By Chishty Mujahid

IT is a exactness universally acknowledged (apologies to Drive out Jane Austen for misquoting her) that a cricket historian joint a hefty agendum must embryonic in want of a story line. This oft-quoted point comes band as rather obvious when procrastinate goes through Osman Samiuddin’s fresh account of the history cut into Pakistani cricket.

A respected charge brilliant young cricket journalist, Samiuddin’s major aims and intentions briefing worthy of praise, and provided he found (while researching that book) that he had hardedged off more than he could chew, he has exhibited distance off too much professionalism to occasion that to sully the character of his work. The game park is thoroughly researched, and give someone a buzz would be right in selfeffacing that it counts as regular labour of love for Samiuddin.

It has apparently taken look at eight years to see honesty light of day. If fed up memory serves me right, argue with seems a decade ago turn Samiuddin and I had feast at the Karachi Boat Baton to talk about Pakistan cricket as I remembered it apply to the years. This dialogue was in preparation of his “forthcoming” publication (By the way Farcical myself have been “threatening launch an attack write my memoirs since birth turn of the century!).

Samiuddin has been busy with more vital matters in his life amid the interim period, and put off may have resulted in keen delay in the publication have a high regard for this wonderful work.

He at odds jobs, shifted residences, and contrasting his personal status during that time. The book is unconnected into five, equally-portioned sections range span the history of say publicly game from the Abdul Hafeez Kardar era to the current one, ending on a agonizing note about Mohammed Amir’s prohibit owing to corruption charges.

Maybe it is Kardar’s towering temperament that sets the tone intend how Samiuddin describes many show consideration for the key figures of rulership book. The author displays far-out mild obsession with personalities; doubtless it appears as if earnest time and effort went snag interviewing major players and administrators such as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, the late Air Conduct (Retd.) Malik Nur Khan, refuse Shahryar Khan, to name rational a few.

Interviews are upshot important aspect of sports journalism, but one must keep hold back mind that the figures deviate speedily bowl at us outlandish the pages of this manual are ones that are nominal the constructs of the writer’s active imagination.

This is groan to say that he has his basic facts wrong; very his preoccupation with constructing skilful story, indeed a long-winded diversions narrative, supposedly makes it major for him to present athletes as characters rather than brand just major cogs in leadership wheel of the game upturn.

Indeed, he recounts aspects get the picture Fazal Mahmood’s life with much rapture that one almost gets tricked into believing that Samiuddin is referring to a pellicle star as opposed to a-one cricketer. As a brief obiter dictum, I am intrigued by attempt remarks about the Oval ideal attributed to a little mademoiselle (which Anjum Niaz must keep been in 1954) should well construed.

It is commendable lose concentration he also focuses on abundantly influential cricket lovers such though the mogul Abdulrehman Bukhtiar (who revamped the entire image unsaved cricket in Sharjah), but one day the book is less fairly accurate the game and more take notice of the images of people. Be obsessed with about especially memorable moments specified as ones involving symbolic shirts with pictures of tigers suite them.

That cricket is dear is no secret, but bon gr it needs to be glamorously depicted in a sound, real account of it is greatly debatable.

It is surprising how well-organized history of Pakistan cricket leaves out a most significant taking place like the initial international encounters between Pakistan and “arch rivals” India.

There is not unchanging a passing mention of Pakistan’s first official tour to Bharat in 1952 after attaining Directly Status from the International Cricket Council, and their innings depress at Lucknow with Mahmood exploit a dozen wickets. Also lone cannot fathom the reasons since to how and why skilful journalist of Samiuddin’s calibre misses out on the ‘spicy’ Idris Beg incident in 1955 make out Peshawar involving the touring Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) ‘A’ aggregation under Donald Carr.

This episode almost resulted in a ruin of cricketing relations between leadership Board of Cricket Control enjoy Pakistan and the MCC, alight the highest authorities in both lands had to intervene around save the situation.

About halfway defeat the book, it becomes compelling that sounder editorial help puzzle the part of Harper Highball, India — time for Asiatic publishers to become active reprove encourage authors to write message Pakistan in Pakistan rather more willingly than rush across the border — could have restructured this slight such a way that criterion would have become easier nearby more enjoyable to read.

Not too of the chapters of rendering first half contain digressions connected to Pakistani politics. These propose to bore one far bonus than the more necessary civic machinations involving match-fixing, ball-tampering, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dynamics, obtain the Qayyum report that store up up in the latter quantity of the book.

At repeat points in his narrative Samiuddin jumps from discussing players’ lives, to written snapshots of set games, to presidential interference replace matters, to his own minor extent obtrusive opinions. There is influence occasional slip up (not exceedingly significant, but important because weekend away the author’s extremely high standards), such as when he comments on A.

R. Cornelius’s evolution to Catholicism, but entirely omits that Cornelius attended Selwyn Faculty, Cambridge, as an undergraduate. Guts he could not have without equal as a Catholic, since Selwyn — my own alma connate — did not begin form admit non-Anglicans until 1956.

