One-Test wonder
In cricket, a one-Test wonder is usually a cricketer who is only selected for one Test match during his career and never represents his country again. This is not necessarily due to a poor performance and can be for numerous reasons, such as injury or strong competition from other players.[1][2][3] The term is also used in rugby.[4]
More rarely, the term may refer to a player who has played in more than one Test, but was very successful only once. Examples include the bowlers Narendra Hirwani of India[5] and Bob Massie of Australia,[6] both of whom took eight wickets in each innings of their debut matches, but then failed to live up to their early promise.
Notable examples[]
As of May 2021, there have been 453 players who have only played one Test match.[7][8] Some of the best performances by these players are:
- Andy Ganteaume, who scored 112 for the West Indies in his only Test innings in 1948, and so has one of the highest Test batting averages of all time.[9]
- Rodney Redmond is the only other player to have scored a century in his only Test, scoring 107 and 56 while opening the batting for New Zealand in 1973.[10]
- West Indian Vic Stollmeyer, brother of Jeff Stollmeyer, scored 96 in his only Test in 1939.[11]
- Mick Malone took five wickets in an innings and scored 46 in his only Test for Australia in 1977, leaving him with a bowling average of 12.83 and a batting average of 46, before joining World Series Cricket.
- Stuart Law scored 54 not out in his only Test innings for Australia in 1995, leaving him without a Test average as he was not required to bat in the second innings.[12]
- Gobo Ashley took 7 for 95 for South Africa in the only opposition innings of his single Test in 1889.[13]
- Charles Marriott recorded match figures of 11 for 96 (5 for 37 and 6 for 59) in his only Test for England in 1933.[14][15] No other bowler has taken more than ten wickets in his only Test.[16]
- Among wicket-keepers, Indian player Rajindernath made four stumpings in his only Test in 1952, but was not called on to bat.[17]
Other notable occurrences of players' only test are:
- Ed Joyce played in Ireland's first Test match in May 2018, and announced his retirement from all cricket one week later.[18]
- Andy Lloyd scored 10 runs (not out) for England in his only test against the West Indies, in June 1984, before being struck on the head (helmeted), by a short-pitched delivery from Malcolm Marshall. Although subsequently recovering from the injury, he never played for his national team again.
- Darren Pattinson is an unusual one-Test wonder in that he played a single Test for England, while his brother James Pattinson had a more successful Test career with Australia.
Instances of one-Test wonders are reasonably common: about one in eight Test cricketers are picked only once for their country.[1] Occasionally, one-Test wonders have been recalled to Test cricket after a gap of several years. One example was Ryan Sidebottom, who was recalled for his second Test in 2007 after his debut in 2001.[19] Coincidentally his father, Arnie Sidebottom, was a one-Test wonder.[20]
As of May 2007, fourteen one-Test wonders have also played in a single One Day International for their team.[16]
References[]
- ^ a b Huw Richards (6 June 2007). "Cricket: Sidebottom lifts family curse". New York Times. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Martin Bowerman (14 December 2006). "No shame in one-Test wonder". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Is WA's Chris Rogers a one-Test wonder". The Sunday Times (Western Australia). 18 January 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Darren Walton (6 November 2008). "Turner no longer a one-Test wonder". Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ Narendra Hirwani took 8/61 and 8/75 for India in the fourth Test against West Indies at Madras in January 1988.[1]
- ^ Bob Massie took 8/84 and 8/53 for Australia in the second Test against England at Lord's in June 1972.[2]
- ^ The 377 One-Test wonders in September 2006 exclude Alan Jones, who played one "Test" for England against a Rest of the World XI in 1970 which was later stripped of Test status, and never played for England again - The uncapped One-Test wonder, Cricinfo, 9 September 2006.
- ^ "All-Round records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPNcricinfo.com". Cricinfo. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs West Indies 2nd Test 1947/48 - Score Report". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Pakistan vs New Zealand 3rd Test 1972/73 - Score Report". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Vic Stollmeyer". Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- ^ "Stuart Law profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs South Africa 2nd Test 1888/89 - Score Report". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs West Indies 3rd Test 1933 - Score Report". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ Best performances by One-Test wonders, Stump Bearders No 33, BBC Sport, 20 August 2002.
- ^ a b One-match wonders, and Shah's second chance, Cricinfo, 16 May 2007
- ^ "Vijay Rajindernath profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Ireland legend Ed Joyce retires from all cricket". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Glowing in the cold". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Sidebottom ready for long-awaited second chance". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
External links[]
- Ultimate One-Test wonder, Cricinfo, 31 December 2005
- Test cricket