One-Test wonder
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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 (not necessarily due to poor performance).[1][2][3] The term may derive from "one-hit wonder", which is used to describe singers who have only one hit song.[citation needed]
As of September 2006, there had been 377 one-Test wonders.[4] Some of the best performances by one test wonders are:
- Andy Ganteaume, who scored 112 for the West Indies in his only Test innings in 1948, and so has the highest test batting average of all time.[5]
- 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;[6]
- West Indian Vic Stollmeyer, brother of Jeff Stollmeyer, score 96 in his only Test.[7]
- Stuart Law scored 54 not out in his only Test innings for Australia, leaving him without a Test average.[8]
- Gobo Ashley took 7 for 95 for South Africa in the first innings of his single Test in 1889,[9]
- Charles Marriott recorded match figures of 11 for 96 (5 for 37 and 6 for 59) in his only match for England in 1933.[10][11] No other bowlers have taken more than five wickets in an innings, or ten wickets in the match, in their only Test.[12]
- Among wicket-keepers, Indian player Rajindernath made four stumpings in his only Test, but was not called on to bat.[13]
About one in eight Test cricketers are only picked once.[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.[14] Coincidentally his father, Arnie Sidebottom, was a one-Test wonder.[15]
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.
As of May 2007, fourteen one-Test wonders have also played in a single One Day International for their team.[12]
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 India's Narendra Hirwani,[16] and Australia's Bob Massie,[17] both of whom took eight wickets in each innings of their debut matches, but then failed to live up to their early promise.
The term is also used in rugby.[18]
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 (Australia). 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.
- ^ 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, September 9, 2006.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ "Vic Stollmeyer". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
- ^ Cricinfo - Players and Officials - Stuart Law
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ 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, May 16, 2007
- ^ Cricinfo - Players and Officials - Rajindernath
- ^ Cricinfo - Glowing in the cold
- ^ Cricinfo - Sidebottom ready for long-awaited second chance
- ^ Narendra Hirwani took 8/61 and 8/75 for India in the fourth Test against West Indies at Madras in January 1988.[5]
- ^ Bob Massie took 8/84 and 8/53 for Australia in the second Test against England at Lord's in June 1972.[6]
- ^ Darren Walton (6 November 2008). "Turner no longer a one-Test wonder". Retrieved 29 April 2013.
External links
- Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
- Ultimate One-Test wonder, Cricinfo, December 31, 2005