a FAC for the purpose of (game) shooting or deer-stalking are required to have authorisation to acquire and possess expanding ammunition[40] noted on it. The amount of ammunition allowed for purchase and possession is determined by conditions stated on an FAC.

text: Prohibited firearms[edit]

text: The following are generally prohibited:[41][42]

text:
Fully automatic or burst-fire weapons, which may include some air guns.
Semi-automatic or pump-action rifles that fire centre-fire ammunition (e.g. Colt AR-15, L1A1)
Cartridge ammunition handguns, regardless of calibre
Firearms disguised as another item (e.g. walking sticks, mobile telephones, etc.)
Rockets and mortars.
Air guns chambered for self-contained gas cartridges. (Existing owners prior to 20 January 2004 were allowed ownership subject to obtaining a firearm certificate)
Any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing. This would generally include stun guns, or electric shock devices, CS gas (tear gas), OC spray (pepper spray), etc.. Cattle prods would not generally be included, but it would depend on the type.
Firearms which previously fell into a prohibited category, but have been converted to an otherwise permitted form. For example, a pistol which is adapted by permanently fitting a 60-centimetre (24 in) long smooth-bore barrel to it does not thereby become permitted.[23]:2.29

text: Firearm licensing[edit]

text: With a few specialised exceptions, all firearms in the United Kingdom must be licensed on either a 5-year firearm certificate (FAC)[43] or a shotgun certificate (SGC) issued by the police for the area in which they normally reside. Each certificate can list multiple firearms, and the certificate remains valid until expiry even if all the listed firearms were subsequently banned.[44]

text: Shotguns (Section 2 Firearms under the 1968 Act as amended) are defined in UK law as smoothbore firearms with barrels not shorter than 24 inches (61 cm) and a bore not larger than 2 inches (5.1 cm) in diameter, no revolving cylinder, and either no magazine or a non-detachable magazine that is not capable of holding more than two cartridges,[23] plus one in the chamber; shotguns with higher capacity require a firearm certificate. Shotguns thus defined are subject to a less rigorous certification process than for the full FAC; an applicant is not required by law to make a good case for being granted a certificate, but the police may withhold a certificate if they consider that the applicant does not have satisfactory security in place, or granting it would constitute a danger to public safety or to the peace.[45] A certificate holder may possess as many shotguns as can be securely stored.

text: When applying for a firearm certificate, justification must be provided to the police for each firearm, and they are individually listed on the certificate by type, calibre, and serial number. A shotgun certificate similarly lists type, calibre and serial number, but permits possession of as many shotguns as can be safely accommodated. To gain permission for a new firearm, a "variation" must be sought, for a fee, unless the variation is made at the time of renewal, or unless it constitutes a one-for-one replacement of an existing firearm that will be disposed of. The certificate also sets out, by calibre, the maximum quantities of ammunition someone may possess at any one time, and is used to record ammunition purchases (except where ammunition is bought to use immediately on a range under s11 or s15 of the Firearms Act).

text: To obtain a firearm certificate, the police must be satisfied that a person has "good reason" to own each firearm, and that they can be trusted with it "without danger to the public safety or to the peace". Under Home Office guidelines, Firearm Certificates are only issued if a person has legitimate sporting, collecting, or work-related reasons for ownership. Since 1968, self-defence has not been considered a valid reason to own a firearm.[46] The current licensing procedure involves: positive verification of identity, two referees of verifiable good character who have known the applicant for at least two years (and who may themselves be interviewed and/or investigated as part of the certification), approval of the application by the applicant's own family doctor, an inspection of the premises and cabinet where firearms will be kept and a face-to-face interview by a Firearms Enquiry Officer (FEO) also known as a Firearms Liaison Officer (FLO). A thorough background check of the applicant is then made by Special Branch on behalf of the firearms licensing department. Only when all these stages have been satisfactorily completed will a licence be issued, which must be renewed every 5 years.

text: Any person who has been sentenced to between three months and three years in prison is automatically prohibited from possessing firearms (including airguns) and ammunition for five years from release. A person who has been sentenced to more than three years is prohibited for life.[34] Application may be made to a court to reverse these prohibitions and this is likely to be successful in relation to convictions for crimes which do not relate to a person's fitness to possess firearms. Similarly, persons applying for licences with recent, serious mental health issues will also be refused a certificate.

text: Any person holding a Firearm or Shotgun Certificate must comply with strict conditions regarding such things as safe storage. These storage arrangements are checked by the police before a licence is first granted, and on every renewal of the licence.

text: In the case of a firearm certificate the issuing police force may impose additional conditions over and above the statutory ones. However any condition appended to a certificate must be reasonable and must not be of such a restrictive nature as would amount to a constructive refusal to grant the certificate by making use so unlikely as to be practically impossible. Failure to comply with any of these conditions can result in criminal prosecution resulting in a prison sentence of up to six months. Revocation of the certificate is also possible, depending upon the nature of the breach.

text: A visitors permit is available for possession of firearms without certificate by visitors to the UK.[47]

text: The penalty for possession of any type of firearm without a certificate is a maximum of 14 years in prison and an unlimited fine. The penalty for section 5 categories of firearm is subject to a mandatory minimum of five years.[48] (Although the sentencing judge has discretion to depart from the minimum sentence if there are "exceptional circumstances").[49]

text: The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 increased restrictions on the use, possession, sale and manufacture of both airguns and imitation firearms.[50]

text: Northern Ireland[edit]

text: More than 100,000 people in Northern Ireland own firearms, having 380,000 among them.[51] Gun control laws in Northern Ireland are less restrictive than gun laws in Great Britain due to the Good Friday Agreement, allowing Northern Ireland to govern itself and pass less restrictive laws. Gun laws in Northern Ireland are primarily affected by the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004. Under the new law, first-time buyers will be required to demonstrate they can be trusted with the firearm. It will be up to firearms dealers selling the products to tell new buyers, and those upgrading their firearms, about the safety procedures. Firearm possessors in Northern Ireland must not transport their firearms to Great Britain. All gun owners in Northern Ireland are required to apply for a Firearm Certificate to possess firearms. Permits are normally issued to anyone who has good reason to possess firearms, such as target shooting, hunting, and personal protection.[52] Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom where personal protection is accepted as a legitimate reason to obtain and own a firearm and is the only part of the United Kingdom or Ireland where handguns are permitted. Semi-automatic rifles are only permitted when chambered in .22 calibre (with certain exceptions). Handguns and Shotguns are permitted in any calibre. There is no limit on magazine capacity for rifles and handguns, and the magazine limit for shotguns is 2 rounds. Also, carrying a firearm in plain view in a public place is allowed without a permit. Open carry of handguns is not common. However, in the countryside, people will often open carry loaded rifles and shotguns.[51] A firearm certificate for a personal protection weapon will only be authorised where the Police Service of Northern Ireland deems there is a ‘verifiable specific risk’ to the life of an individual and that the possession of a firearm is a reasonable, proportionate and necessary measure to protect their life.[53] Permits for personal protection also allow the holder to carry their firearms concealed. They may also allow the holder to possess fully automatic weapons and center fire semi-automatics in some instances.

