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Let’s look at some magnificent resistances in our cricket history that have been long forgotten or in fact are unheard of by this generation.
In conditions that were rough — from cold and windy to hot and humid and from fearsome pace and no protection to the mesmerising guile and gauche bounce of the turning ball, let’s talk about the heroes on the cricket field.
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| Mushtaq Mohammad |
The battles on the pitch are several and each worth a eulogy in their matchless circumstances. I have recollected here neither the successful chases by Pakistan nor the thrilling wins when the last wicket crumbled so close to a loss or draw, just two for the view against mightier opposition on home ground; yet two that have a special place in Pakistan’s cricket hall of fame from the 1970s decade.
This is not about close finishes that produced a result for or against Pakistan; this is about when the Pakistani men in white fought with Churchillian blood, sweat and tears to save the game
LORD’S 1974
The Pakistani pair of Mushtaq Mohammad and Wasim Raja walk out together at around 5pm on Monday, day four of the second Test once the ground has been declared fit to play following heavy rain over the last two days. The pair are resuming at 173-3 having added 96 on Saturday in a classic battle between bat and ball.
It has been a cloudy, wet-weather Test match all through with sawdust strewn at both ends, typical English conditions and one in which the home team are absolute masters. But today there is an additional threat. Rainwater has seeped through the covers placed Saturday night and following more rain on the rest day of Sunday and fourth day Monday, the pitch is now a half wet, drying cracker because of the skeletal cracks on the surface.
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| Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson |
Pakistan are only 27 runs ahead with a day to go. The two had come together on Saturday around lunch time in the midst of a perilous situation of 77-3, about halfway to cutting out a first innings lead of 140, having declared at 130-9 on the opening day. However, it is not the figures that instill a chill into an already cold and damp dressing room; it is the left armer Derek Underwood, the most feared spinner on wettish tracks, who has taken 5-20 in 14 overs on the first day.
Mushtaq, who is residing in the UK since 1963 and a regular in country cricket who has been playing for Pakistan since 1959 is a master of defence and is used to such conditions. Wasim Raja, debonair and impulsive stroke player is on his first tour of England and playing his fifth Test match, the first in England. For this young man the situation requires batting totally out of character; it is like Tom Cruise in Top Gun being asked to fly back a crippled World War-II Lancaster over the Atlantic.
For those who say it was rain that saved Pakistan the response is that an hour less of batting by Mushtaq and Wasim Raja would have cost Pakistan the game. Respect.
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| Wasim Raja |
Through the partnership that began on Saturday afternoon, they play out close to four hours of torrid bowling in wet, cold and damp conditions. In harness they put on 115 until Wasim Raja on 53 (only three fours), his first 50 in Tests, cannot keep down another one that bounces awkwardly and at short leg picks up the surprise gift. Just how skillfully this lad and his mentor that day Mushtaq (76) have played can be judged as the last six wickets fold up for another 34, with legends like Asif Iqbal and Intikhab Alam falling swiftly for ducks. Underwood finishes with 8-51 in the second innings as England end the fourth day needing another 60 to win.
That it rains the whole of Tuesday is irony naturalised. There is no play and Pakistan are safe for another Test. For those who say it was rain that saved Pakistan the response is that an hour less of batting by Mushtaq and Wasim Raja would have cost Pakistan the game. Respect.
ADELAIDE 1976
Pakistan are on a full tour of Australia for only the second time in their 25-year cricket having played just four Tests here since 1965. They have yet to win a Test match in Australia but the Pakistan batting line-up is the same that, according to previous Australian captain Ian Chappell, almost should have defeated Australia 2-1 when they were last here in 1973; except they went away losers by 0-3, thus leading Ian to describe them as ‘Panicstan’.
But now Iqbal Qasim is eating into their hearts with the ball, taking on the burden to defend as Sarfraz Nawaz and Imran bowl only 13 overs between them ... Half scared, half frustrated by the quality of bowling and field placing the Australians walk off for a draw amidst booing from the crowd.
This time it is his brother, Greg, who is captaining Australia and Ian has retired. But Greg still has the fast and fearsome Dennis Lillee and leg spinner Kerry O’Keefe from the 1973 line-up and also the fastest bowler in the world now, the more matured Jeff Thomson who debuted against Pakistan three years back as a raw paceman.
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| Imran Khan |
On opening day the fearsome and meteoric pace pair of Lillee and Thomson are soon among the Pakistanis however, and Pakistan close at 272; then allow Australia to finish with a lead of 182 on the third day. Thomson is out of the game because of a broken collarbone which allows Pakistani batsmen some relief as they climb toward a challenging total. But Lillee and O’Keefe peck away and then eat into the lower order as Pakistan’s ninth wicket falls a little after tea with Pakistan less than 200 ahead.
In walks Test debutant Iqbal Qasim (1* and 0-56 in the match so far) to join Asif Iqbal who has just crossed his half century. Now starts one of the greatest and one of the more unexpected resistance battles in cricket. Iqbal, batting left handed and confidently, defies everything that the Australian bowlers throw at him. He does not look to score as Asif takes that function. But together they outmaneuver and outrun everything the Australian fielders throw at the stumps.
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| Iqbal Qasim |
Just how noteworthy is Qasim’s contribution is seen via the fact that key bowlers Lillee and O’Keefe have bowled 64 of the last 85 overs. That is how long it has taken them. The Australians are still in the game chasing 285 in 5 ½ hours. But now Iqbal Qasim is eating into their hearts with the ball, taking on the burden to defend as Sarfraz Nawaz and Imran bowl only 13 overs between them.
At 228-5 Australians have nevertheless steadied for the last lap chase with 56 needed off the mandatory 15 overs. But such is the guile of Iqbal Qasim (4-84 in 30 overs) and yes, Javed Miandad who bowels 21 leg break overs for 1-71, that once Greg Chappell goes for 70, Tony Cosier and Rod March, two of the hardest hitting Aussie batsmen can’t find a way over the last 71 minutes scoring only 33.
Half scared, half frustrated by the quality of bowling and field placing the Australians walk off for a draw amidst booing from the crowd. Such a double defence has rarely been seen anywhere let alone in Pakistan.
These are but two of the major defence battles Pakistani batsmen and bowlers have fought for team and country; and as in the real battlefields the heroes have been the majors, lieutenants and, in some cases, foot soldiers. More on them another time.
Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, September 21st, 2014
