On This Day

[Arthur Crabtree]

Sorry, just a conversational interjection really. Not meaning to question your description. Nice to hear the old fella mentioned.

[The Professor]

Just thought I'd add some detail.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Thanks!

[The Professor]

On this day in 1967 battle Pakistan and the rain.

The thunderstorm that cut short yesterday's play did not abate until well into the early hours of the morning and had rendered Trent Bridge into a lake. It was estimated that the City Fire Brigade pumped away 100,000 gallons of water. Miraculously only an hour and ten minutes play was lost at the start of the day.

Geoff Boycott was first out, clean bowled by Asif Iqbal for 15. Next up was his fellow opener Colin Cowdrey for 14 - he was caught by Majid Khan trying to drive a delivery off Nasim-ul-Ghani. Ken Barrington and Tom Graveney batted together for an hour before the latter got out trying to drive in a similar fashion to Cowdrey. Barrington then decided to play conservatively and go for length of time at the crease rather than explosive cricketing shots. Last man out for the day was Basil D'Oliviera run out on 7.

The new pair of Barrington and Brian Close were still together when the heavens opened again. England closed the day on 119/4 - 21 runs behind Pakistan.

[braveneutral]

Rest in peace Hanif Mohammed. Thought it fitting to be on here.

[The Professor]

There's a Rest Day coming up where I usually post a bit of idle fluff. I'll put as best a potted little obituary together as I can muster.

[braveneutral]

I'm sure that it will be a fine tribute.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Just spotted that. RIP.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1967 Barrington bats through the day to build a decent total.

In another truncated day due to weather, Ken Barrington proved the lynch pin to England's innings. Whether it was down to the pitch, a rush to score runs or good Pakistan bowling I do not know but, after the dismissal of Brian Close, the English batsmen looked less than effective.

The highest score for batsmen 7 through 10 was Geoff Arnold's 14 and included two score of 0. The bowlers shared the wickets around but Niaz Ahmed had the best of the figures with 2-72, the high run rate coming predominantly from Barrington who never departed from his rigid policy of watchful defence.

By stumps England led by 112 and Close thought the lead dominant enough to declare overnight, deeming it unlikely that Pakistan would require them to bat again.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1967 there was a rest day between England and Pakistan so I thought I would linger on the life of Hanif Mohammed who died on Monday.

As all cricketing obituaries must start we need to look at the man's statistics: 55 Test matches between 1952 and 1969, averaging 43.98 comprising twelve hundreds. This, however, only tells part of the story.

In the early 1950s Hanif was the poster boy for Pakistani cricket and many chalk Pakistan's introduction as a Test team down to the combined force of his popularity and his performances. Pakistan was granted Test status after the team rode on Hanif's invaluable 64 runs at the top-order to win a four-day first class contest against the MCC. Not a big hitting innings - but an important one. Something Hanif would represent throughout his career.

Pakistan has rarely been a team to have a strong core of batting control and it was the case in Hanif's era - however he was the safe harbour in the storm. His most well remembered innings pay testament to this. His lavish 16-hour-long 337 against West Indies at Bridgetown saved Pakistan from imminent defeat. It remains the longest innings in Test history. The highest individual first-class innings was also in Hanif's personal record book, surpassing Don Bradman's record. Hanif made 499 before being run out attempting his five hundredth run. This record stood for 36 years until it was broken by Brian Lara.

Hanif could bowl with both arms. He also kept stumps at the competitive level at various occasions. He performed well late into his career, being named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968.

His death was rather befitting to his batting. For six minutes Hanif's heart had stopped before he regained consciousness again and stayed alive for half a day. Just when you thought he was getting worn down he was back playing shots again.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good stuff 365. A legend of Pakistan cricket, and the record books thanks to that 499 and the longest innings.

[braveneutral]

Nice touch 365.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1967 no play was possible between England and Pakistan due to rain, so we shall focus on two debutants for the England side.

In the long and (sometimes) illustrious history of the England Board of Selectors there can't have been many days at the office better than when they chose two young players to make their debuts against Pakistan in this second Test of the series. Geoff Arnold, a 23 year old Surrey bowler, and Alan Knott, a 21 year old Kent wicket keeper batsman, were two of six changes between the first and second Test but were the only two debutants.

Neither of these two players were huge shock inclusions - both had done enough to justify their inclusion in the Test squad. In the 1966 season Arnold had claimed 109 wickets and Knott had been named Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year two seasons previous. Their selection was a matter of when rather than if.

Both players were immediate successes in the first innings of the Test. Knott had a hand in three Pakistan dismissals including two of the top three. Arnold got figures of 3-35. That Arnold impressed more with the bat than Knott came as a surprise but altogether their first innings spell with the ball justified their inclusion.

The two men went on to make a combined 129 Tests for the club. Knott was by far the most successful. By 1968 he was a regular starter for the team and went from strength to strength. In 1970 he was Wisden's Cricketer of the Year. By the late 1970s he blotted his copybook somewhat by signing on to the much maligned World Series of Cricket but, unlike others, earned his Test place back after that. Many consider him the best wicketkeeper batsmen England have ever had. Arnold's position in the team was less explosive. He did not manage to become a regular fixture in the team until the early 1970s - primarily due to injury. He is better known as a coach now than for his 34 appearances for England but his performances bs India especially where always something special.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Averages of England bowlers to have taken 100 wickets.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=bowling

Looking at those who average 28, there is a great disparity between how they are regarded.

Anderson and Botham are highly regarded and played a lot of games. Broad and Gough not as much. Old and Arnold seem to have been forgotten and were in and out of the side.

[The Professor]

On this day in 1967 clever cricket saw England win the Test.

Having lost so much cricket to rain, Brian Close's England knew they had to wrap up Pakistan quickly in order to avoid a draw. They would have been buoyed up by the fact they dismissed the two openers for single digits again. In fact the rhythm of the Pakistan second innings was very similar to their first. Javed Burki was first out, Khalid Ibadulla was supported by Saeed Ahmed but got out cheaply.

Just as in the first innings, Ahmed was the only top order Pakistan batsmen that seemed to want to play ball and, when Hanif Mohammad was dismissed for 4 by Ken Higgs, Pakistan were 71-4.

From there it was the Derek Underwood show. The Kent bowler bagged 4 of the last 6 wickets and combined well with his county team mate Alan Knott who caught 4 behind. Pakistan were all out for 114 - a lead of 2 which England polished off in no time.

Pakistan had lost for the first time since Hanif became captain in 1964. Under his leadership they had beaten New Zealand twice and drawn seven Tests, including two with Australia, in Karachi and Melbourne.