Worst established Test side in history

[Matt79]

Some doozies in this thread:
http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28801

 

[Perm]

West Indies at Headingly this year.

Gayle - 38.42
Ganga - 26.51
Smith - 24.56
Sarwan - 38.77
Joseph - 14.70
Morton - 23.27
Bravo - 33.16 & 40.78
Ramdin - 22.74
Taylor - 10.26 & 36.60
Powell - 6.55 & 42.46
Collymore - 7.88 & 32.30

Batting average - 22.43
Bowling average - 38.03

Not bad really, even though they were missing Chanderpaul.

 

[Perm]

NZ v Sri Lanka in Napier 1995

Bryan Young - 31.78
Darrin Murray - 20.20
Mark Greatbach - 30.62
Stephen Fleming - 39.61
Ken Rutherford - 27.08
Shane Thomson - 30.90 and 50.15
Adam Parore - 26.28
Gavin Larsen - 14.11 and 28.70 (the strike bowler!!)
Dion Nash - 23.51 and 28.48 (Ok, the bowling's looking alright)
Danny Morrison - 8.42 and 34.68
Kerry Walmsley - 2.60 and 43.44

Batting average - 23.19
Bowling average - 37.09

Not quite as piss-poor as the rest of the teams in this thread

 

[river end]

Matthews was actually a bowling all-rounder...doesn't make his bowling average any better at this period in time, but anyway. Is this from an actual test? They're playing three spinners + Border (the very very part-timer)...so if it's a real line up it would have to be hands down the worst bowling line up ever haha

It was a real line up. 2nd Test vs NZ, Sydney Nov 1985.

Matthews - 48.22
O'Donnell - 84.00
Bright - 41.13
Gilbert - 52.68
Holland - 39.76

Close to, if not, worst bowling attack ever.
Funny thing is that was the only test Australia won that summer.

Robbie Kerr - misleading, as he only played 2 tests. Not suggesting he would have been a superstar but it's possible with a few more tests he could have had an average of over 25.

Decent batting generally though

Phillips - 32
Border - 50.56
Ritchie - 35.20
Hookes - 34.36
O'Donnell - 29.42
Matthews - 41.08

 

[Lillian Thomson]

This Australian team that played England in 1979 was a bit iffy...........

GM Wood 31.83
AMJ Hilditch 31.55
KJ Hughes 37.41
*GN Yallop 41.13
PM Toohey 31.89
PH Carlson 5.75 - 49.50
B Yardley 19.56 - 31.63
+KJ Wright 16.84
RM Hogg 9.75 - 28.74
JD Higgs 5.55 - 31.16
AG Hurst 6.00 - 27.90

 

[jemo27]

Australia during world series cricket time especially when simpson required, I am just reading the Cricket Wars and the Australian official test side sounded like it was really bad

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Australia during world series cricket time especially when simpson required, I am just reading the Cricket Wars and the Australian official test side sounded like it was really bad

That's where the team in my post above yours is from, you have to pick one that didn't include Bobby Simpson or Allan Border.

 

[Perm]

2nd Test vs South Africa

Gayle - 38.42
Ganga - 26.51
Morton - 23.27
Samuels - 29.24
Chanderpaul - 46.75
Bravo - 33.16 & 40.78
Ramdin - 22.74
Lewis - 11.00 & 388.00
Taylor - 10.26 & 36.60
Powell - 6.55 & 42.46
Edwards - 4.00 & 42.53

Batting average - 22.90
Bowling average - 110.07

 

[Craig]

And yet they beat South Africa

Cricket is a strange game.

 

[wpdavid]

Another poor England lineup around the era Richard was discussing would have been the last couple of tests in the 1990 WI tour after Gooch was injured - bearing in mind Hussain & Stewart's averages at that time rather than where they ended up..

 

[SJS]

The NZland side that played in this match in Pakistan in October 1990 must be one of the weakest to have ever played for them (after they won 15 tests).

In Martin Crowe (5444 runs at 45.4) they had a terrific batsman but only Greatbatch (2021 at 30.62) amongst the rest averaged above 27.

The other batsmen were :-

• Franklin : 505 runs at 21.9 each
• White : 31 at 7.8
• Rutherford : 2465 at 27.1
• Patel : 1200 at 20.7
• Bradburn : 105 at 13.1
• IDS Smith (k) : 1815 at 25.6
• Pringle : 175 at 10.3
• Morrison : 379 at 8.4
• Watson : 60 at 5.00

Their opening batsman Franklin was also their best bowler with his 76 test wickets costing him 28.2 each. The other bowlers were

• Morrison : 160 at 34.7 each
• Watson : 40 at 34.7
• Patel : 75 at 42.1
• Pringle 30 at 46.3

The side in batting order

1. T J Franklin
2. D J White
3. M J Greatbatch
4. M D Crowe (c)
5. K R Rutherford
6. D N Patel
7. G E Bradburn
8. I D S Smith (k)
9. C Pringle
10. D K Morrison
11. W Watson

 

[a massive zebra]

The New Zealand team of the 30s/40s must have been fairly dire, Wally Hammond averaged something like 563 in a series against them and they went over 20 years without a win IIRC. I guess one could argue that they were not yet established though. Could do with a strict definition of the term 'established'.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The New Zealand team of the 30s/40s must have been fairly dire, Wally Hammond averaged something like 563 in a series against them and they went over 20 years without a win IIRC. I guess one could argue that they were not yet established though. Could do with a strict definition of the term 'established'.

For the purpose of this thread there is a strict definition laid down by the OP.....15 Test victories.

 

[a massive zebra]

Oh apologies I didn't read the OP properly.

 

[Perm]

And yet they beat South Africa

Cricket is a strange game.

TBF the current Test, involving that side, is only two days old.

 

[Prince EWS]

TBF the cuent Test, involving that side, is only two days old.

Yeah, and Lewis kills the averages when compared to Sammy.

 

[Richard]

I so, so hope he gets another wicket in this game. Would seem decidedly cruel if he doesn't.

 

[Prince EWS]

I so, so hope he gets another wicket in this game. Would seem decidedly cruel if he doesn't.

It'd be hilarious if it was Boucher, as his only test wicket so far is Boucher!

 

[Richard]

It'd be fantastic if he gets Boucher, then gets him in the second-innings too. But no-one else.

Trouble with him getting him in the second-innings would be, it'd very probably mean WI were going to win the match, something I certainly don't want.

That'd be quite some piece of trivia.

 

[Perm]

Nah, hope he gets tonked to all parts.