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The newly crowned Patron's Trophy champions Pakistan Customs team were in a for shock Tuesday when they found out that the winners Trophy was missing from the cricket headquarters at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

And if this was a mishap on part of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Customs team officials were taken back when the PCB director, Brig Munawwar Ahmad Rana, presented them with a paltry winners cheque worth Rs 20,000 as prizemoney.

Jalaluddin, the Customs manager, was flabbergasted at the callous attitude of the PCB officials.

Talking to Dawn from Lahore, the former Test pacer said the PCB officials had not bothered to arrange a proper prize distribution ceremony soon after the final had concluded on the fourth afternoon.

"We were surprised to learn that the cricket board had not planned any ceremony as soon as the match ended," Jalaluddin said. "It was only on our insistence that Brig Rana issued instructions for the cheques to be prepared."

Brig Rana, on his part, was unaware that prizes are awarded at the first-class finals.

"The brigadier told us that the trophy had gone missing but he will do something about the cash award," Jalaluddin added. "Sometime later the Brig Rana presented us with the cheque. When pressed to explain why such a small amount is given to the winners, the PCB director said that is all the cricket board can do."

For the record, runners-up National Bank, champions on four occasions in the past, were given Rs 10,000. Last season the Patron's Trophy was confined to non-first-class teams because the leading departments were pitted against the association outfits in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

It may be mentioned here that since Pakistan Tobacco Company ended their long association with the cricket board several seasons ago, the domestic first-class (as well as the lower division tournaments) has no sponsor to run the championships. This is something bewildering since the PCB is undoubtedly the richest sports organization in the country with a reported revenue of Rs 570 million in its kitty late last year.

Naturally, Jalaluddin was delighted at his team's great achievement in only their fifth season of first-class cricket. He hoped that the Central Board of Revenue (CBR), under which the Customs department comes, will provide employment to the cricketers.

"For years we have been running the team from our own resources. But this victory should persuade the CBR officials to provide our players proper jobs in the department," Jalaluddin hoped.

When asked what was the secret behind Customs' triumph, Jalaluddin revealed that he had promised the boys cash incentive as a bonus. "We promised to reward the team with Rs 30,000 for each win in the tournament. Then there are individual prizes of Rs 2,000 for each century and five-wicket haul."

Customs won four matches, in all, including three in the league rounds. Two of their players were the leading performers this season.

Diminutive right-hander Naved Latif amassed more than 1400 runs, including a mammoth innings of 394 - the 10th highest first-class score - for Sargodha against Gujranwala in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy.

Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan, a right-handed all-rounder, finished with over 90 wickets with his medium- pacers and scored just above 500 runs. He represented Sheikhupura in the Quaid Trophy.

© Dawn