The 2022-23 season will mark 50 years for Pakistan’s first whitewash, suffered at the hands of Ian Chappell’s team in Australia in 1972-73.

The Melbourne game of that series after a mighty Australian win in first Test at Adelaide, started on this day in 1972. The third Test at Sydney also went Australia’s way, a result that completed the 3-0 romp for the hosts.

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The Australian team for Melbourne had two Test debutants in Jeff Thomson and Max Walker, who joined Dennis Lillee in a pace pack that would be a big reason for Australia regaining the Ashes in 1974-75.

December 29, 1972, was a satisfying day for Australia as they took 349 first innings runs off Intikhab Alam’s side which could only cheaply dismiss local boy Paul Sheahan (run out for 23) and John Benaud (13).

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Ian Redpath carved 135 before he was dismissed by the Pakistani captain. Ian Chappell nicked one to ’keeper Wasim Bari off Sarfraz Nawaz for 66. Greg Chappell was not out on 71 with Rodney Marsh keeping him company on 27 at the end of the first day.

Greg notched up his third Test ton for the year the following day before his brother declared at 441 for five. Pakistan proved up to the task on a batsman-friendly Melbourne Cricket Ground strip; ending Day Two at 292-1. Left-handed Sadiq Mohammad helped himself to a maiden Test century while Majid Khan was unbeaten on 92 amidst a heat wave.

New Year’s Eve was the rest day and 1973 began with Pakistan piling on more runs. Saeed Ahmed, who had retired hurt on the second day, returned to score 50 and Zaheer Abbas was gutted over getting run out for 51. Mushtaq Mohammad and Intikhab smashed half-centuries as well for Pakistan to declare at 574-8. This was the innings in which Thomson returned figures of 0-100, bowling with a broken foot. Fellow debutant Walker claimed 2-112 while spinner Ashley Mallett was the most impressive bowler with 3-124.

Ian Chappell made the decision of letting Benaud take his one-drop position and the New South Welshman responded with a splendid hundred. Benaud was already dropped for the third and final Test at Sydney, but Chappell wanted him in his West Indies-bound squad later in the year. In the book, Matters of Choice, Benaud, a future Australia selector, wrote: “Who knows why Chappelli changed the batting order? Did he do it for me, or was he out of sorts? This captain certainly didn’t send me in as a nightwatchman for himself.”

On the next page, Benaud added, “Whatever the reason, the captain showed confidence in me when I was struggling. He gave me a chance to score a century. That got me into the Australian team to the West Indies in 1973. It was one of Australian cricket’s finest tours.”

The other Australian to get a hundred was Sheahan, who attracted the captain’s admiration in the book, Passing Tests. “Paul Sheahan also went on to complete a very fine century, then unwound a series of superb hits before he was finally caught on the boundary from a hook shot. I could not help nodding my approval—it was so pleasant to see someone else caught on the boundary from a hook,” wrote Chappell, a compulsive hooker.

There was no declaration by Australia this time. They were bowled out for 425, giving Pakistan to get 293 for victory in five and a half hours on the morning of the last day. A draw looked more of a possibility, but Pakistan’s fragility showed up.

Lillee and Walker sent back openers Saeed and Sadiq for single digit scores. Zaheer was run out again while Mushtaq (13) perished similarly in a mix up with Asif Iqbal, who scored 37 before being sent back by Walker, caught at point by Ian Redpath. Walker struck another blow without a run added to the Pakistan total of 138, by cleaning up wicketkeeper Wasim Bari. Mallett had Intikhab caught by his rival skipper for 48.

Majid fell three short of his half-century when he was caught behind by Marsh off Lillee.

Watched by 11,798 spectators, Pakistan were bowled out for 200 to hand the Australians a 92-run win and a 2-0 lead in the series.

The late Walker, who strangely came in as a replacement for opener Keith Stackpole, was delighted the way things panned out in his debut Test. He got his first taste of Chappell’s leadership at Test level and wrote in Tangles: “It wasn’t so much that he [Chappell] inspired the players by rhetoric; but it was the aura of confidence that he carried about him. He never seemed to have any doubt that his players could come up to any challenge and this in turn gave his men the added confidence they needed to succeed.”

Walker should know. In the final Test at Sydney, he claimed 6-15 in Pakistan’s second innings for Australia to complete their 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan.

In the next 50 years, only once did Australia get beaten 3-0 by Pakistan— while on tour in 1982-83. And Pakistan will be hoping it won’t take that long to get a sweeping revenge over their latest conquerors. Watch out, England!

mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance.
He tweets @ClaytonMurzello. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.