Players that initially promised but eventually disappointed

[Howe_zat]

I've always pitied those who intentionally misspell other posters' nicks as half-wits, who are so desperate for giggles, and so utterly incapable of generating their intended effect of mockery by creditable means, that they needs must stoop to grubby, base and uncivil methods to attain their ends. What say ye?

Antagonises and belittles everyone who disagrees with him

Gets offended by improper use of his user name

 

[CricAddict]

ABC123, dont you think Vinod Kambli and Ajantha Mendis take the cake when it comes to 'initial promise but then disappointment' group?

 

[Spark]

*sigh* Not needed, guys.

 

[slowfinger]

Mendiboy never really impressed me (apart from the wicket of Ponting) to start off with, imho. People rate too early.

 

[weldone]

Waqar Younis and Brian Lara - showed promise to be unarguably the best bowler ever and unarguably the 2nd best batsman ever, respectively.

 

[slowfinger]

Waqar Younis and Brian Lara - showed promise to be unarguably the best bowler ever and unarguably the 2nd best batsman ever, respectively.

... And ended up not too far off those landmarks?

 

[_Ed_]

Yeah, it's hard to be too disappointed with their careers. Both would walk into all-time XIs for their respective countries.

 

[weldone]

... And ended up not too far off those landmarks?

The word 'unarguably' is important. Let me put it this way - the way Waqar and Lara started, I saw promise in them to end up with 500+ wickets @ 19 and 12000+ runs @ 65 respectively. My personal opinion, of course...

 

[CricAddict]

Ah, let me put it this way - the way Waqar and Lara started, I saw promise in them to end up with 500+ wickets @ 19 and 12000+ runs @ 65 respectively. My personal opinion, of course...

You would make a tough boss me thinks.

 

[weldone]

You would make a tough boss me thinks.

Haha no, I am a huge fan of both of them. Their achievements are super-human, I think. But I also think that they had even more super-human talent.

 

[TumTum]

Phil Hughes a related but more literal example?

Phil Hughes

^


He's only 23 ffs.

 

[Ruckus]

Yeah I'd be quite suprised if Hughes didn't have some impact on Aust cricket in the next decade. His time is clearly not now, but you'd have to think a player with such a high amount of natural talent and ambition as him will somehow find a way to succeed eventually, even if it takes a few more years.

 

[ganeshran]

Ishant Sharma

Also Shane Bond. Though he does have impressive stats, I thought Bond will go on to become a bowling ATG

 

[Bonnie Prince C]

Adil Rashid.

While he never actually played Test cricket, he looked like he could be the next genuine all-rounder for England across all forms of the game. Looked capable of batting 6/7 and being a proper bowling option. He seems to have fallen back a lot though.

 

[wpdavid]

Adil Rashid.

While he never actually played Test cricket, he looked like he could be the next genuine all-rounder for England across all forms of the game. Looked capable of batting 6/7 and being a proper bowling option. He seems to have fallen back a lot though.

Hopefully he has time to recover, but you're dead right that his stock has fallen badly over the last 12 months or so. One of a long list of tykes who never quite reached the heights they seemed destined to. To differing degrees, could could add Jim Love, Ashley Metcalfe, Martyn Moxon, Bill Athey and Chris Silverwood. Lyth fell away badly last year as well, and I had high hopes for him after 2010.

 

[burr]

Jason Gillespie comes to mind. Expected more and was disappointed. And Shaun Tait of course.

 

[CWB304]

Ishant Sharma

Also Shane Bond. Though he does have impressive stats, I thought Bond will go on to become a bowling ATG

Why mention someone like Bond alongside the likes of Sharma? Clearly chalk and cheese. I took it we were taking about players like Sharma, Chris Lewis et al, who either never fulfilled their early promise or look like they won't do so. Players who achieved heaps and looked like they were on their way to having truly great careers when they were cut down in their prime by injury hardly fit the bill. Bond deserves better than to be mentioned in the same breath as the underachievers being discussed here.

 

[Rasimione]

Boetata Dippenaar. Has so much talent bv always found a way to get out. Gibbs is another one. The most talented batsman after Graeme Pollock, but he was a crazy human being. Wayne Parnell is going the same way at the rate he is going. A South African version of Irfan Pathan. But for me the guy who takes the cake is Mohammad Sami. A guy who had a great action, pace and lots of it, could end up with an average over 50? I mean ffs surely thats impossible to achieve? BUT HE DID!!!

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Colin Ingram and David Miller. Looked pretty good when I first saw them, but have disappointed.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Why mention someone like Bond alongside the likes of Sharma? Clearly chalk and cheese. I took it we were taking about players like Sharma, Chris Lewis et al, who either never fulfilled their early promise or look like they won't do so. Players who achieved heaps and looked like they were on their way to having truly great careers when they were cut down in their prime by injury hardly fit the bill. Bond deserves better than to be mentioned in the same breath as the underachievers being discussed here.

Yep agree with this. It's an insult to Bond.