text: Scotland[edit]

text: This section has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the talk page. (October 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Gun laws in Scotland differ in some details from those in the rest of the UK. However, in terms of licensing they are, currently, identical to the rest of Great Britain. A firearms certificate is required to purchase firearms,[54] and a separate shotgun certificate is required for shotguns.[55] The guiding laws for firearms in Scotland are the Firearms (Scotland) Rules 1989 and the Firearms Act (1968). All handguns, semi-automatic and pump-action non-rim-fire rifles are prohibited. A few pistols are licensed on a Firearm Certificate for exactly the same reasons as the rest of Great Britain. There are only 566 licensed handgun owners in Scotland.[56]

text: Air weapon licensing[edit]

text: In 2006, Glasgow politician Tommy Sheridan of the political party Solidarity launched a consultation to restrict possession of air guns, highlighting recent cases including the death of toddler Andrew Morton but the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to ban airguns at the time so any measures would have needed to be formally approved by Westminster.[57] Around this time, the media gave some exposure to growing public desire to have air guns banned or regulated, particularly from the parents of a child that died after being struck in the head by a pellet in Easterhouse,[58] a suburb of east Glasgow.[59] The child was said to have had a skull only two millimetres thick at the point of impact.[60]

text: MSPs such as Kenny Macaskill have claimed Scotland has a problem with air gun violence. However official figures show that out of the estimated 500,000 airguns in Scotland there were only 195 offences a ratio of less than 0.04%. Not all of these offences have been linked to violence with many being minor.[61]

text: The Commission on Scottish Devolution when implemented gave the Scottish Parliament powers to regulate air guns. On 14 December 2012, a consultation was launched to investigate proposals for licensing air weapons in Scotland. The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice foreword in the consultation paper (titled Proposals for Licensing Air Weapons in Scotland[62]) stated that the regional government "[does] not intend to ban air weapons outright, but [does] not think that it is appropriate in our modern Scotland that there can be up to half a million unregistered, uncontrolled and often forgotten firearms (however, air weapons are not considered 'firearms' under the law [49] ) in circulation". It stated an aim to "ensure that only those people with a legitimate reason for owning and using an airgun should have access to them in the future, and that they are properly licensed and accounted for". In 2011/12 there were 195 offences involving air weapons in Scotland, compared to 3,554 in England & Wales.[63] The consultation closed in March 2013 with 1,101 responses, 87% of which were opposed to the principle of licensing air weapons.[64]

text: In July 2013, Shooting UK reported that a petition against the introduction of air weapon licensing in Scotland had so far gained 14,193 signatures. Petition founder Dave Ewing - who was due to appear before the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee in September - was reported as being pleased with the response to date, but that, "it is very important for people to continue signing and showing support, as the shooting community must pull together to defend our rights... Every single law-abiding person that is deterred from shooting due to overly restrictive laws or unfair financial hurdles weakens [the shooting] community." BASC and the Scottish Gamekeepers' Association (SGA) is also supporting the petition, with the SGA's George Macdonald saying: "Responsible people object to having legislation forced upon them where there is no demonstrable need. The statistics for misuse of an airgun are very low."[65]

text: As of 31st December 2016, it is a requirement to hold an airgun certificate in Scotland to possess a sub 12ft/lb air rifle or sub 6ft/lb air pistol. There are some exceptions for current FAC and SGC holders in that they may hold an air rifle on their current certificate and apply to add it/them when next renewing their FAC or SGC.[66]

text: Gun control legislation in the United Kingdom[edit]

text: Many laws and amendments governing possession and use of firearms have been enacted over the years; see Firearms Act#United Kingdom for a more complete list.

text: Following the assassination of William of Orange in 1584 with a concealed wheellock pistol, Queen Elizabeth I, fearing assassination by Roman Catholics, banned possession of wheellock pistols near a royal palace in 1594.[67] There were growing concerns in the 16th century over the use of guns and crossbows. Four acts were imposed to restrict their use.[68]

text: The Bill of Rights restated the ancient rights of the people to bear arms by reinstating the right of Protestants to have arms after they had been illegally disarmed by James II. It follows closely the Declaration of Rights made in Parliament in February 1689.[69] The Bill of Rights text declares that "That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law".[70]

text: "Whereas the late King James the Second, by the Assistance of divers evil Counsellors, Judges, and Ministers, employed by Him, did endeavour to subvert and extirpate the Protestant Religion, and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom..(b)y assuming and exercising a Power of dispensing with and suspending of Laws, and the Execution of Laws, without Consent of Parliament....(b)y causing several good Subjects, being Protestants, to be disarmed, at the same Time when Papists were both armed and employed contrary to Law...(a)ll which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm..... the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons, pursuant to their respective Letters and Elections, being now assembled in a full and free Representative of this Nation, taking into their most serious Consideration the best Means for attaining the Ends aforesaid, do in the First Place (as their Ancestors in like Case have usually done), for the vindicating and asserting their ancient Rights and Liberties, Declare,....That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence, suitable to their Condition, and as allowed by Law.

text: The rights of English subjects and, after 1707, British subjects, to possess arms was recognised under English common law. Sir William Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, were highly influential and were used as a reference and text book for English Common Law. In his Commentaries, Blackstone described the right to arms.[71]

text: The fifth and last auxiliary right of the subject, that I shall at present mention, is that of having arms for their defence, suitable to their condition and degree, and such as are allowed by law. Which is also declared by the same statute I W. & M. st.2. c.2. and is indeed a public allowance, under due restrictions, of the natural right of resistance and self-preservation, when the sanctions of society and laws are found insufficient to restrain the violence of oppression.

text: Formerly, this same British common law applied to the UK and Australia, and until 1791 to the colonies in North America that became the United States. The right to keep and bear arms had originated in England during the reign of Henry II with the 1181 Assize of Arms, and developed as part of common law.

text: After the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745, harsh laws providing, amongst other things, for disarming the Highlands of Scotland, were enacted by the Parliament of Great Britain: the Disarming Acts of 1716 and 1725, and the Act of Proscription 1746.

text: The first British firearm controls were introduced as part of the Vagrancy Act 1824, which was set up in a reaction against the large number of people roaming the country with weapons brought back from the Napoleonic wars. It allowed the police to arrest "any person with any gun, pistol, hanger [dagger], cutlass, bludgeon or other offensive weapon... with intent to commit a felonious act". It was followed by the Night Poaching Act 1828 and Night Poaching Act 1844, the Game Act 1831, and the Poaching Prevention Act 1862, which made it an offence to shoot game illegally by using a firearm.

text: The Gun Licence Act 1870 was created to raise revenue. It required a person to obtain a licence to carry a gun outside his own property for any reason. A licence was not required to buy a gun. The licences cost 10 shillings (equivalent to about £31 in 2005), lasted one year and could be bought over the counter at Post Offices.

text: Pistols Act 1903[edit]

text: The Pistols Act 1903 was the first to place restrictions on the sale of firearms. Titled "An Act to regulate the sale and use of Pistols or other Firearms", it was short, with just nine sections, and applied solely to pistols. It defined a pistol as a firearm whose barrel did not exceed 9 in (230 mm) in length and made it illegal to sell or rent a pistol to anyone who could not produce a current gun licence or game licence, were exempt from the Gun Licence Act, could prove that they planned to use the pistol on their own property, or had a statement signed by a police officer of Inspector's rank or above or a Justice of the Peace to the effect that they were about to go abroad for six months or more. The Act was more or less ineffective, as anyone wishing to buy a pistol commercially merely had to purchase a licence on demand over the counter from a Post Office before doing so. In addition, it did not regulate private sales of such firearms.

