Rubbish players with long first class careers

[Starfighter]

While reading on article on John Snow I encountered the Sussex batsman Richard Langridge. The son of James Langridge, who played eight tests for England, he played 212 first class matches from 1957 to 1971. Now his career was not a consistent one - he enjoyed golden seasons in '61 and '62, scoring 1675 and 1885 runs, and it is clear he was not selected consistently later on - or else he may have made even more appearances. Nonetheless, he played a chunky total of matches over a long enough career.

He scored just 8310 runs at 22.89 with only five centuries, which for a specialist batsman can only be described as appalling, like a bowler who averages 40. And over 40% of his runs came in just two seasons.

What other players, preferably post WWII, can one think go with such long, rubbish careers? 12-14 plus years or 200 or more matches should be the minimum. I specify post-war as earlier, and especially before WWI, such things were much more common.

One name I heard mentioned long ago was Ray Smith of Essex, a medium pacer who took 1345 wickets in 445 matches at 30.56, which was above the average County average of the time, though he could bat a bit too. But really I'm looking players who are distinctly worse and played a lot.

 

[the big bambino]

If Ray Smith is an example then what to make of Liam Plunkett? Ok he didn't play 200 matches but a fc average of 31+ over 150+ games is a good indication yet he played many internationals. Could also bat a bit.

The closest I can find so far is Oakman of Sussex. 538 games. 22 hundreds spread over 912 innings. Bowling average of 27.36. Better than the guys you mentioned but not by that much, yet still managed 2 tests. Great fielder apparently.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

There’s dozens of these around in that time period. Someone like Harry Pilling for example was an absolute hero at Lancashire over a 20 year period and probably played over 300 matches. He was a specialist batsman but made only 25 centuries in that time and averaged low 30’s.
I think “rubbish” is a little unfair. I prefer “County stalwart”.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Probably not enough games to count as a "long" career, but Mike Field-Buss was pretty mediocre: https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/michael-field-buss-13246

Still cornered 38 FC games over 6 seasons.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Even someone like David Steele who is fondly remembered by those of a certain generation for the way he stood up to Lillee and Thomson in 75 and the Windies fast bowlers in 76 had a pretty awful FC record over about 500 matches.

 

[the big bambino]

Darren Stevens though. What a player.

 

[CricAddict]

Jaydev Shah is the first one who comes to my mind.

 

[Starfighter]

There’s dozens of these around in that time period. Someone like Harry Pilling for example was an absolute hero at Lancashire over a 20 year period and probably played over 300 matches. He was a specialist batsman but made only 25 centuries in that time and averaged low 30’s.
I think “rubbish” is a little unfair. I prefer “County stalwart”.

Averaging 32 is mediocre rather than rubbish, though some manage to stretch their mediocrity to unbelievable lengths - like Brian Close. But until today I'd never heard of a post-war specialist batsman playing over 200 matches for an average of just 23.

If Ray Smith is an example then what to make of Liam Plunkett? Ok he didn't play 200 matches but a fc average of 31+ over 150+ games is a good indication yet he played many internationals. Could also bat a bit.
The closest I can find so far is Oakman of Sussex. 538 games. 22 hundreds spread over 912 innings. Bowling average of 27.36. Better than the guys you mentioned but not by that much, yet still managed 2 tests. Great fielder apparently.

Plunkett played for long enough, I don't expect modern players to play so many FC matches, but County averages are higher than they were in the sixties so he's better compared to his peers than Smith. And I'm looking for players a level worse, like someone who averaged 35 or 36 (or even more). It is a bit harder to have such a career as a bowler I think. Bits and pieces players like Oakman often seemed to accumulate very long careers in England back then. I'd argue he's still two levels above R. Langridge though, better bat and he bowled. His catching record is impressive, though others have done better.

 

[Flem274*]

I have selected these two names by sheer coincidence.

Gary Stead 88 matches, 4410 @ 32. Passed 50 thirty times though with 10 tons, so must have been very boom-bust.

David White 99 matches, 4656 @ 29. Had his share of 50+ scores too.

Both played for New Zealand.

 

[Migara]

Lors Crapugedara and Sir Moobarak has to be there . . .

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Jim Foat was another that sprang to mind though I had to (gasp) look up his exact record. 91 FC matches over 8 seasons with 5 centuries and an average of 18.

 

[h_hurricane]

Among Indian cricketers in recent years, Mohammad Kaif comes to the mind. Not exactly rubbish, but played 13 tests in spite of a below par FC career of 186 matches and average of 38.60. Only scored 19 FC hundreds which means he wasn't exactly gunning there, in a flat pitch era.

 

[mr_mister]

Greg Mail played 72 matches averaging 32 for NSW as an opener. Maybe not terrible, but Sheffield shield seasons are only about 10 games long, and considering the high calibre of batsmen NSW produced back then (think he would have opened with Slater and Tubby at times) it's a little surprising he played as much as he did

 

[Lillian Thomson]

There’s so many of these in County Cricket from the 60’s through the 80’s as there were up to 22 matches some seasons.
Phil Slocombe was an automatic choice for Somerset for much of his 8 years as a pro, but his record of 7 centuries in 139 matches at an average of 27 is very modest.

 

[Bijed]

I seem to recall there being a Josh Cobb fan on here?

 

[Gob]

James Anderson

 

[AndrewB]

Just looking at the averages of some of the players in the umpires list in a later Playfair:
Mervyn Kitchen: 354 matches, 15230 runs @ 26.25, 2 wickets
Barrie Leadbetter: 147 matches, 5373 runs @ 25.34, 1 wicket
David Shepherd: 282 matches, 10672 runs @ 24.47, 2 wickets
As it happens, all of them retired in 1979.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

ricky ponting

 

[trundler]

Just looking at the averages of some of the players in the umpires list in a later Playfair:
Mervyn Kitchen: 354 matches, 15230 runs @ 26.25, 2 wickets
Barrie Leadbetter: 147 matches, 5373 runs @ 25.34, 1 wicket
David Shepherd: 282 matches, 10672 runs @ 24.47, 2 wickets
As it happens, all of them retired in 1979.

Wow, those are abysmal.

 

[ataraxia]

didn't the average 1950s Leicestershire batsman average about 20?

edit:

Gerald Smithson, 200 matches, 6940 runs at 22.67, two tests
Maurice Hallam, 504 matches, 24488 runs at 28.84
Gerry Lester, 373 matches, 12857 runs at 21.60, 307 wickets at 35.44!