SPORTS WORLD: Down memory lane: Pakistan need to emulate the 1957-58 Bridgetown Test

After playing 310 Test matches, the Pakistan team has matured and gained enough experience to give tough time to their opponents in the Test and one-day matches. Before the start of the first Test, it is pointed out that the present West Indies side is not as strong as that of the 1957-58 team, having batsmen like Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott, Gary Sobers, C. C. Hunte, O.G. Smith and Rohan Kanhai, led by wicket-keeper Garry Alexander. Besides, there were fast and furious bowlers like Roy Gilchrist, Collie Smith, Atkinson brothers, Gary Sobers and Alf Valentine.
One may recall that it is the same Bridgetown ground where Pakistan, having played only 18 Tests, did a miracle to deprive the hosts of a well-deserved victory.
As against the 1957-58 team, the present Pakistan side is an excellent combination of young and experienced players, having the guts to tackle the West Indies in the Test matches.
In the first Test, starting on May 26 at Bridgetown, Pakistan will be short of two batsmen and a bowler. While captain Inzamam-ul-Haq will not be playing in the first Test because of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ban on him for misconduct in the recently-concluded One-day International (ODI) series against India, all-rounder Shoaib Malik has been reprimanded by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for intentionally throwing away a domestic match.
It will be a great loss to Pakistan, but Inzamam, reposing full confidence in his boys, who are equipped with fighting spirit, said they would play to their potentials under the leadership of vice-captain Younus Khan.
HANIF'S MEMORABLE KNOCK: However, one should hope for the best as Inzamam, it believed, would have in his mind the leadership qualities of Pakistan's first captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar, who led then babe of the international cricket. One cannot forget the way an inexperienced team gave a tough time to much stronger West Indies in Bridgetown, which was not friendly to the visitors.
In their first innings, the West Indian batsmen took full advantage of Pakistan's ineffective bowling and poor fielding and punished the visitors at will, declaring at 579 for nine.
Openers Hunte scored 142 runs in his Test debut and Kanhai 52, Walcott contributed 43 and Collie Smith 78, but it was maestro Weekes, who, with his 197, had made the Pakistanis, look mediocre. Fazal Mahmood took three wickets for 145 runs and Mahmood Hussain four for 153.
In reply, Pakistan were bundled out for a paltry 106 by Roy Gilchrist, the tear-away fast bowler from Jamaica, who finished with four for 32 and Collie Smith three for 23. Pakistan's top scorers were Imtiaz Ahmed with 20 and Hanif with 17. A follow on resulted.
Hanif and Imtiaz opened the second innings, facing a deficit of 473 runs. A defeat was all one could think of. The West Indies were confident of their win. At the close of the third day, Pakistan fought back admirably to finish at 162 for the loss of Imtiaz, who scored a fighting 91 and added 152 runs for the first wicket. Hanif resumed at 61 on the fourth morning, with Alimuddin on one. Both took lunch without losing their wickets. At 219, Hanif scored 100 and Alim 18. By the tea break, Alim departed with 37, but he had done his job by putting 112 runs for the second wicket.
FIRING OF BULLETS: Imagine there were no helmets, no arm guards and no thigh pads. The West Indian fast bowlers were firing the bullets. By the close of the fourth day, Pakistan were 339 for two and the debutante Saeed Ahmed was at the crease with Hanif unbeaten on 161. There were still two days to go, and the defeat was looming large on Pakistan.
Hanif was Pakistan's only hope. At lunch, he was 186, at tea 216, and at the close of the fifth day 270 not out. On the fifth day, Pakistan passed 400, 450, and 500 run marks, having lost only one wicket in the process.
At the close of the fifth day, Pakistan were 525 for three and the danger of innings defeat was averted.
Young Saeed was out for 65, his first 50 on his Test debut, and he had put on 154 runs for the third wicket with Hanif. On the last day with seven wickets in hand, Kardar was rightly thinking of a draw. He had confidence in Hanif, because of his tremendous batting and strong nerves. Pakistan had so far faced the strong bowling line-up of Gilchrist, Atkinson brothers, Sobers and Alf Valentine successfully.
On the sixth and final day, Hanif with elder brother Wazir Muhammad, carried the proceedings slowly, and at lunch added only 37 runs. At this stage, Wazir lost his wicket, making 35 runs. The brothers shared 121 for the fourth wicket.
It was the fourth consecutive partnership of over 100 runs with Hanif in the innings.
After lunch, Hanif reached 300 amidst thunderous applause and Pakistan were also safe. At tea Hanif was on 334. Soon he passed Sir Donald Bradman's best score and Walter Hammond's 336, and now only Len Hutton's 364 was left to aim at. But on 337, the marathon innings of Hanif Muhammad ended when he had a snick to wicket keeper off Denis Atkinson. Hanif's innings was laced with 26 boundaries, 16 threes, 40 twos and 105 singles.
After Hanif's departure, Kardar, who was at the crease, declared the innings at 657 for eight.
In the remaining time of the last session of the last day, West Indies made 28 without loss.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS: The match, which was widely in the grip of the West Indies, slipped away from them due to strong nerves and mental toughness of Hanif Mohammad, who was well supported by other batsmen, providing him chances to keep intact his wicket. Hanif was never unnerved by falling of wickets from other side and kept on moving the score slowly. It was amazing that Pakistan's innings total of 657 for eight was the then the highest total of second innings, and Hanif's 337 is still the highest individual score in the second innings of a Test match.
It was really the most memorable event in the history of Test cricket.
Pakistan will never forget the memorable knock played by Little Master Hanif Mohammad, saving his team form an imminent defeat by the mighty West Indians. It was really a miracle that Pakistan, after being bowled out for a paltry 106 and forced to follow on, not only chased a mammoth score of 472, but, also shattered the West Indians' dream of winning the Test.
The match was rightly dedicated to Hanif Mohammad, who braved the fast and furious bowling of the hosts for 16 hours and 30 minutes, still a world record, in Pakistan's first ever six-day Test match played at the Oval's grassless dusty wicket at Bridgetown.
Now that Pakistan will be taking on the West Indies in the first of the two-Test series at Bridgetown, the Pakistani players should bear in mind the 1957-58 Test and emulate the performance of Hanif Mohammad and other batsmen, who turned the table in favour of Pakistan.
However, Inzamam pinning hopes on medium-pacer Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan and spinner Danish Kaneria, said if the team did the basics well, then there will be no difficulty in beating a shaky West Indies in the Test series.