In the Shadow of Packer

England's Winter Tour of Pakistan and New Zealand 1977/78

David Battersby

• Publisher: Pitch Publishing
• eBook ISBN:
  9781785312243
• Year: 2016

On the back of winning the Ashes in the summer of 1977, England headed off on a grueling and punishing four-month winter tour of Pakistan and New Zealand—the first without the MCC moniker. Events prior to that tour were to have a massive impact on the world of cricket with Kerry Packer having announced, prior to the summer's Ashes, plans to hold his first season of World Series Cricket; which would coincide with the England tour. The Pakistan leg of the tour saw rioting at matches, caused by political unrest in the country. On the pitch, history would be created by the slowest-ever Test century scored by Mudassar Nazar. Skipper Mike Brearley was to head home with a broken arm with Geoff Boycott taking over and captaining England for the first time. Promising youngster Ian Botham recorded a debut maiden century, and future England captain Mike Gatting made his Test debut. When the tourists arrived in New Zealand they lost to the hosts, led by Mark Burgess, for the first time in Test cricket. In the Shadow of Packer tells the story of this historic and tumultuous tour.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword by Bob Willis
• Author’s Foreword –The Times They Are A Changing!
• Introduction – The Build-Up To Departure
• 1. A New Dawn – England take the Night Flight for Pakistan
• 2. England take on Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium
• 3. The Hyderabad Test and the Sialkot one-day international
• 4. The Pakistan leg of the winter tour comes to an end
• 5. England arrive in New Zealand for the second leg of the winter tour
• 6. England historically sink at the Basin!
• 7. The tour concludes in Auckland
• Appendix A: The tour results in Pakistan & New Zealand
• Appendix B: Questions to Mike Brearley, Bob Willis and Bob Taylor
• Appendix C: Interview with Mark Burgess
• Appendix D: Interview with Mudassar Nazar
• Appendix E: Where are they now?
• Appendix F: Tour memorabilia
• Bibliography
• Photographs