Playing cricket with Imran Khan, the great Pakistan all-rounder was one of the highlights of my cricketing career.
Imran had been recruited by New South Wales to play Shield cricket during the 1984/85 season and he was a star, on and off the field.
He had an immediate impact on the bowlers in our shield squad as reverse swing was a novelty in Australia. He had them mesmerised and swinging the ball in a way most had previously only ever dreamed about. To say the batters were also in a twist would also be an understatement.
Imran’s arrival coincided with my most rewarding season in shield cricket and we were both fortunate to play in one of the greatest Sheffield Shield finals. NSW V Queensland.
The Queensland team was led by Allan Border and at the time included 6 other test players. Kepler Wessels, Greg Ritchie, Trevor Hohns, Carl Rackemann and Jeff Thomson. Robbie Kerr went on to play test cricket the following season.
The blues weren’t particular left behind with 9 test players and a 19-year-old Steve Waugh.
Skippered by Dirk Wellham, the other 8 test players were John Dyson, Steve Smith, Greg Matthews, Imran, Steve Rixon, Murray Bennett, Bob Holland, and David Gilbert.
It was only the third season where the shield final was played over 5 days and Queensland was beaten by Western Australia the previous year. They were ready to make amends and break their duck for the Sheffield Shield trophy.
Queensland batted first and scored 374 off 170 overs. Hohns made 104, Border 64, Phillips 53 and Imran picked up 4 wickets.
We responded with 318 off 121. Steve Smith top-scored with 76 and Steve Waugh 71. Jeff Thomson and John Maguire each got 3 wickets.
Qld had a lead of 56 on the first innings.
It was then Imran on a flat SCG wicket took the game by the scruff of its neck. He picked up Kerr, Courtice, Phillips, Border and Maguire with remarkable figures of 5 for 34 of 19 overs. He was ably supported by Muz Bennett who was equally miserly with 4 for 32 off 20 overs.
QLD had been bowled out for 163 and it meant NSW needed 219 to win and be crowned champions.
There were several interesting memories of the final. As I reflect the game was played shrouded in secrecy as some players had been in discussions to form part of the Rebel Tour of South Africa. For some, it would be their last game of first-class cricket for the states for some time.
We set about our run chase and I entered the fray at 3 for 59. Soon we were 5 for 100 and Imran with 18 and Steve Waugh 21 we found ourselves 7 for 173 and still 46 runs behind.
As you can imagine, it was willing in the middle, some might say, it was nasty. I’d had a massive verbal altercation with Kepler Wessels and with the game on the line, it was on. Today, the match referee would have been busy.
Muz Bennett came and went. 8 for 175.
What was surprising is Qld opted not to take the new ball. It was only me, Dutchy Holland and David Gilbert that stood between then and their first shield win.
Carl Rackemann had bowled frighteningly quick and Dutchy displayed incredible bravery to their battery of fast bowlers to score 10 and we were then 9 for 209. We’d put on 34.
10 runs to win and it was a great relief when David Gilbert hit a drive straight back past me for 4.
We’d won and I was thrilled to play a part in such a game with 83 not out,
After 5 days of tough cricket and the Shield trophy in our hands, it was party time and where else but Imran’s penthouse in the city!!
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