text: The legislators laid some emphasis on the dangers of pistols in the hands of children and drunkards and made specific provisions regarding sales to these two groups: persons under 18 could be fined 40 shillings if they bought, hired, or carried a pistol, while anyone who sold a pistol to such a person could be fined £5. Anyone who sold a pistol to someone who was "intoxicated or of unsound mind" was liable to a fine of £25 or 3 months' imprisonment with hard labour. However, it was not an offence under the Act to give or lend a pistol to anyone belonging to the two groups.[72]

text: Firearms Act 1920[edit]

text: The Firearms Act 1920 was partly spurred by fears of a possible surge in crime from the large number of firearms available following World War I and also fears of working-class unrest in this period. "An Act to amend the law relating to firearms and other weapons and ammunition", its main stated aim was to enable the government to control the overseas arms trade and so fulfill its commitment to the 1919 Paris Arms Convention.[73] The ongoing Anglo-Irish War may also have been a factor, as Britain and Ireland were at that time still in union with each other at the time, and the Act also applied to Ireland. It required anyone wanting to purchase or possess a firearm or ammunition to obtain a firearm certificate. The certificate, which lasted for three years, specified not only the firearm but also the amount of ammunition the holder could buy or possess. Local chief constables decided who could obtain a certificate and had the power to exclude anyone of "intemperate habits" or "unsound mind", or anyone considered "...for any reason unfitted to be trusted with firearms". Applicants for certificates also had to convince the police that they had a good reason for needing a certificate. The law did not affect smooth-bore guns, which were available for purchase without any form of paperwork. The penalty for violating the Act was a fine of up to £50 or "imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding three months", or both.[74]

text: The right of individuals to bear arms had previously been, in the words of the 1689 Bill of Rights, "as allowed by law". The 1920 Act made this right conditional upon the Home Secretary and the police. A series of classified Home Office directives defined for the benefit of chief constables what constituted good reason to grant a certificate. They originally included self-defence.[74]

text: As the 1920 Act did not prevent criminals from obtaining firearms illegally, in 1933 the Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Use) Bill was submitted to Parliament. It increased the punishment for the use of a gun in the commission of a crime and made it an offence punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment for anyone to "attempt to make use" of any firearm or imitation firearm to resist arrest. Possession of a real or imitation firearm was also made an offence unless the possessor could show he had it for "a lawful object".[75]

text: Firearms Act 1937[edit]

text: The Firearms Act 1937 incorporated various modifications to the 1920 Act based on the recommendations of a 1934 committee chaired by Sir Archibald Bodkin. The resulting legislation raised the minimum age for buying a firearm or airgun from 14 to 17, extended controls to shotguns and other smooth-bore weapons with barrels shorter than 20 in (510 mm) (later raised by the Firearms Act 1968 to 24 in (610 mm), transferred certificates for machine guns to military oversight, regulated gun dealers, and granted chief constables the power to add conditions to individual Firearms Certificates.[76]

text: The same year, the Home Secretary ruled that self-defence was no longer a suitable reason for applying for a firearm certificate and directed police to refuse such applications on the grounds that "firearms cannot be regarded as a suitable means of protection and may be a source of danger".[77]

text: Firearms Act 1968[edit]

text: The Firearms Act 1968 brought together all existing firearms legislation in a single statute. Disregarding minor changes, it formed the legal basis for British firearms control policy until the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 was put through Parliament in the aftermath of the 1987 Hungerford massacre. For the first time, it introduced controls for long-barrelled shotguns, in the form of Shotgun Certificates that, like Firearm Certificates, were issued by an area's chief constable in England, Scotland, and Wales. While applicants for Firearms Certificates had to show a good reason for possessing the firearm or ammunition, it did not apply to Shotgun Certificates. Firearms had to be locked up, with ammunition stored and locked in a different cabinet. This was introduced after the 1973 Green Paper, which advocated more controls on firearms.

text: The Act also prohibited the possession of firearms or ammunition by criminals who had been sentenced to imprisonment; those sentenced to three months to three years imprisonment were banned from possessing firearms or ammunition for five years, while those sentenced to longer terms were banned for life. However, an application could be made to have the prohibition removed.[78]

text: The Act was accompanied by an amnesty; many older weapons were handed into the police. It has remained a feature of British policing that from time-to-time a brief firearms amnesty is declared.[79]

text: The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988[edit]

text: In the aftermath of the Hungerford massacre, Parliament passed the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988.[80] This confined semi-automatic and pump-action centre-fire rifles, military weapons firing explosive ammunition, short shotguns that had magazines, and elevated both pump-action and self-loading rifles to the Prohibited category.[81] Registration and secure storage of shotguns held on Shotgun Certificates became required, and shotguns with more than a 2+1 capacity came to need a Firearm Certificate. The law also introduced new restrictions on shotguns. Rifles in .22 rimfire and semi-automatic pistols were unaffected.

text: 1997 Firearms (Amendment) Acts[edit]

text: Following the Dunblane massacre, the government passed the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, defining "short firearms" as Section 5 Prohibited Weapons, which effectively banned private possession of handguns almost completely. Exceptions to the ban include muzzle-loading guns, pistols of historic interest (such as pistols used in notable crimes, rare prototypes, unusual serial numbers, guns forming part of a collection), guns used for starting sporting events, signal pistols, pistols that are of particular aesthetic interest (such as engraved or jewelled guns) and shot pistols for pest control. Under certain circumstances, individuals may be issued a PPW (Personal Protection Weapon) licence. Even the UK's Olympic shooters fell under this ban; shooters could only train in Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or outside the UK (in Switzerland, in practice).[82] Prior to the 2012 London Olympics, British Shooting negotiated an agreement with the Home Office to issue Section 5 Permits to a limited number of nominated elite athletes, allowing them to keep pistols and train on the UK Mainland at nominated "Section 5 Ranges". This agreement was renewed following the Olympics and Section 5 Permits remain on issue for eligible members of the GB Squad.

text: 162,000 pistols and 700 tons of ammunition and related equipment were handed in by an estimated 57,000 people - 0.1% of the population, or 1 in every 960 persons.[83] At the time, the renewal cycle for FACs was five years, meaning that it would take six years for the full reduction of valid certificates for both large-calibre and .22 handguns bans (because certificates remained valid even if the holder had disposed of all their firearms). On 31 December 1996, prior to the large-calibre handgun ban, there were 133,600 FACs on issue in England and Wales; by 31 December 1997 it had fallen to 131,900. The following year, after the .22 handgun ban, the number stood at 131,900. On 31 December 2001, five years after the large calibre ban, the number had fallen to 119,600 and 117,700 the following year.[44] This represents a net drop of 24,200 certificates. Comparable figures for Scotland show a net drop of 5,841 from 32,053 to 26,212 certificates,[84] making a GB total net drop of 30,041. However, while the number of certificates in England and Wales rose each year after 2002 to stand at 126,400 at 31 March 2005 (due to a change in reporting period), those in Scotland remained relatively static, standing at 26,538 at 31 December 2005.

