Former Pakistan cricket team's coach Geoff Lawson, left, talks to cricketers Mohammed Sami, center, and Iftikhar Anjum. AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi

Former Pakistan cricket team's coach Geoff Lawson, left, talks to cricketers Mohammed Sami, center, and Iftikhar Anjum. AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi

My mind wandered as Pakistani bowlers, under instructions from their skipper Mohammad Yousuf, bowled negatively after tea in the Hobart Test yesterday.

There are Trophies named after well-known cricketers for some series, but not for the Australia-Pakistan Tests.

For example, the England Vs South Africa series is named The Basil D’Oliveira Trophy; Australia Vs West Indies as The Frank Worrell Trophy; Australia Vs India as The Border-Gavaskar Trophy; Australia Vs New Zealand as Trans-Tasman Trophy; Australia Vs. Sri Lanka as The Warne-Muralitharan Trophy; South Africa Vs West Indies as Sir Vivian Richards Trophy and England Vs India as The Pataudi Trophy.

Of course, The Ashes are synonymous with Australia-England rivalry since 1882-83.

And the one-day internationals between Australia and New Zealand honour two outstanding cricket families from across the Tasman – The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

So why not have a Trophy named for the Australia-Pakistan Test series, especially as the matches arouse so much passion?

First I thought of calling it The Lillee-Miandad Trophy.

Although logical, it sounded mischievous and provocative in view of the bat-lifting and kicking episode between the superstars in the November 1981 Perth Test.

I also considered Imran-Lillee, Waugh-Imran or Taylor-Akram Trophy, but finally have settled for The Imran-Lawson Trophy.

You may well ask me why.

I thought that it must have a Pakistani and an Australian cricketer who achieved most in the series, on the field and/or off it. Also, I drew selection guidelines.

Cricketers whose names have been honoured in other series, for example Allan Border, the Chappells and Shane Warne, should not be eligible. Current players, Ricky Ponting and Mohammad Yousuf, also do not qualify.

Who has best statistics in the Australia-Pakistan series?

For Australia, Border leads with 1666 runs, followed by Greg Chappell 1581, Mark Taylor 1347 (with the best average of 79.23) and Ponting 1278 after his century yesterday.

Warne has taken most wickets, 90, followed by Glenn McGrath 80, Dennis Lillee 71 and Geoff ‘Henry’ Lawson 33.

For Pakistan, Javed Miandad heads the aggregate with 1797 runs, then comes Zaheer Abbas, 1411. Among bowlers, Imran is on top with 64 wickets. As he also scored 862 runs, he is the outstanding achiever from either side.

Also he was a brilliant leader who would not have allowed the negative bowling tactics Yousuf employed yesterday.

So Imran is a certainty.

But who should we go for as the Australian representative?

Lillee with 71 scalps at 30.43 is a candidate. No one would grudge a trophy to honour the two immortals of the game. And Lillee-Imran Trophy has a certain ring to it.

Although a huge Lillee fan, I would like to nominate The Roar’s own ‘Henry’ Lawson. Apart from taking 33 wickets at 26.72 against Pakistan, he has done a lot for NSW and Pakistan as a coach.

Despite being treated so shabbily by the Pakistan Cricket Board, he kept supporting Pakistan cricket and cricketers when most were anti-Pakistan for their country’s problems.

I’m sure I’ll be roasted by Roarers but The Imran-Lawson Trophy will do me fine. ICC, Cricket Australia and Pakistan Cricket Board, please note.

Which two former players would be your choice?

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