Pakistani Hanif Mohammad - longest Test innings 999 minutes for 337 runs

By A. C De Silva

CRICKET: Hanif Mohammad - affectionately referred to as "Little Master" is acclaimed the world over as one of the best opening batsmen. He was born on December 21st in 1934 in Junagadh in India and moved over to Pakistan when he was 12 years old and has played superbly for Pakistan. He played for Pakistan in 55 Tests between 1952-53 and 1969-70 and averaged 43.98 with 12 hundreds.

He batted the longest innings on record - 337 runs in 999 minutes for Pakistan against the West Indies.

The pocket-sized Pakistani is only 5ft 3 inches in height, but he has let the bat to do the talking. He holds cricket's endurance record - 337 runs in a Test against the West Indies in Barbadoes from January 20 to 23 in 1958.

Hanif's 337 topped the late Sir Donald Bradman's Test highest of 334 in 6 hours 45 minutes in 1930, outlasted Sir Len Hutton's longest innings of 364 in 13 hours 20 minutes for England vs Australia in 1938.

Hanif Mohammad's innings was the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years.) Hanif spent more than 16 hours at the crease. It is the only Test match instance of the triple century in a team's second innings. Displays as these earned him the nickname as "Little Master". Hanif played for Pakistan in the inaugural Test against India in 1952-53 at Delhi. He was 17 years and 300 days as the world's youngest Test wicketkeeper.

In 1958/59 Hanif Mohammad surpassed Don Brandman's record for the highest individual first-class innings. Hanif made 499 before being run-out attempting his fifth hundred run; this mark stood for more than 35 years before being eclipsed by Brian Lara in 1994. In all, Hanif, made 55 first-class centuries and finished with a strong first-class career average of 52.32. He could bowl with either arm, and kept wickets on a number of occasions. But Hanif, never played in the English County Championships. He was named as Wisdom's Cricketer of the Year in 1968. In January 2009, Hanif was named along with two other Pakistani players Imran Khan and Javed Miandad among the celebrated batch of 55 inductees into the ICC's Hall of Fame.

The highlights of Hanif's career are many, but one instance came in a Test match against Australia where Hanif scored a century in the first innings. Then in the second innings of the same match, he was wrongly given out - stumped by Barry Jarman off Tom Veivers for 93 -just 7 runs away of his second century. Hanif obeyed the umpire's decision. Later at the press conference, Jarman admitted that Hanif was not out.

Hanif came from a family that was associated with cricket. Many of his brothers and sons were also cricketers: his brothers Mushtaq Sadiq and Wazir all played Tests for Pakistan, as did his son Shoaib, another brother Raees was once a 12th man for Pakistan and four nephews had first class careers.

Hanif retired from cricket in 1970. When he scored that memorable 337 runs in 999 minutes against the West Indians, it remains as the longest Test innings in first class cricket, and it can be reckoned as one of the bravest.

Some of his opponents bowling figures:

Gilchrist 41-5-121-1, E. Atkinson 49-5-136-2, Smith 61-30-93-1, Valentine 39-8-109-2, Sobers 57-25-94-1 and Walcott too was called upon to bowl 10 overs.