text: Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006[edit]

text: This act mainly impacted upon firearms legislation by creating minimum sentences for some firearms offences[85], regulating the sale of primers and provisions relating to imitation firearms[86]. From 6 April 2007 the sale and transfer of new "air weapons" by mail order ("by way of trade or business") became an offence (they may still be purchased in person), as well as the sale of primers, and realistic imitation firearms (RIFs). The only exceptions are for the purposes of military and historical reenactment, media & theatre production, paintballing and Airsoft as a sport. This has affected Airsoft in the UK by restricting the sale, import and purchase of airsoft replicas to individuals entitled to a specific defence, e.g. members of an organised airsoft site holding permitted activities with third-party liability insurance cover or re-enactors.

text: The 2012 Olympics[edit]

text: Following the awarding of the 2012 Olympic Games to London, the government announced that special dispensation would be granted to allow the various shooting events to be held, as had been the case previously for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Further dispensations allowed foreign participants in shooting events to train in the UK, even though it remained illegal for native pistol shooters to train in England, Scotland or Wales.[87]

text: Controversially, shooting events for the Games were held at a temporary facilities at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, with the cost of £42 million including their subsequent demolition. Shooting sports bodies and some politicians argued that the money would have been better spent on the lasting legacy that would be gained by refurbishing and upgrading permanent facilities at the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, which would have cost a maximum of £30 million.[88][89][90]

text: Firearms crime[edit]

text: A Home Office study published in 2007 reported that gun crime in England and Wales remained a relatively rare event. Firearms (including air guns) were used in 21,521 recorded crimes. It said that injury caused during a firearm offence was rare, with fewer than 3% of offences resulting in a serious or fatal injury.[91]

text: In the year Apr 2015 to Mar 2016 there were 8,399 recorded offences involving firearms, broken down as follows.[92][93]

text: By weapon type:

text:
Long-barrelled shotgun = 261
Sawn-off shotgun = 150
Handgun = 2,157
Rifle = 48
Imitation firearm = 1,431
Unidentified firearm = 666
Other firearm = 469
Air weapons = 3,217

text: Only those items proven to be "imitations" (which includes BB/soft air types) or air weapons are classed as such, otherwise they are placed by default in the main "live" categories, e.g. an imitation pistol not proven to be such would be counted as a live "handgun." "Other firearm" includes CS gas (65 crimes), pepper spray (72), and stun guns (200).

text: By crime type:

text: Violence against the person:

text:
Homicide = 27
Attempted murder/GBH with intent = 579
Other = 1,655
Robbery = 1,551

text:
Burglary = 113
Criminal damage = 2,449 (2,162 of which involved air weapons)
Other = 2025

text: The long-term trend in the use of firearms in crime in England & Wales show consistent falls between 2003/04 and 2013/14 for both non-air weapons and air weapons, with a slight rise between 2014/15 and 2015/16:

text:
Year
Non-air weapons
Air weapons
Total

1992
7,243
6,098
13,341

1993
7,730
6,337
14,067

1994
6,002
7,165
13,167

1995
5,866
7,568
13,434

1996
6,063
7,813
13,876

1997
4,904
7,506
12,410

1997/98
4,904
7,506
12,410

1998/99
5,209
8,665
13,874

1999/00
6,843
10,103
16,946

2000/01
7,471
10,227
17,698

2001/02
10,024
12,377
22,401 [94]

2002/03
10,248
13,822
24,070

2003/04
10,338
13,756
24,094

2004/05
11,069
11,824
22,893

2005/06
11,088
10,438
21,526

2006/07
9,645
8,836
18,481

2007/08
9,865
7,478
17,343

2008/09
8,199
6,041
14,240

2009/10
8,082
4,931
13,013

2010/11
7,040
4,295
11,335

2011/12
6,022
3,510
9,532

2012/13
5,158
2,977
8,135

2013/14
4,856
2,872
7,729

2014/15
4,911
2,954
7,865

2015/16
5,182
3,217
8,399 [93]

text: The number of fatal firearms injuries in England & Wales by year is:

text:
Year
Fatal firearm injuries

1998/99
49

1999/00
62

2000/01
72[95]

2001/02
96

2002/03
80

2003/04
68

2004/05
76

2005/06
49

2006/07
56

2007/08
53

2008/09
39

2009/10
39

2010/11
58[96]

2011/12
42[97]

2012/13
30

2013/14
29[98]

2014/15
19

2015/16
26[93]

text: Spree killings and mass shootings[edit]

text: Britain has had three spree killings or mass shootings since 1980. The Hungerford massacre of 1987, the Dunblane school massacre of 1996, and the Cumbria shootings of 2010. After Hungerford and Dunblane, Firearms legislation was amended.tightening firearms restrictions in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom Gun legislation has been described by The Huffington Post as 'one of the toughest regimes in the world'.[99] After Hungerford, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 criminalised most semi-automatic long-barrelled weapons; it was generally supported by the Labour opposition although some Labour backbenchers thought it inadequate.[100] After the second incident, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 criminalised private possession of most handguns having a calibre over .22; the Snowdrop Campaign continued to press for a wider ban, and in 1997 the incoming Labour government introduced the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act was passed. This extended this to most handguns with a calibre of .22, excepting antique handguns and black-powder revolvers.

text: Hungerford massacre[edit]

text: On 19 August 1987, 27-year-old Michael Ryan, armed with two semi-automatic rifles (a Type 56 sporter, and an M1 carbine), and a Beretta 92 pistol, dressed in combat fatigues and proceeded around the town of Hungerford killing 16 people, wounding fifteen and shooting himself, in what became known as the Hungerford massacre. Ryan's collection of weapons had been legally licensed, according to the Hungerford Report.

text: Dunblane massacre[edit]

text: On 13 March 1996, Thomas Hamilton, a 43-year-old former scout leader who had been ousted by The Scout Association in 1974, shot dead sixteen young children and their teacher, Gweneth Mayor, in Dunblane Primary School's gymnasium with two Browning Hi-Power 9×19mm pistols and two Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolvers. He then shot himself.[101] The four handguns used in the attack were legally owned.[101] There is a memorial to the seventeen victims in the local cemetery and a cenotaph in the cathedral. The funds raised in the aftermath of the tragedy have been used to build a new community centre for the town.

text: Personnel of the Police Firearms Licensing Office were unaware of Hamilton's expulsion by the Scout Association, nor were they aware of allegations made against him regarding unsavoury behaviour on a number of boy's summer camps he had organised, allegations that would have exposed his poor character. The tragedy led to improvements in inter-departmental sharing of Police Intelligence and deeper background checks of firearm certificate applicants.

text: After the incident, legislation was introduced in 1997 to prohibit, with some extremely specialised exemptions, "Small firearms" with a barrel length of less than 30 cm (12 in) or an overall length of less than 60 cm (24 in).

text: Cumbria shootings[edit]

text: On 2 June 2010, Derrick Bird, a 52-year-old taxi driver, shot and killed 12 people and injured 11 others while driving through Cumbria. He then shot himself. Bird was a licensed firearms holder; his weapons were a 12 gauge double-barrelled shotgun and CZ 452-2E ZKM .22-calibre bolt-action rifle.[102]


document_title: Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby

question_text: who sings is you is or is you ain't my baby in tom and jerry

question_tokens: who sings is you is or is you ai n 't my baby in tom and jerry

root

text: Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text:
"Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby"
Single by Louis Jordan & His Tympany FiveA-side
"G.I. Jive"Released
1944 (1944)Format
10"Recorded
October 4, 1943Genre
Rhythm and bluesLabel
DeccaSongwriter(s)
Billy Austin, Louis Jordan

text: "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby"  is a Louis Jordan song, recorded on October 4, 1943,[1] and released as the B-side of a single with "G.I. Jive".  The song  reached No. 1 on the US folk/country charts,[2] number two for three weeks on the pop chart, and number three on the R&B chart.[3]  This was Jordan's second and last country chart No. 1, and the last No. 1 country chart topper for an African American artist until Charley Pride's "All I Have to Offer You (Is Me)" in 1969.

