Hanif Mohammad

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Hanif Mohammad


country = Pakistan
fullname = Hanif Mohammad
nickname = Little Master
living = true
dayofbirth = 21
monthofbirth = 10
yearofbirth = 1934
placeofbirth = Junagadh, Gujrat, India
countryofbirth = India
batting = Right-handed
bowling = Right-arm off break
role = Batsman
international = true
testdebutdate = October 16
testdebutyear = 1952
testdebutagainst = India
testc

lasttestdate = October 24
lasttestyear = 1969
lasttestagainst = New Zealand
deliveries = balls
columns = 2
column1 = Tests
matches1 = 55
runs1 = 3,915
bat avg1 = 43.98
100s/50s1 = 12/15
top score1 = 337
deliveries1 = 206
wickets1 = 1
bowl avg1 = 95.00
fivefor1 = 0
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 1/1
catches/stumpings1 = 40/–
column2 = FC
matches2 = 238
runs2 = 17,059
bat avg2 = 52.32
100s/50s2 = 55/66
top score2 = 499
deliveries2 = 2766
wickets2 = 53
bowl avg2 = 28.49
fivefor2 = 0
tenfor2 = 0
best bowling2 = 3/4
catches/stumpings2 = 178/12
date = August 3
year = 2008
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/40373.html Cricinfo

Hanif Mohammad (Urdu: حنیف محمد) (born 21 December 1934 in Junagadh - now in Gujarat, India) is regarded as one of Pakistan's greatest cricketers, playing for the Pakistani cricket team in 55 Test matches between 1952/53 and 1969/70 and averaging 43.98, with twelve hundreds. The highest of those centuries, 337 against West Indies in 1957/58, was the longest innings in Test history (and stood as the longest in all first-class cricket for over 40 years) as Hanif spent more than 16 hours at the crease to save his team from a hopeless position after they had followed on 473 runs behind. It should be noted that this is the only test match instance of a triple century in a team's second innings [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Test_cricket_triple_centuries] . Displays such as this earned him the nickname "Little Master".

In 1958/59, he produced another record-breaking batting display by surpassing Don Bradman's record for the highest individual first-class innings. Hanif made 499 before being run out attempting his five hundredth run; this mark stood for more than 35 years before being eclipsed by Brian Lara in 1994. Plenty more runs were still to come, and in all he made 55 first-class centuries and finished with a strong first-class career average of 52.32. He could bowl with either arm, and even kept wicket on a number of occasions.

Hanif's long career lasted until 1975/76 and took him all over the world, but he never played in the English County Championship, although he did have a single outing for the Northamptonshire Second XI in August 1965 whilst preparing for his appearance for a Rest of the World XI against England at the Scarborough Festival a few days later. Hanif was in fact working in England in 1994, and hearing of the possibility of his record being broken rushed to Edgbaston, unfortunately too late to witness any of Lara's innings. Hanif was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1968.

In a Test match against Australia, Hanif scored a century in the first innings. In the second innings he was wrongly given stumped out by Barry Jarman off the bowling of Tom Veivers for 93, just 7 runs shy of his second century in the Test. Hanif showed great sportsmen spirit and respected the umpire's decision. Later in a press conference Jarman admitted that Hanif was not out.

The "Little Master" is known for many feats including all of the above, he is also credited as being the inventor of the reverse sweep. It has been noted that during his 337 against the West Indies, he was playing the shot.

Hanif was mainly a right arm off-spin bowler, but also occasionally bowl left-handed in Test cricket.

Many of Hanif's brothers and son were also fine cricketers: his brothers Mushtaq (also a reverse sweeper), Sadiq and Wazir all played Tests for Pakistan, as did his son Shoaib, another brother Raees was once twelfth man for Pakistan, and four nephews had first-class careers. His mother Ameer Bee was a national badminton champion in pre-independence India and is considered responsible for inspiring her sons to take up sports.

External links

*cricinfo|ref=pakistan/content/player/40373.html
* [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/03/31/stories/2002033100300300.htm Ramachandra Guha : The original little master]