Hyderabad:

Former Hyderabad batsman Mazhar Ali Baig, brother of Test cricketer Abbas Ali Baig, passed away in the city on Thursday.

A flamboyant batsman, Mazhar played 18 matches for Hyderabad between 1963 and 1967.

Mazhar was the first player from Hyderabad to be selected for the prestigious all-India schools team, in 1960. He was a batchmate of former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal, who played for Hyderabad before shifting to Pakistan.

Hyderabad cricket circles were saddened by Mazhar’s death. “I am very sad and shocked to hear about Majju bhai’s demise.

He was an extraordinary batsman, an agile fielder and an absolutely thorough gentleman,” said former Hyderabad batsman Sultan Saleem, who played alongside Mazhar.

“A fantastic player of fast bowling, he had the audacity to sweep Habeeb Khan, considered the fastest bowler in Hyderabad at that time. I also remember him hitting Jaisimha to the top of the Osmania University pavilion during a Behramud Dowla match — it was about a 150-yard six! I have good memories batting with him in the State Bank of India team’s middle order for about 20 years. We were involved in 70-75 good partnerships,” Saleem said of Mazhar.

Former India cricketer and Hyderabad Cricket Association president Arshad Ayub also paid tribute.

“I have not seen him play but have heard eminent players rate him very high,” Arshad said.

“They would say Mazhar Ali Baig was a great strokemaker and would easily negotiate the fastest of bowlers of that time,” Arshad added.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Sports> Cricket / by DC Correspondent / August 23rd, 2013