Average players suddenly becoming very good

[vic_orthdox]

Steve Smith imo. Didn't look much to me as a test player despite playing a couple of nice knocks 3-4 years back. His knock at Mohali in the 4-0 was a gem and after that, he's improved out of sight.

There's some merit here, but people wrote him off very very early.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Yeah, overall, it's got to be either Harris or Amla. Hashim looked just awful in his first couple of series in 2004. Went back, changed his technique and then suddenly became impossible to get out.

I agree, probably Amla.

Another name not mentioned yet is Stuart Clark.

 

[Furball]

There's some merit here, but people wrote him off very very early.

I think Smith always looked like he'd be an excellent player once he'd worked on his flaws. There was something about him IMO.

 

[weldone]

Steve Smith imo. Didn't look much to me as a test player despite playing a couple of nice knocks 3-4 years back. His knock at Mohali in the 4-0 was a gem and after that, he's improved out of sight.

Have to admit the first name I had in mind when I created this thread was Hashim Amla

 

[Cabinet96]

There's some merit here, but people wrote him off very very early.

Yeah, Smith's progression seems pretty normal to me. Batsman excelling at domestic level aged 20/21, gets a go a test cricket, but isn't quite ready. Goes away, works on flaws, continues to do well in domestic cricket, comes back aged 24 a much better player.

 

[Maximas]

A big part of Smith's success was finding his role too, I always worried for him when he'd get picked in ODI teams batting 7 and captains would be too scared to bowl him.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think Smith always looked like he'd be an excellent player once he'd worked on his flaws. There was something about him IMO.

Yeah, Smith's progression seems pretty normal to me. Batsman excelling at domestic level aged 20/21, gets a go a test cricket, but isn't quite ready. Goes away, works on flaws, continues to do well in domestic cricket, comes back aged 24 a much better player.

Smith's inital impression was pretty mediocre, atleast for me. I don't know what it was, but I just thought he looked bad and didn't think he'd be a proper test batsman. I didn't think he'd be rubbish, felt he would be a success in the shorter format, and maybe might be at best a decent stop gap lower order test bat for Australia before they found someone better. Didn't think he'd be one of the world's best young batsmen though, is what I'm saying.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Laxman's story was a combination of improvement and team management realising his correct spot in the lineup. He was never going to be a good opener.

If VVS hadn't been forced to open, I think a lot of people would rate him higher. Looked like a great talent from the beginning and was handled stupidly. For someone criticized for being "inconsistent", he hardly had any prolonged bad patches after he went to the middle order.

 

[weldone]

If VVS hadn't been forced to open, I think a lot of people would rate him higher. Looked like a great talent from the beginning and was handled stupidly. For someone criticized for being "inconsistent", he hardly had any prolonged bad patches after he went to the middle order.

He really gained the respect and confidence of the team management and selectors as a middle-order batsman after his 2 triple centuries in first class cricket. And he never looked back after that.

The side effect of that medicine is apparently Ravindra Jadeja.

 

[adub]

Harris wins I think? Couldn't even make his state side regularly until '06-'08 or something.

Harris was bloody lucky to get an ODI gig when he did. We were missing Lee, Clark, Tait and Watson from what was our first choice attack at the time. In his 8 seasons of List A before the 08/09 season he'd taken only 49 wickets at 35 with an economy rate over 5. His fc record was no more impressive. He could so easily have been passed over and barring injuries probably would have. He did ok filling in that game taking 1/54 or so, but nothing spectacular and didn't play another ODI for a year when he was called back in for the 3rd match against Pakistan filling in again, but this time took a 5/fer. He followed that up with another Michelle in the next game, and a 3/fer in the one after that. Consistent wickets for not many against the Windies in the following ODI series got him on the plane to NZ.

