England is the home of cricket. It is where the game took its roots and it is where it flourishes at all levels — Tests, limited over games or be it a game of cricket at the club level. A summer without cricket is unthinkable, like the winters are unthinkable without football, rugby or hockey in England.

The British love their sports and sportspersons and welcome all those who from time to time visit the country to play at the international level or at any level for that matter. Centuries of traditions remain intact as the locals greet their visitors to enjoy the English summer and the hospitality that goes with it.

The first reported visiting cricket team to England was that of the indigenous Aborigines from Australia who went there in 1868. That was in the pre-Test playing era. Having played 47 matches on more than a four months’ tour, they won 14 and lost as many.

They were then followed by the American baseball players who besides teaching the locals the skills of their own brand of the game also played cricket matches without losing any. And the tourists continued to come to the English shores to learn the fascinating game. Even the Parsis from India turned up in 1886 and in 1888 bringing with them only Parsi players.

Nothing seems to have changed despite the passing of so many years. The charm of playing cricket on English soil is such that every summer besides the international teams, the others keep on gracing the turf in every nook and corner of the country.

Teams from Pakistan have been frequenting England for years. From as far back as 1953 when Pakistan Eaglets consisting of some very talented cricketers first visited there to play and get a bit of coaching from experienced hands like Alf Gover, a former England bowler.

Veteran cricketers, aged 50 and above, enjoy their tour of England

Financial stability, interest in the game and playing in English conditions are the kind of incentives that brings in many other teams from around the world to get the taste of what the international players experience playing the cricket in England.

Recent visitors from Pakistan there were the Pakistan Panthers Cricket Club consisting of over-50 years old players who toured England at the end of August under the patronage of Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association. These comprised a mixture of international and club players that included Moin Khan, a former captain of Pakistan. And they experienced a similar kind of success as they had on their 2009 tour to the UK.

Of the four matches on the card within nine days they did manage two wins against Dorset Veterans at Bournemouth and against the Middlesex C.C. XI at North Harrow. Unfortunately, for them rain and inclement weather did not allow them to play against Surrey C.C. at Oxshott and against a Hampshire team at Southampton.

But in their victories against Dorset and Middlesex they did enjoy themselves with both bat and ball, impressing their rivals with the standard of the game they displayed and the discipline and sportsmanship they put on.

Sajid Ali, a former ODI player, was their star in both matches as he notched up scores of 94 in 89 balls against Dorset in Panthers’ 34 runs win at Dean Park. His form continued even in the match against Middlesex at St Mary’s Cricket Club at Harrow where he struck a breathtaking 70 off 54 deliveries to take his team to a conclusive victory by 33 runs. No doubt, therefore, that he was declared the batsman of the tour and his captain Fawad Ijaz Khan as the best bowler.

Nadeem Omar, Moin Khan, Naeem Ashraf, Raja Arshad and Shahid Mehboob also had their moments of triumph with the bat and ball.

The first reported visiting cricket team to England was that of the indigenous Aborigines from Australia who went there in 1868. That was in the pre-Test playing era. Having played 47 matches on more than a four months’ tour, they won 14 and lost as many. They were then followed by the American baseball players who besides teaching the locals the skills of their own brand of the game also played cricket matches without losing any. And the tourists continued to come to the English shores to learn the fascinating game.

The opposition though they had a torrid time facing the onslaught of Sajid Ali, did, however, showed true grit putting up some notable displays of bowling and batting. Joe Wilson, Jim Ryall, John Young at Dorset were successful with the ball and bat and for Middlesex Reingold Mark hammered 116 off 74 balls against the Panthers to liven their chase though unsuccessfully.

The former captain of Pakistan Asif Iqbal having recovered from his heart surgery recently was a welcome guest at the match and was greeted by the Pakistan players.

The highlight was their visit to Lord’s Cricket Ground where their hosts Peter Oborne author of Wounded Tiger: A History of Cricket in Pakistan and novelist Richard Heller greeted them and organised a guided tour of the museum, library, dressing rooms and the ground escorted by a professional MCC expert.

What was really important for them was that their tour itself was endorsed by the visit to Lord’s by the Pakistan High Commissioner Syed Ibne Abbas, who accompanied them to see the sights of the most revered cricket ground of the world.

A dinner later in the evening of their final match at Pakistan community centre in London hosted by a cricket enthusiast Mohammad Akram also had legendary Michael Holding to greet the Panthers from Pakistan.

This I must say was the only Pakistani club team that visited England but a team consisting of Karachi Gymkhana players also visited England under Jaam Nafees Ali during the month of June and won two of their four matches against various clubs around the London area.

Their visits offshore no doubt leaves us in no doubt that the game in Pakistan despite the difficulties the country has been facing is alive and kicking.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine October 11th , 2015

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