Zaheer ABBAS

 Zaheer Abbas fitted effortlessly into the architectural splendours of Cheltenham College. So wonderful were the wristy strokes he eased around the ground during the Cheltenham festival (see photo above in action for Gloucs) that his very presence enhanced the historic buildings. Perhaps English Heritage should have slapped a preservation order on the entire scene. For the man they called 'Zed' could be just as monumental as any building. He may have been a pretty batsman, but he was by no means ephemeral. His first Test innings in England brought him 274, at Edgbaston in 1971. Three years later it was nine hours batting for 240 at the Oval. He had a hearty appetite for runs. Zaheer made his debut for Karachi in 1965-6, then toured Ireland with Pakistan International Airlines in 1969 before making his Test debut against New Zealand that October. He was dropped after just one Test.

He joined Gloucestershire in 1972, but his early Test performances did not match his big scores. He made 72 at Headingley in 1971, but his best Test score on a 1972-73 tour of Australia was 51. He toured New Zealand with Pakistan in 1972-73 and opened the batting. Not until the tour of Australia in 1976-77 did he achieve real consistency. He made 85 and 101 in the Adelaide Test and 90 and 58 at the MCG. A few months later he was in the West Indies and made 80 at Georgetown. In the World Cup of 1975 he made 97 against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge. (Bob Harragan)

Zaheer's high-scoring ways returned during India's ground-breaking tour of Pakistan in 1978-79, when he made 176 and 96 in Faisalabad, 235 and 34, both not out, in Lahore, and 42 in Karachi. Later that season he made 135 in Auckland and in Australia in 1981-82 he came to terms with their wickets with 80 at Brisbane and 90 in Melbourne. A few months later he made 134 against Sri Lanka at Lahore. There was 75 against England at Lord's in 1982 and a run of high scores in two home series in 1982: against Australia 91 in Karachi and 126 in Faisalabad and against India 205 in Lahore, 186 in Karachi and 168 in Faisalabad. He was appointed Pakistan captain for the return trip to India and scored 85 in Nagpur.

He was deputy captain in Australia, holding the fort until Imran Khan recovered from injury. He scored 131 in Adelaide. Captain in his own right against England in 1983-84 he scored 82 not out in Lahore and kept charge of the team during the India series which had to be abandoned on the assassination of Mrs. Ghandi. He continued as captain against New Zealand. In the 1979 World Cup Zaheer made 93 against the West Indies in the semi-final. In 1983 he scored 82 against Sri Lanka at Swansea, 83 not out against England at the Oval and 103 not out against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. (Bob Harragan)