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Australia's cricket team arrived in Pakistan for the first time in the autumn of 1956 to play the first-ever Test match at the National Stadium, Karachi in October. On the eve of the Test match, a world record was created which stands to this day. Only 95 runs were scored during the first day's play which is the lowest number of runs scored in a full day's play of any Test match to-date.

Ian Johnson, the Australian captain, won the toss and elected to bat on a matting wicket. Fazal Mahmood and Khan Mohammad forced the Aussies into their shell. The visitors struggled throughout the opening day before they were all out for 80. Fazal and Khan bowled unchanged to capture six and four wickets respectively.

Australia staged a sort of comeback by restricting the home side to 70 for five by the second afternoon. Wazir Mohammad and captain Abdul Hafeez Kardar shared a sixth wicket stand of 104 which anchored the innings. A first innings lead of 119 on the unpredictable track was likely to prove decisive which is exactly what happened. Australia faced a humiliating defeat when their cream was polished off with only 47 runs on the board in the second innings. All-rounders Richie Benaud and Alan Davidson revived the tourists' hopes but another mini collapse near the end simply delayed the inevitable. Pakistan won the inaugural Test against Australia by nine wickets. They were given a target of 69 runs, which they achieved for the loss of just one wicket. Pakistan took 48.4 overs to reach the target. It was a great achievement by the Pakistan team against stalwarts like Neil Harvey, Keith Miller, Richie Benaud, Alan Davidson and Ray Lindwall all world class cricketers.

'59-60 in Pakistan

The Australians triumphed with style when they came here for the second time, in the 1959-60 season. They won the three-Test series by a 2-0 margin. Pakistan were outgunned at Dhaka and Lahore while they survived in Karachi. Australia registered easy victories in the first two Tests, thanks to superior all-round display. Richie Benaud's inspirational leadership played a major role in Australia's handsome victories. That was, incidentally, Pakistan's first series defeat at home. Pakistan was captained by Fazal Mahmood. In the first Test played in Dacca, Australia emerged victorious by eight wickets. Pakistan were skittled out for just 200 runs. Only Hanif Mohammad (66) and debutant Duncan Sharpe (56) offered any resistance. Benaud and Davidson were the pick of the bowlers. They returned figures of 4-69 and 4-42, respectively. Pakistani bowlers hit back but Australia still managed to get a lead of 25 runs. Neil Harvey (96) and 'Keeper Wally Grout (66) coming in at No.9, did the bulk of the scoring. For the Pakistan Fazal took five for 71 off 35.5 overs. Pakistan in their second turn with the bat, however, failed again. Home batsmen were unable to cope with the bowling of Richie Benaud and Ken Mackay and were shot out for 134 runs. Mackay took 6-42 in the innings while Benaud returned match figures of 8-111. Out of the 100.3 overs the Australian bowlers delivered in the second innings, this pair bowled all but 84.3 overs. Australia chasing a target of 109 runs, reached it for the loss of just two wickets. The second Test in Lahore incidentally also marked the inauguration of Gaddafi Stadium (then known as Lahore Stadium), Australia again triumphed by seven wickets. Fazal being indisposed, Imtiaz Ahmed took over the reins of captaincy. He elected to bat first, but Pakistan paid dearly for the decision. They crashed for a mere 146 runs, with Hanif (49) getting a noteworthy score. Australia in reply took full advantage of Fazal's absence. Norman O'Neil (134) helped Australia reach a healthy 391 for nine before Benaud applied closure. Pakistan, 245 runs behind, made a valiant attempt to fight back in the second innings. With Saeed Ahmed (166) leading the way, Pakistan reached 366. Kline took 7-75, the best bowling by an Australian in Pakistan todate. Australia were thus given a target of 121 runs, which they achieved with no fuss at all. Pakistan thus entered the last Test, played in Karachi, with the knowledge that they had lost their first rubber at home. Fazal was back to lead the side. The Test ended rather tamely. Apart from superb knocks by Hanif Mohammad in both the innings (51 and 101 not out) and the usual deadly swing bowling by Fazal in the first innings (5-74) from Pakistan side a marathon spell of leg-spin bowling by Richie Benaud 49.5-17-93-5 for the Australian side, the Test had nothing else to write about. Dright D.Eisenhower became the first President of the United States of America to see test cricket when we attended the fourth day's play. Intikhab Alam became the first Pakistani bowler to take a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket.

'64-65 in Pakistan

Australia arrived in Pakistan for the third time in the 1964-65 season to play One-Off Test match. The dearth of Test matches in those days can be understood by the fact that it was nearly after two years and two months that the Pakistan side were involved in a Test match. Debutants Khalid Ibadullah and Abdul Qadir frustrated the Aussies who didn't get the initial breakthrough until the scoreboard showed 249. Qadir was unlucky to miss a hundred on Test debut by just five runs as he was tragically run out for 95. Khalid Ibadullah scored 166 runs in his maiden innings in Test cricket. From a monumental 249 for no loss, Pakistan tumbled to 414 all out, thanks to a splendid spell by Graham McKenzie who finished with highly respectable figures of 6 for 69 from 30 overs. Skipper Bobby Simpson held the Australian innings together with a colossal century. Despite Simpson's brave 153, the visitors conceded a first innings lead of 62 runs. Pakistan declared their second innings at 279 for 8 leaving Australia 342 to win. Simpson opted for batting practice instead of risking wickets in pursuit of the big target, and completed his second century of the match which ended in a tame draw

© Dawn