THE venue of today’s crucial match for Pakistan against Ireland, The Adelaide Oval, is one of my favourite grounds. Tucked in the parklands between South and North of the city, it is less than a kilometre away from the city centre.

Established in 1871, the ground staged its first Test in 1884 against England and its first ODI against the West Indies in 1975-76.

Over the years, since I started visiting Australia, I have covered a number of Tests there and one-day matches including the 1992 World Cup match against England besides meeting here many famous personalities like Tiger O’Rielly, the greatest leg-spinner that Australia boasted before Shane Warne, and Stuart McGill and, of course, the great Sir Don Bradman who lived at the edge of the city and always attended Test matches.

It was here at the Adelaide Oval that I covered Pakistan’s greatest escape in the 1992 World Cup when rain saved them from a certain defeat at the hands of England to share a point each which in the final reckoning mattered most for the former to get into the final, having beaten New Zealand twice in New Zealand during the campaign.

And it was here at this venue that Pakistan under Imran Khan had their greatest fight back in a Test against Australia to earn a draw in the 1989-90 series.

But first the World Cup game against England in 1992. Pakistan caught on the hop on a seaming wicket were bowled out for only 74 in the forty first over as Derek Pringle, Gladstone Small and Ian Botham shot them out. With rain rule in force, not the Duckworth & Lewis system then, England were required to score 63 in 15 overs to complete the match. Further rain resulted in another target and that was 64 in 16 overs.

England with 24 for the loss of their captain Graham Gooch in eight overs were then frustrated with the deluge that followed as the match had to abandoned with no result. The rest was history as Pakistan despite losing four of their first five matches got into the rhythm to progress and then win the final against England.

Prior to this in the 1990 Adelaide Test Pakistan staged their greatest escape with a fighting century each by Imran Khan and Wasim Akram to earn a draw.

Pakistan after being all out for 257 in their first innings were led by 84 runs by Australia on the first innings with the help of a century by Dean Jones and Pakistan having lost four wickets for 22 in the second innings were faced with a certain defeat when Imran and Wasim got together for the sixth wicket to add 191 leaving Australia 304 in 78 overs having declared in the morning session of the final day. Which obviously was beyond Australia despite another hundred by Jones.

Bradman, who was on the venue to open the stand named after him, described the Test as the most enjoyable.

Wasim’s was his maiden Test century and a glorious one too in which he hit 18 fours and a six.

Pakistan is up against Ireland today, a team which carries with them a reputation of being the giant-busters. Pakistan to their peril remember it well from the 2007 when Trent Johnston’s team busted them by three wickets through D/L system. Pakistan were restricted to 132 in 41.4 overs on a seaming Sabina Park wicket and Ireland reached the target for seven wickets.

Pakistan will no doubt hate that kind of repetition at this stage, nor they can now afford to lose to them and scupper their chances of a quarter-final. Adelaide Oval does help spinners and Yasir Shah could be a handy inclusion provided the game plan is not flawed once again.

Published in Dawn March 15th , 2015

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