tag: p

text: The song was co-written by Jordan and Billy Austin.  Austin (March 6, 1896 – July 24, 1964) was a songwriter and author, born in Denver, Colorado.  The phrase "is you is or is you ain't" is dialect, apparently first recorded in a 1921 story by Octavus Roy Cohen, a Jewish writer from South Carolina who wrote humorous black dialect fiction.

text: In the 1932 American film Harlem Is Heaven, dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, accompanied by jazz pianist Putney Dandridge, sings "Is You Is or Is You Ain't."  The song in the film has different lyrics; but, in addition to its title, its melody is at times similar to that later used for "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby."[4]

text: Glenn Miller recorded this song on  a radio broadcast from Europe during World War II.   Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters recorded the song on June 30, 1944 for Decca Records[5] and it too reached the No. 2 spot in the Billboard charts during a 12-week stay.[6]

text: Other cover versions[edit]

text:
The song was performed by the character Tom in the 1946 Tom and Jerry cartoon short Solid Serenade [actual performance by Ira "Buck" Woods].
Dinah Washington recorded a version of the song with accompaniment led by Quincy Jones for her 1957 album The Swingin' Miss "D".
Vic Damone included it on his album My Baby Loves to Swing (1963)[7]
Syndicate of Sound recorded a version for their 1966 debut album Little Girl.[8]
Joe Jackson performs the song on his 1981 album Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive.
Max Cullen sings the song in the style of Billie Holiday in the 1995 film Billy's Holiday.
A version by the JB Jazz and Blues Band featured prominently in the closing scenes of the final episode of the first series of Spaced by Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes in 1999.
The song was used in an advertisement for credit card Access with the words changed to "does you do or does you don't take Access?"
Diana Krall included the song on her album Only Trust Your Heart (1995).
Naomi Uyama recorded a version of this song with her band Naomi and Her Handsome Devils on their 2014 album Naomi & Her Handsome Devils

tag: ul

text: Film appearances[edit]

text:
1944 Follow the Boys - performed by Louis Jordan
1986 Heartburn - sung by Jack Nicholson
2006 Shortbus - performed by Anita O'Day


document_title: Cricket World Cup

question_text: when was first one day cricket world cup played

text: Cricket World Cup

text: History[edit]

text: Before the first Cricket World Cup[edit]

text: The first international cricket match was played between Canada and the United States, on 24 and 25 September 1844.[2] However, the first credited Test match was played in 1877 between Australia and England, and the two teams competed regularly for The Ashes in subsequent years. South Africa was admitted to Test status in 1889.[3] Representative cricket teams were selected to tour each other, resulting in bilateral competition. Cricket was also included as an Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France to win the gold medal.[4] This was the only appearance of cricket at the Summer Olympics.

text: The first multilateral competition at international level was the 1912 Triangular Tournament, a Test cricket tournament played in England between all three Test-playing nations at the time: England, Australia and South Africa. The event was not a success: the summer was exceptionally wet, making play difficult on damp uncovered pitches, and attendances were poor, attributed to a "surfeit of cricket".[5] Since then, international Test cricket has generally been organised as bilateral series: a multilateral Test tournament was not organised again until the triangular Asian Test Championship in 1999.[6]

text: The number of nations playing Test cricket increased gradually over time, with the addition of West Indies in 1928, New Zealand in 1930, India in 1932, and Pakistan in 1952. However, international cricket continued to be played as bilateral Test matches over three, four or five days.

text: In the early 1960s, English county cricket teams began playing a shortened version of cricket which only lasted for one day. Starting in 1962 with a four-team knockout competition known as the Midlands Knock-Out Cup,[7] and continuing with the inaugural Gillette Cup in 1963, one-day cricket grew in popularity in England. A national Sunday League was formed in 1969. The first One-Day International match was played on the fifth day of a rain-aborted Test match between England and Australia at Melbourne in 1971, to fill the time available and as compensation for the frustrated crowd. It was a forty over game with eight balls per over.[8]

text: In the late 1970s, Kerry Packer established the rival World Series Cricket (WSC) competition. It introduced many of the now commonplace features of One Day International cricket, including coloured uniforms, matches played at night under floodlights with a white ball and dark sight screens, and, for television broadcasts, multiple camera angles, effects microphones to capture sounds from the players on the pitch, and on-screen graphics. The first of the matches with coloured uniforms was the WSC Australians in wattle gold versus WSC West Indians in coral pink, played at VFL Park in Melbourne on 17 January 1979. The success and popularity of the domestic one-day competitions in England and other parts of the world, as well as the early One-Day Internationals, prompted the ICC to consider organising a Cricket World Cup.[9]

text: Prudential World Cups (1975–1983)[edit]

text: The inaugural Cricket World Cup was hosted in 1975 by England, the only nation able to put forward the resources to stage an event of such magnitude at the time. The 1975 tournament started on 7 June.[10] The first three events were held in England and officially known as the Prudential Cup after the sponsors Prudential plc. The matches consisted of 60 six-ball overs per team, played during the daytime in traditional form, with the players wearing cricket whites and using red cricket balls.[11]

text: Eight teams participated in the first tournament: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the West Indies (the six Test nations at the time), together with Sri Lanka and a composite team from East Africa.[12] One notable omission was South Africa, who were banned from international cricket due to apartheid. The tournament was won by the West Indies, who defeated Australia by 17 runs in the final at Lord's.[12]

text: The 1979 World Cup saw the introduction of the ICC Trophy competition to select non-Test playing teams for the World Cup,[13] with Sri Lanka and Canada qualifying.[14] The West Indies won a second consecutive World Cup tournament, defeating the hosts England by 92 runs in the final. At a meeting which followed the World Cup, the International Cricket Conference agreed to make the competition a quadrennial event.[14]

text: The 1983 event was hosted by England for a third consecutive time. By this stage, Sri Lanka had become a Test-playing nation, and Zimbabwe qualified through the ICC Trophy. A fielding circle was introduced, 30 yards (27 m) away from the stumps. Four fieldsmen needed to be inside it at all times.[15] The teams faced each other twice, before moving into the knock-outs. India, an outsider, quoted at 66–1 to win by bookmakers before the competition began, were crowned champions after upsetting the West Indies by 43 runs in the final.[9][16]

text: Different champions (1987–1996)[edit]

text: India and Pakistan jointly hosted the 1987 tournament, the first time that the competition was held outside England. The games were reduced from 60 to 50 overs per innings, the current standard, because of the shorter daylight hours in the Indian subcontinent compared with England's summer.[17] Australia won the championship by defeating England by 7 runs in the final, the closest margin in World Cup final history.[18][19]

text: The 1992 World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand, introduced many changes to the game, such as coloured clothing, white balls, day/night matches, and a change to the fielding restriction rules. The South African cricket team participated in the event for the first time, following the fall of the apartheid regime and the end of the international sports boycott.[20] Pakistan overcame a dismal start in the tournament to eventually defeat England by 22 runs in the final and emerge as winners.[21]

