MOHAMMED YOUSUF THE "MAN OF RECORDS"

Javed Ali, SQUARE CUT, YaHind Sports

A typically elegant, clipped on-drive for four off Corey Colleymore took Mohammed Yousuf from 44 to 48 on the fourth day of the final Test Match between Pakistan and West Indies at Karachi. A modest raise of the bat acknowledged that the drive alos took him past one of the longest-standing records in Cricket, of most runs in a calendar year. Sir Vivian Richards had scored 1710 runs in 1976, memorable run during which Viv scored two double-hundreds against England in England and the Closest anyone had come to it was Ricky Ponting the Australian captain in the year 2005 scoring 1544 runs. Let's see how Yousuf accomplished the feat: Two hundreds in the Home series against India A double century at Lords against England Two more hundreds again in the same series Ending the year with four hundreds at home against West Indies During the course of this remarkable run, a few more records fell, he scored all time record 9 centuries in a calendar year surpassing previous record of 7 centuries held jointly by Viv and Aravinda de Silva, and by scoring 5 hundreds in five consecutive Tests, he also became the third man alongwith Jacques Kallis and Sir Donald Bradman to do so. All in all he amassed 1788 runs at an average of 99.33 in 11 tests in 2006. When Pakistan clinched the Test series 2-0 against the West Indies, he was declared the Winner of fastest fifty, Man of the Match for a hundred in each Innings in Karachi test and Man of the Series for scoring 665 runs, the highest ever in a series. Certainly, Yousuf is at the zenith and pinnacle of his career, he not only has brought laurels to his country but delighted the cricket fans all over the world By his marvelous batting, he is now full of purses winning a whopping 5.6 million rupees ($ 92,100) and a Honda City car worth Rs. 900,000 ($ 14,800). Well done Yousuf…………….!!!!!! - (Courtesy Cricinfo)