One Test Wonders

[sherb]

The rather prolific author Ken Piesse has penned a book about each of Australia's one Test players, called 15 Minutes of Fame. I'm not here to spruik the book, in fact I'm a long time customer of Australia's other major cricket book seller, Roger Page.

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It's just that I think I will find this book particularly interesting for some reason. maybe because when I first started following cricket as a kid it featured two of the more memorable one-Test wonders (Ken Eastwood & Johnny Watkins).

Plus the same season that Watkins played his only Test (72-73 against Pakistan), New Zealand's Rodney Redmond scored 107 & 56 in his only Test against the Pakistanis when they visited New Zealand after the Australian tour.

Speaking of Ken Eastwood, I found this article from a number of years ago. It gives a good insight, among other things, into how unprofessional the ACB was back then (some may argue they haven't improved much over the years).

One Test, two caps

Opener Ken Eastwood got to play only one Test for Australia - under unusual circumstances - but he continues his association with the game even as he nears 80

www.thecricketmonthly.com

 

[PhatBoy]

Wayne Phillips II is the one that always sticks out for me

 

[Jamurp]

Not sure his fault, just the era he played in, But Stuart Laws only test and only innings is 54 not out, finished without an average.
Average of 50 in FC cricket with 79 tons.

 

[Gough]

Not sure his fault, just the era he played in, But Stuart Laws only test and only innings is 54 not out, finished without an average.
Average of 50 in FC cricket with 79 tons.

Same Test as Ponting's debut.

 

[the_interloper]

Same Test as Ponting's debut.

Last test of a series from memory, would seem they changed the side around a bit ,think we'd already won.

 

[PhatBoy]

Last test of a series from memory, would seem they changed the side around a bit ,think we'd already won.

That was Boony’s last summer and I think his last test - he had made a century in the Melbourne test of that series and gave the media a serve during his celebration then I think pulled the pin

 

[corbies]

Last test of a series from memory, would seem they changed the side around a bit ,think we'd already won.

It was the 1st Test of a 3 Test series where they played the Tri-Series ODIs in between the Tests.

 

[Jamurp]

That was Boony’s last summer and I think his last test - he had made a century in the Melbourne test of that series and gave the media a serve during his celebration then I think pulled the pin

That is so Boony, bit annoyed I was born after his career, only knew of him through the Oz Brothers skit on the Late Show haha.

 

[Gough]

It was the 1st Test of a 3 Test series where they played the Tri-Series ODIs in between the Tests.

Second, the first was the Murali Test in Melbourne and the last in Adelaide.

 

[PhatBoy]

Second, the first was the Murali Test in Melbourne and the last in Adelaide.

Ah yes and Jayasuriya made a ton in Adelaide from memory with a sponsorless bat shortly before and Kalu made a fairly indelible dent on the one day game

 

[corbies]

Second, the first was the Murali Test in Melbourne and the last in Adelaide.

The Murali test in Melbourne was the 2nd test. This was the 1st:

AUS vs SL Cricket Scorecard, 1st Test at Perth, December 08 - 11, 1995

Get cricket scorecard of 1st Test, AUS vs SL, Sri Lanka tour of Australia 1995/96 at Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth dated December 08 - 11, 1995.

www.espncricinfo.com

 

[Jamurp]

The Murali test in Melbourne was the 2nd test. This was the 1st:

AUS vs SL Cricket Scorecard, 1st Test at Perth, December 08 - 11, 1995

Get cricket scorecard of 1st Test, AUS vs SL, Sri Lanka tour of Australia 1995/96 at Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth dated December 08 - 11, 1995.

www.espncricinfo.com

The Ponting LBW decision on 96 was an absolute howler from memory.

 

[corbies]

The Ponting LBW decision on 96 was an absolute howler from memory.

4:16 of this.

Edit: You need to click the watch on youtube link.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Cal Ferguson's brother reacting to his run out is some of the more painful footage from recent years.

 

[Flogwater]

It was the 1st Test of a 3 Test series where they played the Tri-Series ODIs in between the Tests.

It's good to reflect on the 95-96 summer.

In addition to the Perth Test being the debut Test for Ponting and Law (sole Test), it was Brendon Julian's last Test match.

Some of the ODIs in 95-96 were played in December, after the Pakistan Test series and the 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Perth, and before the Murali Test on Boxing Day. The rest of the one-dayers were played in January before the Adelaide Test against Sri Lanka (3rd Test).

The ODIs resumed in January on New Year's Day (Bevan's four off the last ball in Sydney against the West Indies). Interestingly, the Sydney Test was played in late-November to early-December, rather than the early-January slot that has been in place for a while. The Sydney Test in 1996-97 was also pre-Christmas - in late-November to early-December.