text: The 1996 championship was held in the Indian subcontinent for a second time, with the inclusion of Sri Lanka as host for some of its group stage matches.[22] In the semi-final, Sri Lanka, heading towards a crushing victory over India at Eden Gardens after the hosts lost eight wickets while scoring 120 runs in pursuit of 252, were awarded victory by default after crowd unrest broke out in protest against the Indian performance.[23] Sri Lanka went on to win their maiden championship by defeating Australia by seven wickets in the final at Lahore.[24]

text: Australian treble (1999–2007)[edit]

text: In 1999 the event was hosted by England, with some matches also being held in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands.[25][26] Twelve teams contested the World Cup. Australia qualified for the semi-finals after reaching their target in their Super 6 match against South Africa off the final over of the match.[27] They then proceeded to the final with a tied match in the semi-final also against South Africa where a mix-up between South African batsmen Lance Klusener and Allan Donald saw Donald drop his bat and stranded mid-pitch to be run out. In the final, Australia dismissed Pakistan for 132 and then reached the target in less than 20 overs and with eight wickets in hand.[28]

text: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya hosted the 2003 World Cup. The number of teams participating in the event increased from twelve to fourteen. Kenya's victories over Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, among others – and a forfeit by the New Zealand team, which refused to play in Kenya because of security concerns – enabled Kenya to reach the semi-finals, the best result by an associate.[29] In the final, Australia made 359 runs for the loss of two wickets, the largest ever total in a final, defeating India by 125 runs.[30][31]

text: In 2007 the tournament was hosted by the West Indies and expanded to sixteen teams.[32] Following Pakistan's upset loss to World Cup debutants Ireland in the group stage, Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room.[33] Jamaican police had initially launched a murder investigation into Woolmer's death but later confirmed that he died of heart failure.[34] Australia defeated Sri Lanka in the final by 53 runs (D/L) in farcical light conditions, and extended their undefeated run in the World Cup to 29 matches and winning three straight championships.[35]

text: Hosts triumph (2011–2015)[edit]

text: India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh together hosted the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Pakistan were stripped of their hosting rights following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009, with the games originally scheduled for Pakistan redistributed to the other host countries.[36] The number of teams participating in the World Cup dropped down to fourteen.[37] Australia lost their final group stage match against Pakistan on 19 March 2011, ending an unbeaten streak of 35 World Cup matches, which had begun on 23 May 1999.[38] India won their second World Cup title by beating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final in Mumbai, and became the first country to win the final on home soil.[37] MS Dhoni later became the first captain in history to win all the major ICC tournaments - World T20 in 2007, Champions Trophy in 2013 and this edition of the World Cup.

text: Australia and New Zealand jointly hosted the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The number of participants remained at fourteen. Ireland was the most successful Associate nation with a total of three wins in the tournament. New Zealand beat South Africa in a thrilling first semi-final to qualify for their maiden World Cup final. Australia defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the final at Melbourne to lift the World Cup for the fifth time.[39]

text: Format[edit]

text: Qualification[edit]

text: This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (March 2018)

text: The Test-playing nations qualify automatically for the World Cup main event while the other teams have to qualify through a series of preliminary qualifying tournaments. A new qualifying format was introduced for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The top two teams of the 2011–13 ICC World Cricket League Championship qualify directly. The remaining six teams join the third and fourth-placed teams of 2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Two and the top two teams of the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three in the World Cup Qualifier to decide the remaining two places.[40][41]

text: Qualifying tournaments were introduced for the second World Cup, where two of the eight places in the finals were awarded to the leading teams in the ICC Trophy.[13] The number of teams selected through the ICC Trophy had varied throughout the years. The World Cricket League (administered by the International Cricket Council) is the qualification system provided to allow the Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC more opportunities to qualify. The name "ICC Trophy" has been changed to "ICC World Cup Qualifier".[42]

text: Under the current qualifying process, the World Cricket League, all Associate and Affiliate members of the ICC are able to qualify for the World Cup. Associate and Affiliate members must play between two and five stages in the ICC World Cricket League to qualify for the World Cup finals, depending on the Division in which they start the qualifying process.

text: Process summary in chronological order (2011-2014):

text:
2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Two: 6 Teams – Top 2 were promoted to the 2011–13 ICC World Cricket League Championship. The third and fourth-placed teams qualified for the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The fifth and sixth-placed teams were relegated to the Division Three for 2013.
2011–13 ICC World Cricket League Championship: 8 Teams – Top 2 automatically qualified for the 2015 Cricket World Cup. The remaining six teams qualified for the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three: 6 Teams – Top 2 were qualified for the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. The fifth and sixth-placed teams were relegated to the Division Four for 2014.
2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier: 10 Teams – Top 2 qualified for the 2015 Cricket World Cup and the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship. The third and fourth-placed teams qualified for the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth-placed teams remained in the Division Two for 2015. The ninth and tenth-placed teams were relegated to the Division Three for 2014

tag: ol

text: Tournament[edit]

text: The format of the Cricket World Cup has changed greatly over the course of its history. Each of the first four tournaments was played by eight teams, divided into two groups of four.[43] The competition consisted of two stages, a group stage and a knock-out stage. The four teams in each group played each other in the round-robin group stage, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals played against each other in the final. With South Africa returning in the fifth tournament in 1992 as a result of the end of the apartheid boycott, nine teams played each other once in the group phase, and the top four teams progressed to the semi-finals.[44] The tournament was further expanded in 1996, with two groups of six teams.[45] The top four teams from each group progressed to quarter-finals and semi-finals.

text: A distinct format was used for the 1999 and 2003 World Cups. The teams were split into two pools, with the top three teams in each pool advancing to the Super 6.[46] The Super 6 teams played the three other teams that advanced from the other group. As they advanced, the teams carried their points forward from previous matches against other teams advancing alongside them, giving them an incentive to perform well in the group stages.[46] The top four teams from the Super 6 stage progressed to the semi-finals, with the winners playing in the final.

text: The format used in the 2007 World Cup involved 16 teams allocated into four groups of four.[47] Within each group, the teams played each other in a round-robin format. Teams earned points for wins and half-points for ties. The top two teams from each group moved forward to the Super 8 round. The Super 8 teams played the other six teams that progressed from the different groups. Teams earned points in the same way as the group stage, but carried their points forward from previous matches against the other teams who qualified from the same group to the Super 8 stage.[48] The top four teams from the Super 8 round advanced to the semi-finals, and the winners of the semi-finals played in the final.

text: The format used in the 2011 and 2015[49] World Cups featured two groups of seven teams, each playing in a round-robin format. The top four teams from each group proceeded to the knock out stage consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals and ultimately the final.[50]

text: It is proposed that in 2019 World Cup, the number of teams participating will go down to 10 and all the teams will play against each other once in round robin format, before entering the semifinals. This would be similar to the one used in 1992 World Cup.

text: Trophy[edit]

text: The ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy is presented to the winners of the World Cup. The current trophy was created for the 1999 championships, and was the first permanent prize in the tournament's history. Prior to this, different trophies were made for each World Cup.[51] The trophy was designed and produced in London by a team of craftsmen from Garrard & Co over a period of two months.

