Obscure Players That You Remember

Sep 21, 2002
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I don't know if this player has been mentioned, but in the mid-1960s South Australia had a quick bowler named Alan Frost. He had suffered from polio as a kid. Players who faced him at the time have all told me he was extremely quick, easily the quickest bowler in Australia. He toured New Zealand with the Australian 2nd XI in 1966-67. The SA attack was pretty useful at the time with Frost, Freeman, Hawke, Mallett and Jenner.

When they began playing 1st class cricket on Sundays in 1968-69, Frost was forced to retire because of religious beliefs that sport should not be played on the Sabbath. So, he joined a local club Tea Tree Gully in the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association and terrorised local batsmen for several years before giving cricket away.
 

sandeano

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Oct 7, 2001
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I remember the first Steve Smith. IMO, he really was ok as a one day opener, when in form but apart from that, not Test standard, but when we were really s**t like this summer gone ,we had him open in a Test or two. Very similar ill conceived idea like Finch this summer. Probably around 1984 I reckon he opened in a Test v West Indies when they still had 4 truly fearsome fast bowlers.

As a youngster I went along to the 'G one summer's day to watch the Vics play NSW in a shield match. It was horrifically hot and the Vics felt it as they bowled and were ripped apart. Smith made 200 in the day and appeared to be a new superstar. Mind you, even Peter Toohey made a hundred in that innings.

I remember feeling terribly sorry for the toothless Victorian bowling attack, especially for one bloke who looked nothing like a fast bowler but kept giving his all. When he was fielding at fine leg between overs I gave him a can of coke which he was very grateful for. I naturally assumed he would barely play for Victoria again, whereas I thought Smith would be in the national team for years to come.

I got that wrong. Smith buggered off to South Africa and Merv Hughes took 200 wickets for his country.
 
Aug 27, 2014
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As a youngster I went along to the 'G one summer's day to watch the Vics play NSW in a shield match. It was horrifically hot and the Vics felt it as they bowled and were ripped apart. Smith made 200 in the day and appeared to be a new superstar. Mind you, even Peter Toohey made a hundred in that innings.

I remember feeling terribly sorry for the toothless Victorian bowling attack, especially for one bloke who looked nothing like a fast bowler but kept giving his all. When he was fielding at fine leg between overs I gave him a can of coke which he was very grateful for. I naturally assumed he would barely play for Victoria again, whereas I thought Smith would be in the national team for years to come.

I got that wrong. Smith buggered off to South Africa and Merv Hughes took 200 wickets for his country.
Is that what happened to Smith. Do not recall seeing his name much when find youtube videos of those Rebel tours.

Haysman, Hughes, Taylor, Wessels, Yallop etc ???
 

sandeano

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Is that what happened to Smith. Do not recall seeing his name much when find youtube videos of those Rebel tours.

Haysman, Hughes, Taylor, Wessels, Yallop etc ???


Yeah, he had done well for Australia in ODIs but couldn't crack the test team. Went on the rebel tour and did really well. Eventually went back to South Africa and finished his FC career there.
 
Aug 27, 2014
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Explains why he just vanished. Did not know he continued to play over there like Mike Haysman. I think he did crack a Test match once for Australia.
Some tour to West Indies in early to mid 80's I am fairly sure he played a Test.
 
May 8, 2007
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The famous '84 series where we had 5 different opening combinations in 5 tests.

Our combined openers stats: -

20 innings, 0 not-outs, 242 runs, HS 68, avg 12.1, 1x50, 0x100.
10 opening partnerships, highest 50, avg 16.5.

The West Indies opening partnerships averaged 125.

By the way, we lost the series.
 
May 5, 2016
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I think he would have gone on to have a decent career for Zimbabwe if not for their player strike.

Here's another obscure Zimbo from that era Gus Mackay who was complete s**t :)

His career highlights



Mluleke Nkala was arguably worse.

Mackay played in the famous match where Dougie Marillier scooped two balls over his own head off Glenn McGrath to almost chase down 302
 

gordo2016

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Aug 13, 2017
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Sam Gannon. Left arm seamer. 3 tests 1977-78. WSC days and selectors plucked him out of no where. I remember him dropping an absolute soda and bowling trash to some good Indian batsmen. Got dropped after 3 tests and never heard of him again.
 
May 2, 2007
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Mluleke Nkala was arguably worse.

Mackay played in the famous match where Dougie Marillier scooped two balls over his own head off Glenn McGrath to almost chase down 302
I went to that game!