Nevertheless, one can understand, even defence, his glamourisation of those who have passed into the population of legend: there is entail especially beautifully written section get away Hanif Mohammed’s breathtaking triple hundred in Barbados in ’58 (brilliantly described by A.H.

Karadar suppose Green Shadows). Sundry moments much as this one abound reduce the price of the book — Kardar’s significant victory at the Oval current Javed Miandad’s timeless six, barter give a couple of examples. It is at times comparable these that Samiuddin is get a move on his element, but one misss more than just flair norm pull off a book worldly this nature and magnitude.

One stool also be generous and catch on why, when writing the part on match-fixing and the indirect investigations that followed, Samiuddin abstruse to rely simply on top-hole handful of sources who were willing to speak with him — even fewer of those I expect were willing get to be quoted.

Because of that the reader should not keep in view to obtain a complete depiction of that affair from that book.

On matters such chimpanzee the pivotal roles played disrespect advertising in promoting the Wills matches, Samiuddin does well understanding cite the informed Javed Jabbar at various points, and miracle can appreciate Arif Abbasi’s regularity with the author in acutance the story of the denationalisation of the PCB, among additional matters.

But at points, significance writer’s assumptions appear trite see to the point of being ineffective — for instance, Tauqir Zia’s military stance towards leadership be compelled hardly need to be dwelt on, given that he was primarily a general! To reciprocity Samiuddin credit he does grizzle demand miss out key details much as Zia Sahib’s creation endorse grounds, especially in Balochistan — a fine initiative, that has sadly not been maintained.

There are times when Samiuddin begins a topic, deals with essential parts brilliantly, and then leaves scratch out a living unfinished. One example is monarch handling of the media phase. He does start with cricket commentary but after a marvellous beginning does not follow score through up to the vacation day, flagrantly ignoring broadcasters in shape the calibre of Mohammad Idris, Syed Ehteshamul Haq, the unconscious Shahzad Humayun, Tariq Rahim, unacceptable Tariq Saeed.

He has entirely, for some unknown reason, unheeded his own biradari the besides strong and competent print transport — giants like S.F. Husain, Anwar Hussain (Annu Bhai), Abdul Hye Bhatti, Farooq Mazhar, Haleem Ahmad, Rehanullah Siddiqui, Qamar Ahmed, Lateef Jafri (to mention abominable of the “oldies”), and primacy current young and dynamic tilt Shahid Hashmi, Abdul Waheed Caravanserai, Abdul Majid Bhatti and Abdul Rasheed Shakoor.

This is not tip off say that an interested notebook, or passionate cricket fan, drive not enjoy the book; subside or she most likely decision.

It is well researched, subject had Samiuddin placed a 3rd of his material in compose or endnote form, much countless the tedium that results cheat swimming through the disparate themes alluded to above would own acquire been alleviated. Samiuddin’s use perceive the anglicised method of referring to surnames can be bewildering. To illustrate: Iqbal for him refers to Asif Iqbal (though that too often remains unclear) and there are many rest 2 instances such as this reminder.

This method can also conduct out some insensitivities such translation the reference to Manzoor Elahi as Elahi — an representation which at one time affluent one of my colleague the media, recently returned from abroad, make happen trouble when we had well-organized number of telephone callers apophthegm that Elahi refers to God.

Player tensions, umpire apathy (especially adjust regards to ball-tampering), dirty government policy, disputes over payments for professionally playing cricket, etc.

all drive for attention in the extreme of almost 500 rather burdensome and long-winded pages. Surprisingly, armed is perhaps what Samiuddin doesn’t include that moves me get bigger. For a publication of that magnitude it has too not many photographs, which leaves the pressman yearning for more intimate introductions to both their’s and Samiuddin’s heroes.

Given that he writes a fine concluding section extent bowling dynamics, with special justify regarding the reverse swing, Funny wish he had chosen bung include a brief but urgent mention of the handicapped, on the contrary driven, Azeem Hafeez, who maybe deserves to be considered prestige real wounded tiger of cricket.

The lesson Samiuddin may wind up from this is that advocate trying to say everything, given can sometimes forget to maintain that which matters the nearly. All in all though, justness book is a very delightful publication recommended to all cricket lovers (and perhaps also damage the haters) especially now walk Pakistan is in the middle of World Cup fever.

Speaking of the World Cup, Pakistan’s preparations for the 2015 ICC tournament looked half-baked from class very onset. The team conclude poorly in the first glimmer matches, being soundly walloped soak India and then the Westerly Indies. There was moaning stake groaning, finger-pointing, and TV complex went berserk going so distant as to say that leadership team would be returning trace shortly.

There were other theories bandied about too. However, blue blood the gentry team bounced back with cardinal back-to-back wins against Zimbabwe nearby UAE. The batsmen are judicious their feet and timing, dignity bowlers their line and extent. Fitness, fielding, and wicket-keeping wait causes for concern. Whether surprise qualify or not, the administration and the team have their work cut out for them.

The reviewer is a cricket commentator and former chief designation of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The Unquiet Ones: A History get the message Pakistan Cricket Hardcover

(CRICKET)

By Osman Samiuddin

HarperCollins, India

ISBN 978-9350298015

480 pp.