When Misbah-ul-Haq launched that astonishing assault on Moeen Ali to reach his hundred at the end of the first day of the second Test in Dubai, the ripples reached far beyond the groups of fans celebrating round their television sets in Islamabad and Karachi. In a small town in Scotland, three and a half thousand miles to the west of the Dubai International Stadium and a further eleven hundred from Mianwali, Misbah’s home town in the Punjab, there was similar — if more typically understated — pride at his achievement. Because Misbah — talismanic captain of Pakistan, scorer of the fastest fifty and joint record holder for the fastest century in Test cricket — will always carry a little of the tartan alongside the crescent and star. He will always be a Penicuik old boy.
Nestling beneath the Pentland Hills in the county of Midlothian, Scotland, ten miles to the south of Edinburgh, the town of Penicuik grew with the development of the paper making industry in the nineteenth century. With the influx of workers came organised cricket, too, and Penicuik Cricket Club was founded in 1844 by English expatriate Charles Green, foreman of the local mill. Although the industry has long since disappeared from the area, one hundred and seventy one years later the club proudly remains as one of the oldest established in Scotland.
The tale of Misbah’s association with Penicuik begins in June 2003. Penicuik were challenging at the top of Division Two of the Scottish National Cricket League when professional Graham Manou — destined to play a single Test for Australia in the 2009 Ashes — was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a rib injury. With the season halfway through and the promotion drive at a critical stage a replacement needed to be found quickly.
Fortunately, the timing of Penicuik’s search was perfect.
The vibrancy of the Scottish ethnic community has always encouraged players from the Indian subcontinent to come to play in Scotland – Abdul Qadir played club cricket in Stenhousemuir, for example, and that very summer Rahul Dravid was turning out for the national side as their overseas professional. Pakistan were in Glasgow in early June, playing Dravid’s Scotland in a warm-up before the ODI series against England later that month, and Penicuik’s enquiries first centred on the availability of Inzamam-ul-Haq who had expressed interest in playing league cricket to try to regain his international place. Regardless of his ambitions Inzamam’s financial demands were considerable, however, and so attention quickly turned towards the 29-year-old Misbah. A contract was rapidly negotiated and Misbah returned north to meet up with his new teammates at the end of Pakistan’s tour.
In all Misbah-ul-Haq played five times for Penicuik as the team secured their promotion, leaving when Pakistan recalled him to a training camp in early August. Batting at number three he scored 99 runs over four innings, his debut against Stirling County on July 5th being abandoned at the halfway point because of rain.
In his first innings for Penicuik, against West Lothian at Boghall on July 12th, Misbah scored 37 not out in a comfortable eight wicket victory, additionally taking three catches. A duck followed in his next match, against Falkland, bowled leg stump after stepping across his crease. He signed off with scores of 21 against Corstorphine and 41 against Edinburgh Accies.
Although as a batsman Misbah found adapting mid-season to the typically seamer-friendly Scottish conditions a challenge, he did some damage as a bowler. Bowling seam-up — not leg spin — off a short run up, always dangerous to face on green Scottish pitches, Misbah took eleven wickets at 18.8 with a best return of 3-39 against Falkland.
Batting Bowling
5.07.03 vs Stirling County at Kirkhill DNB 11-1-39-3
12.07.03 vs West Lothian at Boghall 37*
19.07.03 vs Falkland at Kirkhill 0 13.4-3-39-3
26.07.03 vs Corstorphine at East Barnton Ave 21 15-2-52-3
2.08.03 vs Edinburgh Academicals at Kirkhill 41 15-3-77-2
His stay in Scotland may have been short but Misbah’s time with Penicuik is remembered with fondness as much for his qualities off the field as his contribution on it. And it is those qualities that will ensure Misbah’s place as one of the true greats of cricket in Pakistan. His success in bringing together a team unable to play at home and reeling from the match-fixing scandal of the 2010 England Tour, set against the ever-present machinations of Pakistani cricket politics, has been remarkable. For all he has achieved for his country in these most difficult of times Misbah is perhaps Pakistan’s greatest captain of all.
Humility. Understatement. Lack of fuss. Cautious when necessary, but not afraid to be forceful too. And all underpinned with a steely, unquenchable determination. Good Scottish qualities all – and the essence of Misbah-ul-Haq.