text: The current trophy is made from silver and gilt, and features a golden globe held up by three silver columns. The columns, shaped as stumps and bails, represent the three fundamental aspects of cricket: batting, bowling and fielding, while the globe characterises a cricket ball.[52] The seam is tilted to symbolize the axial tilt of the Earth. It stands 60 centimetres high and weighs approximately 11 kilograms. The names of the previous winners are engraved on the base of the trophy, with space for a total of twenty inscriptions. The ICC keeps the original trophy. A replica differing only in the inscriptions is permanently awarded to the winning team.[53]

text: Media coverage[edit]

text: The tournament is the world's third largest[54] with only the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics exceeding it. The 2011 Cricket World Cup final was televised in over 200 countries to over 2.2 billion television viewers.[55][56][57] Television rights, mainly for the 2011 and 2015 World Cup, were sold for over US$1.1 billion,[58] and sponsorship rights were sold for a further US$500 million.[59] The 2003 Cricket World Cup matches were attended by 626,845 people,[60] while the 2007 Cricket World Cup sold more than 672,000 tickets.[61][62]

text: Successive World Cup tournaments have generated increasing media attention as One-Day International cricket has become more established. The 2003 World Cup in South Africa was the first to sport a mascot, Dazzler the zebra.[63] An orange mongoose known as Mello was the mascot for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.[64] Stumpy, a blue elephant was the mascot for the 2011 World Cup.[65]

text: On 13 February, the opening of the 2015 tournament was celebrated with a Google Doodle.[66]

text: Selection of hosts[edit]

text: The International Cricket Council's executive committee votes for the hosts of the tournament after examining the bids made by the nations keen to hold a Cricket World Cup.[67]

text: England hosted the first three competitions. The ICC decided that England should host the first tournament because it was ready to devote the resources required to organising the inaugural event.[10] India volunteered to host the third Cricket World Cup, but most ICC members preferred England as the longer period of daylight in England in June meant that a match could be completed in one day.[68] The 1987 Cricket World Cup was held in India and Pakistan, the first hosted outside England.[69]

text: Many of the tournaments have been jointly hosted by nations from the same geographical region, such as South Asia in 1987, 1996 and 2011, Australasia in 1992 and 2015, Southern Africa in 2003 and West Indies in 2007.

text: Tournament history[edit]

text:
Year
Official Host(s)
Final venue
Result

Winner
Margin
Runner-up

1975
Details
 England
London
 West Indies
291/8 (60 overs)
West Indies won by 17 runs
Scorecard
 Australia
274 all out (58.4 overs)

1979
Details
 England
London
 West Indies
286/9 (60 overs)
West Indies won by 92 runs
Scorecard
 England
194 all out (51 overs)

1983
Details
 England [a]
London
 India
183 all out (54.4 overs)
India won by 43 runs
Scorecard
 West Indies
140 all out (52 overs)

1987
Details
 India
 Pakistan
Kolkata
 Australia
253/5 (50 overs)
Australia won by 7 runs
Scorecard
 England
246/8 (50 overs)

1992
Details
 Australia
 New Zealand
Melbourne
 Pakistan
249/6 (50 overs)
Pakistan won by 22 runs
Scorecard
 England
227 all out (49.2 overs)

1996
Details
 Pakistan
 India
 Sri Lanka
Lahore
 Sri Lanka
245/3 (46.2 overs)
Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
Scorecard
 Australia
241/7 (50 overs)

1999
Details
 England
 Wales [b]
London
 Australia
133/2 (20.1 overs)
Australia won by 8 wickets
Scorecard
 Pakistan
132 all out (39 overs)

2003
Details
 South Africa [c]
Johannesburg
 Australia
359/2 (50 overs)
Australia won by 125 runs
Scorecard
 India
234 all out (39.2 overs)

2007
Details
 West Indies [d]
Bridgetown
 Australia
281/4 (38 overs)
Australia won by 53 runs (D/L)
Scorecard
 Sri Lanka
215/8 (36 overs)

2011
Details
 India
 Sri Lanka
 Bangladesh
Mumbai
 India
277/4 (48.2 overs)
India won by 6 wickets
Scorecard
 Sri Lanka
274/6 (50 overs)

2015
Details
 Australia
 New Zealand
Melbourne
 Australia
186/3 (33.1 overs)
Australia won by 7 wickets
Scorecard
 New Zealand
183 all out (45 overs)

2019
Details
 England
 Wales
London

2023
Details
 India
Kolkata

text:
Jump up ^ England was the sole designated host, but matches were also played in Wales.
Jump up ^ The England and Wales Cricket Board was the sole designated host, but matches were also played in Ireland, the Netherlands, and Scotland.
Jump up ^ Cricket South Africa was the sole designated host, but matches were also played in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Jump up ^ Eight member countries of the West Indies Cricket Board hosted matches – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

text: Results[edit]

text: Twenty nations have qualified for the Cricket World Cup at least once. Seven teams have competed in every tournament, five of which have won the title.[9] The West Indies won the first two tournaments, Australia has won five, India has won two, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka have each won once. The West Indies (1975 and 1979) and Australia (1999, 2003 and 2007) are the only nations to have won consecutive titles.[9] Australia has played in seven of the eleven finals (1975, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015). England has yet to win the World Cup, but has been runners-up three times (1979, 1987, 1992). The best result by a non-Test playing nation is the semi-final appearance by Kenya in the 2003 tournament; while the best result by a non-Test playing team on their debut is the Super 8 (second round) by Ireland in 2007.[9]

text: Sri Lanka as a co-host of the 1996 Cricket World Cup was the first host to win the tournament though the final was held in Pakistan.[9] India won in 2011 as host and was the first team to win in a final played in their own country.[70] Australia repeated the feat in 2015.[39] England is the only other host to have made the final, in 1979. Other countries which have achieved or equalled their best World Cup results while co-hosting the tournament are New Zealand as finalists in 2015; Zimbabwe who reached the Super Six in 2003; and Kenya as semi-finalists in 2003.[9] In 1987, co-hosts India and Pakistan both reached the semi-finals, but were eliminated by Australia and England respectively.[9] Australia in 1992, England in 1999, South Africa in 2003, and Bangladesh in 2011 have been the host teams that were eliminated in the first round.

text: Teams' performances[edit]

text: An overview of the teams' performances in every World Cup:

text:
Team \ Host
1975
(8)
1979
(8)
1983
(8)
1987
(8)
1992
(9)
1996
(12)
1999
(12)
2003
(14)
2007
(16)
2011
(14)
2015
(14)
2019
(10)
2023
(10)

 Afghanistan

GP
Q

 Australia
2nd
GP
GP
1st
GP
2nd
1st
1st
1st
QF
1st
Q

 Bangladesh

GP
GP
S8
GP
QF
Q

 Bermuda

GP

 Canada

GP

GP
GP
GP

East Africa†
GP

 England
SF
2nd
SF
2nd
2nd
QF
GP
GP
S8
QF
GP
Q

 India
GP
GP
1st
SF
GP
SF
S6
2nd
GP
1st
SF
Q
Q

 Ireland

S8
GP
GP

 Kenya

GP
GP
SF
GP
GP

 Namibia

GP

 Netherlands

GP

GP
GP
GP

 New Zealand
SF
SF
GP
GP
SF
QF
SF
S6
SF
SF
2nd
Q

 Pakistan
GP
SF
SF
SF
1st
QF
2nd
GP
GP
SF
QF
Q

 Scotland

GP

GP

GP

 South Africa

SF
QF
SF
GP
SF
QF
SF
Q

 Sri Lanka
GP
GP
GP
GP
GP
1st
GP
SF
2nd
2nd
QF
Q

 United Arab Emirates

GP

GP

 West Indies
1st
1st
2nd
GP
GP
SF
GP
GP
S8
QF
QF
Q

 Zimbabwe

GP
GP
GP
GP
S6
S6
GP
GP
GP

text: †No longer exists.

