First-Class Matches Pakistan 1975/76 to 1979/80

Pakistan in 1976/77 In October 1976 the Pakistan Test side took the field after an interval of nineteen months. The occasion was a three-Test home rubber against New Zealand, but the visitors proved no match for their rampant hosts and in particular for the 19-year-old Javed Miandad, who announced his arrival at Test level in no uncertain manner with 504 runs at a staggering average of 126.00. Going down to defeat in the first two Tests after being forced to follow on, the New Zealanders were left to find what consolation they could from holding their own in a high-scoring draw in the third Test, together with individual highlights such as the hat-trick claimed by offspinner Peter Petherick (on Test debut at the venerable age of 34) and centuries by Mark Burgess and wicketkeeper Warren Lees. In December and January Pakistan faced rather tougher antipodean opposition – three Tests in Australia (incidentally Pakistan’s first Test engagements away from home since touring England back in 1974). The side showed its mettle by scrapping its way to a draw after conceding a big lead in the first Test; but then succumbed to an overwhelming 348-run defeat in the second. In the circumstances, the team showed immense character in fighting back to win the final Test, Imran Khan bowling superbly to take 12-165 in the match. This win, Pakistan’s first ever in Australia, allowed the side to emerge with a highly creditable 1-1 drawn rubber. Yet the greatest challenge was yet to come: a visit to the Caribbean for a full five-Test rubber against West Indies, the most powerful side in the world. In the end an outstandingly competitive and entertaining series resulted in a 2-1 win for the home side but the scoreline should not obscure the fact that during a long and arduous tour Pakistan faced the hosts’ daunting battery of fast bowlers and never once flinched. Turning to the domestic scene, the season was slightly simplified compared with 1975/76. Again tournaments took place in a roughly sequential manner but, with the disappearance of the Punjab Tournament and Pirzada Trophy, there were only four first-class competitions instead of six. Pentangular Trophy : This took place in November after the conclusion of the New Zealand tour, and was reconstituted as an 8-team knockout (and was thus in no sense a ‘pentangular’ event). The final was contested by the two dominant sides of the previous season, PIA and National Bank, of whom the former claimed the Trophy by virtue of a first-innings lead. Sikander Ali Bhutto Cup : Another knockout, this was scheduled for November and December. The intended structure was that eight sides would play in the first round and the four victors would then meet the three banks (Habib, National and United) plus PIA in the quarter-finals. But the competition was disrupted by a dispute between the Karachi and Sind Cricket Associations, which meant that matches involving Karachi sides had to be postponed; moreover, PIA withdrew because so many of their players were involved in the impending Test tour of Australia and West Indies. The delays meant that the final two matches in the Bhutto Cup – one of the semi-finals and the final – had to be deferred until the beginning of April. Habib Bank defeated United Bank in the final. There was a 70-over limit on first innings. Quaid-e-Azam Trophy : The QeA, held in January, was again conducted as a knockout tournament. There were six matches in the first round, three in the south of Pakistan and three elsewhere, with one of the victors of each group of matches receiving a bye into the semi-finals while the remaining teams played the two quarter-finals. The Trophy was won by United Bank , who beat National Bank in a final that, thanks to bad weather, had to be extended to six days to achieve a result even on first innings. 73