Even so his debut in the first test was also pretty lucky. He'd only played the one FC match the whole Australian summer (taking 2/129) and came in because Siddle and Hilf weren't available. His fc record of 109 wickets at 33.5 at that point was hardly screaming 'pick me' although tbf his 07/08 and 08/09 Shield campaigns had been solid with 30+ wickets at under 30 both summers. At the best part of 30 and with not much of a record to point to he was surely only seen as a safe enough fill in to cover some injuries until the exciting young quicks who were just starting to come onto the scene around then would be ready.

The rest as they say is history. Dude is a freak. Just such a great transformation from average Shield trundler to the machine he is now. To do it on crocked knees just makes it even more incredible. So much respect for Ryan Harris.

 

[FBU]

Amla, Warner, Southee
Although you couldn't call him an average player I thought Warner wouldn't be able to go from one day cricket to Tests. In fact he is even better in Tests than one day cricket now.
Anderson had a reason for his improvement. Had his bowling action changed and was someone else for 3 years before reverting to his old action.

 

[Adders]

No mention of Mitch yet?

I know he'd shown some genius before, but he went from a laughing stock to the most feared bowler in the world. Has to be the biggest turn around I've ever seen.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

No mention of Mitch yet?

I know he'd shown some genius before, but he went from a laughing stock to the most feared bowler in the world. Has to be the biggest turn around I've ever seen.

He was never an "average player" in any sense though. His problem was how awesome or how **** he could be.

 

[Valer]

No mention of Mitch yet?

I know he'd shown some genius before, but he went from a laughing stock to the most feared bowler in the world. Has to be the biggest turn around I've ever seen.

He had a bad patch for a year and half (13 tests) , his record prior to aus vs pak in eng was reasonable.

See the following splits

First 34 tests.... 155@28.03
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Next 13..... 35@45.71
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Most recent 12... 74 @ 17.48
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Those last 8 tests are probably a bit of an anomaly. I'd be surprised if he manages to get his wickets massively cheaper (say less than 26 from here to the end) than the first split from here on.

 

[GGG]

Don't know about Southee, debuted as a 19 year old verses England and picked up 5/55 in the first innings and scored a 44 ball 77 in the second innings. So he didn't start out as average, he was average for a long period though.

 

[FBU]

Don't know about Southee, debuted as a 19 year old verses England and picked up 5/55 in the first innings and scored a 44 ball 77 in the second innings. So he didn't start out as average, he was average for a long period though.

Apart from his first two Tests against England his bowling average stayed in the 40s for the next 18 Tests and only started coming down two years later. It looked to me that he would fade away. Seemed to improve after Donald became bowling coach. Now one of New Zealand's best.

Anderson's first year in ODIs 46 wickets at 22.08 also started with a bang. Both very young.

 

[YorksLanka]

i think a lot of it has to do with handling the pressure of stepping up to the top level - some players irrespective of their talent just dont have the mentality ( e.g Ramprakash) whereas others seem to have it drive on their performance ( Harris as was mentioned earlier)...

 

[OverratedSanity]

Mitch's current form is insane, but don't think he fits the thread. He used to be very patchy and would bowl utter crap and then out of nowhere come up with an amazing spell and blow away the opposition in no time. Now, he's doing that pretty much every match.

Btw, this run he's on has to be the most devastating string of performances I've ever seen. 74 wickets in 12 tests... jeez

 

[Adders]

Yeah, I get why people are saying Johnson doesn't quite fit this brief, but I still think he's worth a mention.

Fact is he would never have been selected for the Ashes if the Aussies had their preferred bowling lineup fit, he was probably 5th or 6th choice to play.......12 months ago I would certainly have classed him as "average", capable of amazing things with his tail up and the right conditions, but not someone you'd ever think would produce the returns he has since coming back into the side.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I feel like this thread is meant for players who appeared to be distinctly unimpressive both in potential AND performance before finding a spark out of nowhere, which Harris is the poster boy for.

A 6 foot something left armer capable of bowling 150kph doesn't fit that bill in any sense.