Minocher Mobed

Minocher Jamshedji Mobed, who nurtured Sind cricket for over three decades, died at his native birthplace of Karachi on December 29, 1986. Born on September 12,1899,'Manchi'was educated at N.J.V. School where he literally shot to fame, hitting the clock tower of the school building in an unbeaten innings of 127 at the age of 14, following which his name was inscribed on the honours board of the school. His first-class career started in 1919 when he represented the Parsi's in the inaugural year of the Sind Cricket Tournament scoring 41 and 68 and taking two wickets with his right-arm offspin. For the next 25 years he proceeded to ravage and plunder all sorts of bowling to such a degree that he earned for himself the title of 'Jessop of Sind'.

Playing for various sides from Sind he made scores of 54,32 and 27 against Gilligan's MCC team of 1926-27. Against Lord Tennyson's MCC team of 1933-34 he had scores of four, 40, 20 and 60. He captained Sind in the Ranji Trophy between 1938 and 1943 and the Parsi's in the Bombay Pentangular of 1943. After partition he turned to umpiring and stood in the two 'Tests' against MCC in 1951-52 but his only visit to England was as manager of a Pakistan Eaglets side. He was perhaps the most renowned Parsi cricketer not to be capped by India.
Khadim Hussain, The Cricketer, May 1987