00:00Majid Khan Masterclass, a patient century at Napier in 1979, in the tranquil setting
00:06of McLean Park, Napier, hosting its median test match and becoming the 50th venue to
00:12do so.
00:13The ever-elegant Majid Khan crafted an innings that was as much a tribute to patients as
00:19it was so technically perfection.
00:21Against New Zealand in the second test of the 1979 series, Majid Khan compiled a determined
00:27unbeaten 119 runs, a knock that spanned 411 minutes and was leased with 13 masterfully
00:35struck boundaries.
00:36Majid Khan, at his classical best, displayed the artistry that has long defined his place
00:42in Pakistan's cricketing pantheon.
00:45It was an inning sculpted with deliberations rather than flamboyance, on a surface offering
00:50little threat and against a balling attack of modest menace.
00:53The veteran right-hander took 4 hours and 24 minutes to reach his half-century and brought
00:59up his 100 in 6 hours, a mark of concentration rarely seen in the modern age.
01:04Aimed this at eight rhythms of the game, Majid Khan crossed the significant milestone of 3,000
01:09test runs further solidifying his legacy in the annals of Pakistan cricket.
01:14So for connoisseurs of the game, this inning is a gentle reminder of an era when test cricket
01:19was as much about endurance and elegance as it was about stroke play and statistics.
01:25Headley, short, wide, Majid off the back foot, through the covers, it's right after it, he
01:35just stops it inside the boundary, they'll come back for a comfortable 3.
01:40Oh, he's pulled that one round, it was outside the line of the off-dump, shortish, but Majid
01:45got hold of it and he hits it 4 to square and he'll get 4 for it.
01:52It's a good shot from Majid Khan, he got in behind it there and he put it out through the
01:58covers for 4.
01:59John Wright was not able to pull that one back in.
02:02Gary Troop.
02:03And the sign of aggression, a flowing full shot, he's going to get through to the boundary.
02:10Brock, well that'll be about the most despairing dive we've seen in this test match and very
02:15bad luck for Stephen Brock, he's not quite able to take enough speed off the ball, a 4 run,
02:21Majid Khan.
02:22Stephen Brock, well that was turned and bounced a little bit, as I hear got a thick outside edge
02:30and he'll only get 1 for the shot, he didn't even move his 2 metres to the 4 run.
02:37Signs of life and that brings up the Pakistan 100, 103 for 1, Majid now 48.
02:46He's got that one in the air, but it's floating between Burgess and Troop.
02:51Troop didn't come in at a full pace there, he stopped for a moment, hesitated and the crowd
02:56felt he might have gone for that.
02:58Majid didn't get hold of it at all, the very easy shot, lost it in the air, the Troop had
03:02quite a lot of ground to cover, and then he hesitated and perhaps instead of sprinting straight
03:05on.
03:06So Majid Khan, now onto 40 o'clock, now being changed to the southern end, rolling into quite
03:19easterly breeze.
03:21And Zahe here on the drive, first really aggressive stroke we've seen for quite some
03:28time.
03:29Lance Cairns better be long off.
03:31Zahe here to 4th, Majid on 49.
03:36Full toss.
03:38Majid might have seen a run out situation.
03:41Here we've got Smith coming in for the throw to the stump.
03:44Marjid calling a run, and of course our heads on back, and that's Marjid's 50.
03:51Cairns to Marjid.
03:52Didn't even move his feet for that.
03:53Swatted it, off the stump, through mid-wicket, four runs.
03:58Marjid, racing in.
04:00It lifted this one over mid-wicket, it'll be four runs, one bounce, again.
04:06Now, he's played the same shot again, he'll get four more.
04:13He picked it up, hit it over mid-wicket, there's no one out there, it was clear of the mid-on
04:19and mid-end, the ball is.
04:21Same shot again, didn't hit it quite as cleanly, he may pull it in, but there's no chance.
04:42So, three fours in the favor, three similar shots.
04:47And Majid, after a long time in the doldrums, races to 73, with three fours in a row.
05:01136, Pakistan.
05:04Sorry, 140, we can't give up with the fours.
05:11We now see Richard Hedden.
05:15This time he's down the wicket, he hit this one straight.
