The Original 'little Master' Hanif Mohammad

He didn’t take any time to establish himself. In pakistan’s first innings in test cricket he top scored with 51 in a dismal total of 150 against india...

- Partab Ramchand

He was the sort of cricketer you would pick if you wanted one to bat for your life. The rule is to cut out runs totally from your mind and just stay at the crease for as long as possible. For that the batsman should have endless concentration, fierce determination, a water tight defensive technique and an unflappable temperament. Yes, Hanif Mohammed would have been at the top of almost anyone’s list for such a life saving assignment.

A batsman who can bat for 999 minutes in a rearguard action spread over four days to save a Test match is the kind of tough competitor you want on your side in a crisis. Yes, I know Wisden lists it as 970 minutes but Hanif remained convinced that his vigil at the crease was 29 minutes longer and for all the respect I have for the Cricketer’s Almanac this time I will go with Hanif. A batsman who remembers each and every run he makes is not one to make a mistake regarding the time he has taken over a matter of 337 runs compiled against West Indies at Bridgetown in 1958 after Pakistan were following on 473 runs behind - till 2014 the only Test triple hundred scored in a side’s second innings. Then of course there is the other huge number associated with Hanif – 499 for Karachi against Bahawalpur in January 1959. Unlike the other record which still stands as the longest innings in Test cricket this one for the highest score in first class cricket has been broken by Brian Lara’s 501 not out in 1994. Hanif had surpassed Don Bradman’s 452 not out set in 1929-30. Oh yes, the man just loved to bat.