Cricket: Of Imran, Hanif and Miandad

Pakistan arrive in Auckland today, bringing with them a history dotted with spectacular cricket, the chaotic and the colourful as one of the most controversial test nations.

1. Pakistan's first test was at Delhi in October, 1952. They lost to India by an innings and 70 runs. The only player to make a half century was a dogged little opener, Hanif Mohammad who became ...

2. ... the holder of the test and first-class records for the highest individual score. Hanif hit 337 against the West Indies in Barbados in 1957-58 to save the test. It remains the longest test innings played - 16 hours 10 minutes.

The following season, Hanif made 499 for Karachi against Bahwalpur. While his test mark lasted just three weeks before Gary Sobers hit 365 not out in the same series at Kingston, Jamaica.

Hanif's first-class milestone stayed in the record books for more than 35 years until West Indian Brian Lara hit 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham. And he took considerably less than 16 hours 10 minutes.

3. Pakistani cricket has long been intertwined with politics. In its first 40 years, Pakistan had just 14 test captains. Since 1992, they have had 12. In total, 24 players have been in the middle for the tossing of the coin in a test for Pakistan.

4. Boardroom politics have also been an integral part of the game. The newly elected chairman of the Pakistan board, Shaharyar Khan, replaced Lieutenant-General Tauqir Zia, whose reign included allegations of nepotism, selection irregularities and financial mismanagement.

The first order of business for Khan might be sorting out grumpiness between coach Javed Miandad and chairman of selectors - and former team-mate of Miandad's - Aamir Sohail over team selection issues.

5. Pakistan can boast a strong record against New Zealand in both tests and ODIs.

In 43 tests, they have won 20 and lost just six since the teams first met at Karachi in 1955-56.

In the shorter game, the teams have met 72 times, Pakistan winning 46 and losing 24, with one tie and one no result.

The tie was a thriller at Eden Park in 1994, Pakistan making 161 for nine, New Zealand being dismissed for 161 with two balls left as Waqar Younis roared through the tail finishing with six for 30. The last four wickets fell for nine runs.

6. Pakistan can boast a strong record against New Zealand in both tests and ODIs.

In 43 tests, they have won 20 and lost just six since the teams first met at Karachi in 1955-56.

In the shorter game, the teams have met 72 times, Pakistan winning 46 and losing 24, with one tie and one no result.

The tie was a thriller at Eden Park in 1994, Pakistan making 161 for nine, New Zealand being dismissed for 161 with two balls left as Waqar Younis roared through the tail finishing with six for 30. The last four wickets fell for nine runs.

7. Since Pakistan began playing first-class cricket, 378 players named Mohammad have appeared in first-class and test cricket for the country.

8. From the time new captain Inzamam-ul-Haq burst into international cricket, he has been a pain in New Zealand's backside. His first mark was a crushing 62 in 36 balls to pull the world Cup semifinal win out of New Zealand's grasp at Eden Park in 1992. In 10 tests against New Zealand, the big man has hit 902 runs at 64.42, including most recently 329 at Lahore in May last year.

9. While India prides itself on its spin demons, Pakistan, especially in the last 20 years, have been dominant through the quality of their pace bowling.

It began with the fiery Sarfraz Nawaz - credited with being one of the early initiators of reverse swing - who was more fast-medium than rip-roaring fast, and Imran Khan and the torch has been carried on by Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and now Shoaib Akhtar.

Their statistics speak for themselves:

Sarfraz took 177 wickets in 55 tests at 32.75; Imran, who also rates among the alltime great allrounders, took 382 wickets in 88 tests at 22.81; Akram, who idolised Imran as a youngster before becoming his new ball partner, took 414 wickets at 23.62; Waqar's 87 tests produced 373 wickets at 23.56 while Akhtar, from 28 tests, has 107 wickets at 25.09.