05:19Won't quite be six, but it's four runs.
05:22That one, over long off, four more.
05:27So, 77, Majid.
05:30Quite a change.
05:32Majid Khan on 77.
05:36Fox, down the wicket, it's in the air, he could be caught.
05:44Kansas Ray makes a magnificent attempt, but can't quite get the hand to it.
05:50They get two for it, they're looking for three.
05:57Chadley will only be having a short spell, I fancy.
06:00He's always bowled it short, dragged it down, it didn't get very high, but Majid is in now, and he pulls this one through mid-wicket.
06:06There's four runs.
06:08Not a lot of bounce on the track from that one, but he fetched it from low down and hit it over the mid-wicket area.
06:18Majid, on to 83.
06:23And that's Pakistan's 150 up.
06:26It's like they're 152 for two.
06:42Majid Jahangir Khan went to Cambridge, graduated from there, played in captain for Glamorgan.
06:50Now flagged away county cricket, and concentrating on World Series, and flanked for Pakistan.
06:57Hadley.
06:59Yeah, Majid Khan very easily has just clipped it through mid-wicket with two runs.
07:03Hearnsmith runs after it.
07:06He goes on to 91.
07:09Pakistan, 168 now for two.
07:11Majid, 97.
07:14182 for two.
07:18Ball back with Coney.
07:21Rolling to Majid Khan.
07:23Again trying to drift that one into the bat, they come back for a second.
07:28Two comfortable runs for his Edgar.
07:31Return.
07:33So Majid Khan on 99.
07:36186 for two, Pakistan.
07:43Down the wicket, driving.
07:46He looks for one.
07:47Yes, he'll get one.
07:48Bit of a missed field, and he went through, and that's the 100.
07:51Majid, 100.
07:52Majid, 100.
07:53It's been a Philly, long, slow appear, but he's there.
07:57100.
07:58It's been a Philly, long, slow appear, but he's there.
08:01And Majid got through for the single.
08:04188 for two.
08:06Majid, 100 pie.
08:08Because an edge, of course, can come at any time.
08:13Full toss.
08:14He's hit this one through the covers.
08:15There's a good chance it'll go for four, but right after it may well drag it back in.
08:20If he does so, there's an easy three.
08:23It's Majid just scrambling home a little bit at the end, but mainly because he was only ambling
08:28for the first two runs.
08:30If Majid goes on to 117, you see a full toss, wide of the off stump.
08:35He didn't time it, and therefore wasn't able to dispatch it to the boundary.
08:40It's always debated in situations like this as to whether the game should cease earlier.
08:45But there's always a result to be had.
08:48There's Majid going down.
08:50Lee's missed the ball there.
08:51There was a chance, I think, of a stumping.
08:54Pakistan, 226 for three.
09:01We're just going back and dabbing that one down, but no chance of a run.
09:05Goes to Richard Hadley.
09:07Richard Hadley not used a lot today because he was obviously no point.
09:13You don't want to spend your possible match winners for the future test when there's nothing
09:18left in this one.
09:24It's gone down again.
09:25He's hit this forcefully, taking a sharp single.
09:27Advanced Cairns, a reasonable piece of fielding, but Imran Khan was home.
09:31Though the pitch have been questioned prior to the contest, with Pakistan's
09:49skipper Mushtaq Muhammad voicing concerns over its preparedness, it turned out to be a Bannon
10:07track, playing true throughout the five days.
10:10Consequently, the match meandered to a draw, with little incident to stir the record book,
10:15save for Majid Khan's resolute swigil at the queries and the historical significance of
10:20the venue.
10:21Majid Khan's century at Napier stands out merely as a number in the scorebook, but as a timeless
10:27portrait of classical tough-smashed bestmanship.
10:30It was a statement of discipline, resilience, and poise, a vintage gem from a cricketer whose
10:35style was redefined as his stroke play.
10:38Rewinding the clock to 1979, this century remains a testament to Majid Khan's grace under
10:44no pressure, a marathon of mindfulness rather than a sprint of brilliance, and therein lies
10:50its charms.
10:51If you like this video, please comment, share, and subscribe.
10:54Thank you very much.
