GoodAreasShane
Cricketer Of The Year
Was thinking about Simon Cook the other day, has too have had one of the weirdest career trajectories of any post-WSC Australian cricketer. Started out in Victoria, showed a bit of promise without doing anything especially eye catching, Victoria had a real good attack back then (generally Fleming Reiffel Saker and Harvey or something like that) so Cook moved to NSW in the 1995/96 off season. He has a frustrating time of it, season cut short by injuries and he has a tough time breaking into the side. Finally gets a NSW recall at the start of 1997/98, his first two games only yield three wickets at 53. Despite this he gets a Test call up against NZ to replace the injured McGrath, he takes 5 in the second innings on test debut. Only plays one more game before exiting the team just as suddenly as he entered it. Thereafter a succession of more injuries, including the infamous steamroller incident, badly hampered him and he would gradually drift from FC cricket.
To those who were around back then and remember him well, was Cook genuinely Test class or just in the right place at the right time?
To those who were around back then and remember him well, was Cook genuinely Test class or just in the right place at the right time?