Remember beforehand thinking well this probably going to be a waste of time spending the day watching a dull flogging.. but it ended up being a great high scoring contest with a couple of great centuries from a West Aussie and a visitor. Plus it went right down to the wire with a brand new cricket shot wheeled out on the international stage!
 
May 5, 2016
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I went to that game!

Remember beforehand thinking well this probably going to be a waste of time spending the day watching a dull flogging.. but it ended up being a great high scoring contest with a couple of great centuries from a West Aussie and a visitor. Plus it went right down to the wire with a brand new cricket shot wheeled out on the international stage!

Yeah Stuart Carlisle hit a ton that game - perhaps his biggest claim to fame beyond that century was hitting Warnie for a couple of boundaries in a test match and being labelled, over the stump mic for everyone to hear, a ‘f***en arsey c***.’
 
May 6, 2007
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That Zimbabwe squad ran through a few players in the mid 90's to early 00's but geez they would give some of the associate sides of today a touch up imho.

Obivously built around the powerful Flower brothers (Grant was a more than handy player imho) on top of Campbell and Heath Streak with a number of handy to good role players in support.

Marrilier, Guy Whitall, Rennie, Ebrahim, Goodwin ended up playing a fair bit (post international cricket) for WA iirc.
 
May 6, 2007
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Was Henry Olonga actually good, or is this just in my head?

I feel his reputation far preceeded his actual output but he did play at a time when we saw some of the games greatest players.

His claim to fame was a brilliant 5/70 (Mongia, Sidhu, Azahruddin, Ganguly, R.Singh) that set up a brilliant win for Zimbabwe against India at Harare in 98.
 

ioppolo

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That Zimbabwe squad ran through a few players in the mid 90's to early 00's but geez they would give some of the associate sides of today a touch up imho.

Obivously built around the powerful Flower brothers (Grant was a more than handy player imho) on top of Campbell and Heath Streak with a number of handy to good role players in support.

Marrilier, Guy Whitall, Rennie, Ebrahim, Goodwin ended up playing a fair bit (post international cricket) for WA iirc.
Ebrahim is a bit of a stretch. Averaged 22 & 20 in tests and ODIs respectively
 

Ishikawa

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Jul 18, 2018
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That Zimbabwe squad ran through a few players in the mid 90's to early 00's but geez they would give some of the associate sides of today a touch up imho.

Obivously built around the powerful Flower brothers (Grant was a more than handy player imho) on top of Campbell and Heath Streak with a number of handy to good role players in support.

Marrilier, Guy Whitall, Rennie, Ebrahim, Goodwin ended up playing a fair bit (post international cricket) for WA iirc.

Goodwin was a gun. WA and Sussex legend, racked up he runs in county cricket. Expect to see the name continue:

https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricke...-league-debut-against-tasmania-ng-b881114039z
 
Feb 6, 2013
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Sam Gannon. Left arm seamer. 3 tests 1977-78. WSC days and selectors plucked him out of no where. I remember him dropping an absolute soda and bowling trash to some good Indian batsmen. Got dropped after 3 tests and never heard of him again.
Surprised he's no relation to Cameron Gannon the Qld/Heat bowler who had to restructure his action due to throwing a few years back.
 
Jun 23, 2008
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Was Henry Olonga actually good, or is this just in my head?

I feel his reputation far preceeded his actual output but he did play at a time when we saw some of the games greatest players.

His claim to fame was a brilliant 5/70 (Mongia, Sidhu, Azahruddin, Ganguly, R.Singh) that set up a brilliant win for Zimbabwe against India at Harare in 98.

Stood up to Mugabe at a time when it could be hazardous to your health to do so. He deserves eternal respect for that alone, Andy Flower too.

This.
Andy Flower’s actions took a hell of a lot of guts - but for a black man to do it, that was something else altogether.

I think it's fair to say that we never saw the absolute best of the guy on the field, and that he likely had a lot more to offer, given Zimbabwe's turmoil at the time, and that he played his last Tests and ODIs at age 26. Remarkable guts and maturity for a bloke his age in that environment.

Not saying Olonga definitely would have been as good or had as much longevity at the top level, but an interesting parallel could be seen at the time between he and Makhaya Ntini (who was exactly one year younger) from South Africa. Both Black Africans from similar areas of continent, but one had relatively good political stability and support around him, and one didn't.
 
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