FIrst-Class Matches Pakistan 1980/81 to 1983/84

216 Pakistan in 1983/84 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy: With the regional teams engaged in the Patron’s Trophy, the departmental sides had the Quaid-e-Azam to themselves. The competition, which occupied the central part of the season from November to January (except for one stray match that was not played until May), was contested by the seven departmental teams that had taken part in 1982/83, with the three regional teams replaced by new departmental sides to keep the numbers up to ten. Thus the House Building Finance Corporation regained the first-class status it had last enjoyed in 1980/81, while Pakistan Automobiles Corporation and State Bank of Pakistan each made their first-class bow (although the latter side may have regretted its elevation after enduring a dismal season with a record of nine straight defeats). National Bank emerged victorious as the only side with six wins from the nine- match programme; United Bank were runners-up, with HBFC third. Apart from the domestic competitions and the three England Tests, the only other first-class games were played by Sri Lanka Under-23s, who visited in January and February for three matches against Pakistan Under-23s. The home side comfortably won the first match and neither of the other two came close to a result. It might be expected that the increased number of first-class matches would open the way to higher seasonal aggregates, and it is the case that Saadat Ali set a new record total for a Pakistan season with 1649 at 63.42, eclipsing the 1597 scored by Zaheer Abbas in 1973/74. But Rameez Raja was well back in second place with 1294, and in all the number of players passing a thousand runs, seven, was comparable to previous seasons. Likewise in the bowling, where six bowlers claimed more than fifty wickets. In a departure from established custom, the list was headed not by a spinner but by opening bowler Shahid Mahboob, with 74. However, his average of 26.20 was a telling indication that 1983/84 was, on the whole, a batsman’s season. Abandoned matches Lahore Division v Hazara, Jinnah Stadium, Sialkot, 18, 19, 20 October 1983. Lahore Division walked over. Lahore City Blues v Hyderabad, Punjab University Old Campus Ground, Lahore, 21, 22, 23 October 1983. The match was postponed but never rearranged.