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Championing The Unheralded

Goughy

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
In the space of the last day or 2 Ive mentioned a couple of cricketers that are seldom mentioned on this forum.

Both were excellent cricketers and dont get the recognition (around here at least) that they probably deserve.

Heres a place for those guys with excellent records that have flown under the CW radar.

Ill start with the 2 I alluded to earlier.

Bob Appleyard



http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/8554.html

Illness and tragedy followed Appleyard throughout his life but he was one of the most unique and effective bowlers England has produced.

He bowled off-spin at medium pace, using his middle finger to impart spin rather than the traditional method. A nightmare to face.

FC- 708 wickets at average of 15.48
Test- 31 wickets at average of 17.87

Ole Mortensen



http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/23927.html

Big, strong, sharp and accurate. Mortensen may be one of the best bowlers of the modern era never to have played International cricket.

Proof, if any was necessary, that talent can be produced outside the traditional cricket playing areas. In this case, Denmark.

For over 10 years he was an effective, if not flashy machine in County Cricket.

FC- 434 wickets at average of 23.88
List A- 219 wickets at average of 25.56
ICC Trophy- 63 wickets at average of 10.41
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Just FTR - I am well aware of Appleyard's rather extraordinary and terribly misfortune-struck career, even though I had never heard or Mortensen.

My vote for the next one goes to Brian McMillan, who virtually never seems to get the recognition he deserves.
 
NUFAN

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Brian McMillan made Shane Warnes top 50 cricketers he played with/against. Pretty good recognition IMO.
 
Perm

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
NUFAN said:
Brian McMillan made Shane Warnes top 50 cricketers he played with/against. Pretty good recognition IMO.
Click to expand...
So did Jamie Siddons, where was VVS Laxman? Warne's list was very opinionated and objectionable, as can be expected, but it was hardly something you'd use to support an argument for/against how good a player was.
 
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NUFAN

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Perm said:
So did Jamie Cox, where was VVS Laxman? Warne's list was very opinionated and objectionable, as can be expected, but it was hardly something you'd use to support an argument for/against how good a player was.
Click to expand...
No he didn't, Jamie Siddons did though..
 
chaminda_00

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
Perm said:
So did Jamie Cox, where was VVS Laxman? Warne's list was very opinionated and objectionable, as can be expected, but it was hardly something you'd use to support an argument for/against how good a player was.
Click to expand...
Some would argue Jamie Cox would have been in the top 50 Test Batsmen of his era if he got a chance.
 
NUFAN

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Top 50 batsmen of an era isn't really that great an achievement. I mean in his era there were 9 countries so he just had to be in the 6 best for most sides and he'd be there!

It's all speculation but I can't imagine Cox would have had a better average then players like Greg Blewett and Matthew Elliott who were terrific first class players but couldn't handle Tests at the standard demanded to be an Australian batsmen.
 
chaminda_00

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
Perm said:
And? He never did, so he can't be judged properly IMO. Test batting is what counts.
Click to expand...
Some would say that scoring runs against some Australian domestic attacks during the 90s was greater achievement then some Test bowling attack currently. Not that I agrue with that, but if i've heard many Australia players, commentors and some fans say those things. So the performances of Siddons and Cox in some people's eyes are greater then some Test performances.
 
Perm

Perm

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
chaminda_00 said:
Some would say that scoring runs against some Australian domestic attacks during the 90s was greater achievement then some Test bowling attack currently. Not that I agrue with that, but if i've heard many Australia players, commentors and some fans say those things. So the performances of Siddons and Cox in some people's eyes are greater then some Test performances.
Click to expand...
They shouldn't though. Test cricket is the ultimate challenge, it's not just the strength of the actual teams that dictates how big of an acheivement runs scored is. The different conditions that batsman constantly have to adapt to, the pressure of playing on the international stage, travel and experience different cultures. All of these things add up and make Test cricket a much tougher proposition.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
chaminda_00 said:
Some would say that scoring runs against some Australian domestic attacks during the 90s was greater achievement then some Test bowling attack currently. Not that I agrue with that, but if i've heard many Australia players, commentors and some fans say those things. So the performances of Siddons and Cox in some people's eyes are greater then some Test performances.
Click to expand...
This might (and only might) be fair enough if the McGraths, McDermotts et al were playing every domestic game. As it is, though, it's both rose-tinted glasses and stereotypical optimism.
 
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