text: Before the 1992 World Cup, South Africa was banned due to apartheid.

text: The number of wins followed by Run-rate is the criteria for determining the rankings till the 1987 World Cup.

text: The number of points followed by, head to head performance and then net run-rate is the criteria for determining the rankings for the World Cups from 1992 onwards.

text: Legend

text:
1st – Winner
2nd – Runner up
SF – Semi-finals
S6 – Super Six (1999–2003)
S8 – Super Eight (2007)
QF – Quarter-finals (1996, 2011–2015)
GP – Group – First round

text: Debutant teams[edit]

text:
Year
Teams

1975
 Australia, East Africa†,  England,  India,  New Zealand,  Pakistan,  Sri Lanka,  West Indies

1979
 Canada

1983
 Zimbabwe

1987
none

1992
 South Africa

1996
 Kenya,  Netherlands,  United Arab Emirates

1999
 Bangladesh,  Scotland

2003
 Namibia

2007
 Bermuda,  Ireland

2011
none

2015
 Afghanistan

2019
none

2023
TBD

text: †No longer exists.

text: Overview[edit]

text: The table below provides an overview of the performances of teams over past World Cups, as of the end of group stage of the 2015 tournament. Teams are sorted by best performance, then by appearances, total number of wins, total number of games, and alphabetical order respectively.

text:
Appearances

Statistics

Team
Total
First
Latest
Best result
Mat.
Won
Lost
Tie
NR
Win%*

 Australia
11
1975
2015
1.1 !Champions (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)
84
62
20
1
1
75.30

 India
11
1975
2015
1.3 !Champions (1983, 2011)
75
46
27
1
1
62.83

 West Indies
11
1975
2015
1.3 !Champions (1975, 1979)
71
41
29
0
1
58.57

 Pakistan
11
1975
2015
1.5 !Champions (1992)
71
40
29
0
2
57.97

 Sri Lanka
11
1975
2015
1.5 !Champions (1996)
73
35
35
1
2
50.00

 England
11
1975
2015
2.3 !Runners-up (1979, 1987, 1992)
72
41
29
1
1
58.45

 New Zealand
11
1975
2015
2.5 !Runners-up (2015)
79
48
30
0
1
61.53

 South Africa
7
1992
2015
3.2 !Semi-finals (1992, 1999, 2007, 2015)
55
35
18
2
0
65.45

 Kenya
5
1996
2011
3.5 !Semi-finals (2003)
29
6
22
0
1
21.42

 Zimbabwe
9
1983
2015
5.4 !Super 6 (1999, 2003)
57
11
42
1
3
21.29

 Bangladesh
5
1999
2015
7.4 !Quarter-finals (2015), Super 8 (2007)
32
11
20
0
1
35.48

 Ireland
3
2007
2015
7.5 !Super 8 (2007)
21
7
13
1
0
35.71

 Canada
4
1979
2011
9.2 !Group Stage (1979, 2003, 2007, 2011)
18
2
16
0
0
11.11

 Netherlands
4
1996
2011
9.2 !Group Stage (1996, 2003, 2007, 2011)
20
2
18
0
0
10.00

 Scotland
3
1999
2015
9.3 !Group Stage (1999, 2007, 2015)
14
0
14
0
0
0.00

 United Arab Emirates
2
1996
2015
9.4 !Group Stage (1996, 2015)
11
1
10
0
0
9.09

 Afghanistan
1
2015
2015
9.5 !Group Stage (2015)
6
1
5
0
0
16.66

 Bermuda
1
2007
2007
9.5 !Group Stage (2007)
3
0
3
0
0
0.00

East Africa†
1
1975
1975
9.5 !Group Stage (1975)
3
0
3
0
0
0.00

 Namibia
1
2003
2003
9.5 !Group Stage (2003)
6
0
6
0
0
0.00

Last Updated: 29 March 2015
Source: Cricinfo[71]

text: The Win percentage excludes no results and counts ties as half a win.

text: †No longer exists.

text: Awards[edit]

text: Man of the tournament[edit]

text: Since 1992, one player has been declared as "Man of the Tournament" at the end of the World Cup finals:[72]

text:
Year
Player
Performance details

1992
 Martin Crowe
456 runs

1996
 Sanath Jayasuriya
221 runs and 7 wickets

1999
 Lance Klusener
281 runs and 17 wickets

2003
 Sachin Tendulkar
673 runs and 2 wickets

2007
 Glenn McGrath
26 wickets

2011
 Yuvraj Singh
362 runs and 15 wickets

2015
 Mitchell Starc
22 wickets

text: Man of the Match in the Final[edit]

text: There were no Man of the Tournament awards before 1992 but Man of the Match awards have always been given for individual matches. Winning the Man of the Match in the final is logically noteworthy, as this indicates the player deemed to have played the biggest part in the World Cup final. To date the award has always gone to a member of the winning side. The Man of the Match award in the final of the competition has been awarded to:[72]

text:
Year
Player
Performance details

1975
 Clive Lloyd
102

1979
 Viv Richards
138*

1983
 Mohinder Amarnath
3/12 and 26

1987
 David Boon
75

1992
 Wasim Akram
33 and 3/49

1996
 Aravinda de Silva
107* and 3/42

1999
 Shane Warne
4/33

2003
 Ricky Ponting
140*

2007
 Adam Gilchrist
149

2011
 Mahendra Singh Dhoni
91*

2015
 James Faulkner
3/36

text: Tournament records[edit]

text:
World Cup records[73]

Batting

Most runs
 Sachin Tendulkar
2,278 (1992–2011)

Highest average (min. 20 inns.) [74]
 AB de Villiers
63.52 (2007–2015)

Highest score
 Martin Guptill v  West Indies
237* (2015)

Highest partnership
 Chris Gayle & Marlon Samuels
(2nd wicket) v  Zimbabwe
372 (2015)

Most runs in a tournament
 Sachin Tendulkar
673 (2003)

Most hundreds
 Sachin Tendulkar
6 (1992–2011)

Bowling

Most wickets
 Glenn McGrath
71 (1996–2007)

Lowest average (min. 1000 balls bowled)
 Glenn McGrath
18.19 (1996–2007)

Best strike rate (min. 1000 balls bowled)
 Lasith Malinga
23.8 (2007–2015)

Best economy rate (min. 1000 balls bowled)
 Andy Roberts
3.24 (1975–1983)

Best bowling figures
 Glenn McGrath v  Namibia
7/15 (2003)

Most wickets in a tournament
 Glenn McGrath
26 (2007)

Fielding

Most dismissals (wicket-keeper)
 Kumar Sangakkara
54 (2003–2015)

Most catches (fielder)
 Ricky Ponting
28 (1996–2011)

Team

Highest score
 Australia v  Afghanistan
417/6 (2015)

Lowest score
 Canada v  Sri Lanka
36 (2003)

Highest win % [75]
 Australia
74% (Played 84, Won 62)

Most consecutive wins [76]
 Australia
27 (20 Jun 1999–19 Mar 2011, one N/R excluded)

Most consecutive tournament wins
 Australia
3 (1999–2007)