In his latest blog for skysports.com Dave Fulton pays tribute to spin king Mushtaq Ahmed.
Dave Fulton pays tribute to Mushtaq Ahmed after spin king called time on his career
There was a mixed reaction around the county circuit last week to the news that Mushtaq Ahmed has called time on a glorious career because of recurring knee problems.
The former Pakistan leg-spinner will be a sad loss to the game he has graced for 20 years and his retirement will have dealt Sussex, his county side, a huge blow.
Opposition batsmen, however, were no doubt quietly rejoicing, so mesmeric has his hold over them been.
The 38-year-old might be diminutive in stature but he is a giant in cricketing terms taking 598 wickets across all forms of cricket for Sussex since he signed for them in 2003.
He took 103 first-class wickets in that season steering the county to their first Championship Pennant and was the leading wicket-taker in the competition for each of the next four years.
His dominance over county opposition was best demonstrated in 2006 when in the last match of the season he took 9-48 in the second innings against the then county champions Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. It brought up another 100-wicket season and a second Championship success for Sussex, whilst also relegating the home side.
On that day, as so often happens with Mushy, he got in a rhythm and simply ran through the batting side.
Playing against him is tough even if you can pick him. He bowls little rubbish and if he does drop short it's tough to cut him as from 5ft 4ins the trajectory is low and the bounce lower, especially at Hove.
If you can't read his variations it's a nightmare and only a matter of time before he gets you. I faced him about a dozen times over the years (it would have been more if I could have got past Jason Lewry and James Kirtley at the start of our innings) scoring a solitary century in 2004. I picked him more often than not on that occasion to the extent I was prepared to use my feet. I was out stumped.
Unlike facing Shane Warne with whom it was possible to have a right ding dong battle, it was always a jovial affair squaring up to the little wizard. He was always telling you "well played" if you middled one and congratulated you for picking his googly on the rare occasion you guessed correctly.
Certainty
There was always a feeling that this is how the Gods wanted the game to be played. No sledging or animosity between players just a battle of technique, temperament and skill.
Mushy's smiling demeanour, however, was incredibly disconcerting. In its own way it was similar to when Mike Tyson used to say "sorry" to his opponents when they touched gloves before the first bell. Ok, I accept there was less menace, but both knew with absolute certainty that they were going to get you and probably make you look slightly stupid in the process.
With Tyson the final blow would no doubt hurt; with Mushy it was one's pride that would often take a battering, the humiliation only softened by the knowledge that a) he genuinely felt for you and b) the knockout was often a compassionate act putting you out of your misery.
As you might expect his statistics make impressive reading. He took 1407 first-class wickets, incredibly taking five wickets in an innings 104 times and ten wickets in a match on 32 occasions. He scored 20 fifties with the bat - his best being 90 not out against Kent in 2005 in my final match as captain. He wasn't just tough to face he was also hard to set a field to.
He took 185 Test wickets between 1992 and 1998 but was by his own admission a better bowler when he was at Sussex. "If Pakistan had picked me in the years I was bowling well for Sussex perhaps 400 maybe even 500 Test wickets was possible for me," he said.
You know speaking to him that it's of no great concern to him. A devout Muslim since the end of the World Cup in 1999 he is at peace with everything he's achieved in the game and is looking forward rather than back.
It was left to others to sum up his achievements. Chris Adams, his captain, put it best.
"He's the best player that I've ever stepped on to a cricket field with and the best player to have ever pulled on a Sussex shirt," said Adams. "But it's as a wonderful human being that he's made the greatest impact".
Rather than bask in any glory, Mushtaq was keen to thank those who had given him a second chance in county cricket. "I want to thank Allah, my family and everyone at Sussex who are also my family," he said. "In particular I want to thank Peter Moores, Chris Adams, Mark Robinson and all my team-mates".
No Mushy, thank you.
