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One Test Wonders

R

river end

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Who are those players you can recall who are remembered for just 1 fairytale performance in test cricket, yet usually ended up with a mediocre record or disappeared quickly?

From an anglo-centric view, here are a few. There's probably others.

1 Bob Massie - Aus v Eng Lords 1972. 16 wickets on his test debut but faded quickly after that.

2 Peter Taylor - picked from grade cricket (Peter Who?) to play for Aust against England at Sydney in January 1987. Man of the match with 8 wickets but did almost nothing in his further 12 tests, finishing with 27 wickets at an average of 40. Pretty tame spinner for internationals.

3 Mark Greatbatch - NZ left hand bat who made an unbeaten 146 to save a game against Aust in Perth in November 1989. This was a much lauded innings in Australia, but he apparently did little for the rest of his career finishing with an average of 30.62.
 
BoyBrumby

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Andy Sandham was the first name I thought of. 879 runs in 27 test innings @ 38.22 isn't awful, but he did score 325 of them in the first innings of his final test.
 
Dissector

Dissector

International Debutant
Jasu Patel took 14 wickets in Kanpur to set up India's first ever win against Australia. His 14/124 was India's best bowling performance until ironically beaten by Hirwani.
 
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The Sean

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
Indeed, but the OP was talking more about perception - ie the players are remembered for one staggering performance in an otherwise unremarkable career.
 
Richard

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Think that story about his wife - if true - would make Park the winner in a "most awful only Test" TBF. And Tate does have that second-innings bowling that no-one ever remembers.
 
neville cardus

neville cardus

International Debutant
Arthur Conningham is probably the most fascinating of the lot. Sadly, though, information on him is hard to come by.
 
Matt79

Matt79

Global Moderator
Massie played more than one as well. Most of the players nominated have. But they'll always be remembered for their performances in just one test. It's like Steppenwolf has released more than one song, but can you name more than one?
 
Smudge

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
Aside from the famous one-test wonder for NZ, Rodney Redmond, I'd also suggest Chris Pringle who took 11 of his 30 test wickets (from 15 tests) in just one game - and even that was only because he blatantly used a bottletop on the ball during the test in Pakistan.

Also Vaughan Brown. Technically, he played two tests, but he only took one test wicket. That wicket though, was famous - as it was his sole test wicket which prevented Richard Hadlee from possibly taking all 10 Australian wickets at Brisbane in 1985/6. Instead, Paddles had to settle for taking the catch off Brown's bowling.
 
Burgey

Burgey

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I fear Chris Rogers may well fall into the category after his two innings here, but at least he will be remembered for that great catch in the first innings.
 
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