Brief profile of Majid Khan by Dr.A.K.Hignell

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Player:

Majid Khan

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Majid Khan was the first overseas Test star to make a name for himself playing county cricket for Glamorgan. In nine seasons with the Welsh county, the graceful Pakistani scored over 9,000 runs and recorded 21 first-class centuries, besides leading the county from 1973 until 1976.

 

The son of Dr.Jahangir Khan, Majid had played for Lahore since 1961/62 and had made his Test debut against Australia in 1964/65 and toured England with the 1967 Pakistani`s. During the match with Glamorgan, Majid blasted a rapid 147 in 89 minutes, hitting Roger Davis for five sixes in one over. Wilf Wooller had been a close friend of Majid`s father when Dr.Jahangir Khan had been up at Cambridge, and the influential Glamorgan secretary persuaded the Glamorgan committee to sign the dashing batsman.

 

He passed a thousand runs in his first season with Glamorgan in 1968, and showed a priceless ability to bat on the most difficult of wickets. Indeed, Majid needed all of his skill in the games at Sophia Gardens, where there were a few problems with the newly lain wicket. Many consider his finest innings to have been the 156 he made out of 256 against Worcestershire in 1969, and his masterful innings gave the Welsh county the foundation they needed to win both the game and the County title.

 

In the autumn of 1969 Majid went up to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he won Blues from 1970 until 1972, besides leading Cambridge to victory in the 1972 Varsity match. He also won the Lawrence Trophy in 1972 after scoring the fastest hundred of the season, with a century in 70 minutes against Warwickshire.

 

Another one of his whirlwind innings came in the 1975 Sunday League match with Northamptonshire at Wellingborough School, as Majid hit 50 off just 22 balls. Sadly, Majid lost form in 1976 and he quit the county scene midway through the season. He continued to play in Test cricket, before retiring at the end of the 1982/83 series with New Zealand after winning 63 caps for Pakistan.

 

(December 2003)

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Dr.A.K.Hignell)