The 95-96 summer was an odd one in that one of the touring teams that played in a Test series, Pakistan, did not also play in the triangular (arguably, quadrangular in 94-95) one-day tournament in Australia.

 

[Toe Poke]

Australia v Pakistan 1995-1996
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-australia-1995-96-61485/match-results
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistani_cricket_team_in_Australia_in_1995–96

Australia v Sri Lanka 1995-1996
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-tour-of-australia-1995-96-61609/match-results
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_cricket_team_in_Australia_in_1995–96

Tri-Series ODI competition (Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies)
http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1995-96/OD_TOURNEYS/WSC/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995–96_Australian_Tri-Series

 

[Gough]

Thank f*** for the internet, the limitations of relying on hazy memories of cricket fans has been exposed here.

 

[Bareth Garry]

Bryce McGain comes to mind. Leg spinner from Victoria who was already well into his 30s when he got his baggy green but got flogged for 0/149 from 18 overs vs South Africa in 2009. They won by an innings so he never got a second chance and unsurprisingly he never played for Australia again.

 

[Rabish Binney]

A couple of interesting cases from other countries:

Rod Redmond of New Zealand was selected in his first test against Pakistan in the 3rd test at Eden Park in 1972/73. He scored 107 & 56, was picked for the NZ tour of England but never played another test. He was very short sighted and (apparently) struggled to adjust with new contact lenses. His son Aaron Redmond played 8 tests for NZ.

Andy Ganteaume played his one and only test for WI against England in the 2nd test at Port of Spain in 1948 scoring 112 and featuring in an opening partnership of 173 with George Carew. He batted for 4 and a half hours and was widely criticised by the press (and indeed other members of the WI team) for his 'slow' batting. Interestingly, the 3 W's also played in this test (Weeks, Worrall & Walcott) so he was in good company. The match was drawn with the Windies being 3/75 in the 2nd innings chasing 141 for victory (they had about 3 hours to get the runs) with Ganteaume not batting in the 2nd innings due to how slow he apparently batted in the first.

He simply wasn't picked again for the test team, apparently due to his slow batting but there is some doubt on this. It was reported that it was simply a case of inter island rivalry which each island wanting 'their' players picked in the combined WI side (as the West Indies do not exist as a single nation).

Redmond and Ganteaume are the only 2 players in the history of test cricket to make a century on debut and not play another test.

 

[Kram]

Bryce McGain comes to mind. Leg spinner from Victoria who was already well into his 30s when he got his baggy green but got flogged for 0/149 from 18 overs vs South Africa in 2009. They won by an innings so he never got a second chance and unsurprisingly he never played for Australia again.

That guy was pumped up on here for a good couple of years before that game too haha.

I remember one poster actually getting attacked quite badly for for daring to suggest at some stage that the guy wasn't really that good at all and would struggle against Test opposition.

 

[Pippen94]

Last test of a series from memory, would seem they changed the side around a bit ,think we'd already won.

No in Perth. Adelaide test was last when boon retired

Edit: everybody already pointed this out I see

 

[Pippen94]

That guy was pumped up on here for a good couple of years before that game too haha.

I remember one poster actually getting attacked quite badly for for daring to suggest at some stage that the guy wasn't really that good at all and would struggle against Test opposition.

Jarrod Kimbers blog pumped up Mcgain. Also, put down brad Hogg for some reason

 

[Pippen94]

Australia v Pakistan 1995-1996
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pakistan-tour-of-australia-1995-96-61485/match-results
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistani_cricket_team_in_Australia_in_1995–96

Australia v Sri Lanka 1995-1996
https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-tour-of-australia-1995-96-61609/match-results
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankan_cricket_team_in_Australia_in_1995–96

Tri-Series ODI competition (Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies)
http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1995-96/OD_TOURNEYS/WSC/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995–96_Australian_Tri-Series

Sri Lanka emerged in that odi series as a force. Great rivalry at the time with Australian team which continued through to world cup & after

 

[Groucho]

Simon Davis went wicketless in his only test but had a pretty decent one day career

 

[Woody15]

Michael Neser looking like a candidate to join the 1 test club after Boland's strong performances in the Ashes. Id also have him behind Richardson when fit.

The one that sticks out a bit recently who might not be able to add to their games played is Will Pucovski unfortunately. Long road back from all these concussions. Will probably have a strong case for most talented on that list in the past 30 odd years.

A couple on that list I wouldn't have a clue who they were if they walked right past me. Had completely forgot about Shaun Young and Peter George. I had to do a double take when I see photos of Shaun Young in a baggy green.