Imran Khan

A colourful character, very much in the news...in fact I read his life is now in danger, another victim of turbulent crisis in Pakistan.

But I remember him as a cricketer, in South Africa's first World Cup at the Gabba, against Pakistan. He took the wickets of Andrew Hudson and Adrian Kuiper.

He also was a more than useful batsman.

I also remember this series as being bedevilled by rain...in this match it worked in SA's favour, Pakistan had to reach an altered target because the Duckworth Lewis rule came into play and put too much pressure on Pakistan and Kuiper/ Brian Macmillan took his revenge...don't think Alan Donald took a wicket but Andrew Hudson and Hansie were the top scorers.

Used to really enjoy cricket in those days...hardly bother today.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/video/imran-khan-timeline-from-debut-to-destiny-1153347

A great Kapitan, it's never easy to captain the Pakistan national team but he held then together and won them the 1992 ODI world cup. Talented, fearless and skilled as a batsman and bowler, a one of a kind truly great Allrounder. He also discovered unknown 18yr Waqar Younis and got him to represent Pakistan......the rest is history. Watched him a few times when Pakistan toured Oz.

Here..

" Younis began his cricket career in 1987/88 Pakistan, playing for several first-class cricket clubs. However he suffered an injury when he had cut and removed his little finger on his left hand,[23] after he had jumped into a canal. He recovered from this accident and went on to continue his sporting career. He was eventually discovered by former Pakistan captain, Imran Khan and was selected to be part of the national side.[24] He had played only six first-class games when he got picked for the Pakistan camp out of the blue. Waqar says "I remember Imran was not feeling well at the time, and was not present at the camp. Luckily the Super Wills Cup was going on, and there was a match between United Bank and Delhi XI. Saleem Jaffar got injured, and I got the opportunity to play that game. Imran watched me on TV, and actually came to the ground to watch the end of the game. The very next day, he met me and told me that I will be going to Sharjah next month. Just meeting Imran at the time was enough of an experience for me, but for him to notify me of my selection was just out of this world."

Yes he was an outstanding captain, a man of incredible understanding of the game.

Such leadership ability was limited to a very few. Steve Waugh and Hansie Cronje are the 2 others.

Game changers.

"Such leadership ability was limited to a very few. Steve Waugh and Hansie Cronje are the 2 others"

Mark Taylor for mine, he was outstanding, always knew when to bring on Warne, hi s timing was perfect.

Indeed ol' Tubs, yes. Great captains, each who had an uncanny ability to put together a strategy that works. But Warnie on his own was shear magic.

My theory though is great all-rounders make the edge. You saw it to perhaps a lesser degree in players like unsung heroes of the likes of Clive Rice, and "Bunter" Barlow.You may say they were perhaps not in the same calibre but they were different era's but they were complete cricketers who not only could improvise an unusual, uncanny strategy that brought amazing magic to a game.

Totally agree with allrounders providing an edge, almost like a talisman in rugby they provide balance to a side. Proteas have still not replaced Kallis and Klusener as we pin our hopes on the new kids on the block Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder to fill that hole.

Unfortunately I didn't see Barlow and Clive Rice I've only read favourable comments and based on that I'm sure they would have excelled in any era of the game. In Kallis, Sobers, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Keith Miller from the Bradman era we're probably not going to see better in our lifetime......all of them were dream players.

Enjoyed our chat......it really was a pleasure.

All the greats mentioned in the above posting bring back fond memories of the past players and the performance that they delivered will be etched in my memories forever.

Other old SA greats that I thought of when reading this article and that impressed me are

Jackie McGlew

Trevor Goddard

Roy McLean

Neil Adcock

Mike Proctor

Colin Bland

Both Peter and Graham Pollock

Barry Richards

Lee Irvine.

Hugh Tayfield

I could go on but I think these players will forever hold a place in greats cricket history for South Africa.

A bit off topic but....

Just want to elaborate on a story Ian Chappell once told during a commentary. In an above post I mentioned that it was a difficult job captaining the Pakistan team. Well Ian said that after the Pakistan selectors had picked a team the players were unhappy with it's composition. It was then decided to take the matter to the government to select a team. After the government selected the same team the players were still unhappy, it then went back to the players to select the team.....some members of the team remained unhappy after their own eventual selection.

Yes Arthur those were the days......as a lover of the game I would liked to have seen our greatest SAFFA side play the mighty West Indies.......politics buried that dream. It still angers me when I think about it. Even today still I debate myself as to who would have been the better side. I don't have an answer.

Sadly politics has been the end of many aspiring sporting careers but perhaps the biggest disappointment was the case of Basil d. not being able to play for his country of birth.

But thankfully he made the correct decision and entertained us with his skills in England.

Just how many other sporting careers went nowhere due to politics will never be know.

Ashamed.

The politics cut both ways....on one side it stifled the career of the world's next best batsman(Barry Richards) after Bradman and sadly it didn't stop there. And yes you're right about "Dolly" there were several like him across several codes all of whom the world never got to know.