On December 5, 1972, Pakistan flew to Roma on a 75-minute flight from Brisbane to play a one-day game against a Queensland country eleven. It’s an example of how different touring Australia was in the 1970s. Arriving in the town 440 km west of Brisbane would have been a culture shock for the Pakistani tourists. Roma, having celebrated the opening of a natural gas pipeline in 1969, was transitioning from a traditional pastoral and sheep-farming town to one equally focused on natural gas and oil discoveries.
However, it was still a remote town centered on a local swimming pool, a picture theatre, and historic pubs such as the School of Arys Hotel. A brand-new two-story brick post office had just opened on McDowall Street. Occasionally, large crowds gathered for local rodeos and country shows but to have an international sporting side play in Roma was unique, (the game was scheduled after an application by John Walls and Brian Stringer, the respective President and Secretary of the Roma & District Cricket Association).
Match day was a half-holiday, and 5000 people from across the region attended. Peter Flynn, who worked as sports editor for the local radio station 4ZR, called the match. Postmaster General Phil Healy (Ian Healy’s uncle) provided special comments and compiled the scoresheet.
The game was played at the Bassett’s Park Race Arena with a new drop-in pitch transported from In june, an hour’s drive north of Roma. Cars were parked around the perimeter of the ground where spectators watched the match. Roma was the perfect place to host such a game. The town had a strong cricket culture, with several former Brisbane A-grade district players in its senior competition. Local Jack Clanchy remembers his father, Earl (the publican of the Mungallala Pub), taking him and his brother to watch the game. After play they were invited into the Pakistan dressing room, with the boys staying close to their father.
‘We were kids from the bush and found the scene chaotic and didn’t want to get lost,’ Jack recalled.
The event also provided a day out for the Mungallala State School (90 minutes away), with the students travelling to the ground by bus. Match programs printed by Gerring and Green Printers in Roma listed the teams with mini profiles of the Pakistan squad. A match report from the Roma Star, which you could buy for 5 cents, revealed Pakistan opener Mohammad Ilyas was caught for a duck after being struck by a bouncer on the forehead, after deflecting the ball from his bat. Ilyas was helped from the ground and later admitted to the Roma hospital, diagnosed with a mild concussion.
Queensland Country had a strong attack, with Dennis Schuller (Ipswich) and Ross Allen (Roma) playing Sheffield Shield cricket. Talat Ali followed his good form with an undefeated 120, shoring up his chances to play in the first Test. Pakistan declared at 9 for 199, after being restricted by good fielding.
When Queensland Country batted, reserve keeper Masood Iqbal was instrumental in the dismissal of four of the side, which was all out for 132. The day’s cricket ended just after 5 pm, and the council’s prize money offer of $1000 to anyone who struck the ball over the grandstand remained untouched. Flynn and Healy met the Pakistan side at a civic function that night at Bassett Park. ‘The group couldn’t have been more obliging and got along with everyone,’ Flynn told me. The following day, the Pakistan side flew from Queensland to Newcastle, 168 km north of Sydney, arriving at 1.20 pm. The tour rolled on.
Thanks to the Roma Library, Roma & District History Lodge, Jack Clanchy and to Roma Councilor Peter Flynn for information.
Unfortunately, Cricinfo has chosen not to include the scorecard for this game in its records.
Report from ‘The Star’.
You can read more from Barry Nicholls HERE
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