Cricketers who wasted their talents

[kingkallis]

Shane Warne, in one of his early autobiographies also said Elliot will make 5,000 Test runs. So he was highly rated by all....A bit of a shame really. I do remember that 199 quite fondly, an absolutely magnificent innings, I was bitterly disappointed when he was dismissed.

He was dropped when he was on 12 or 15 in the slips off that one test wonder lefty Smith!

 

[zaremba]

Shane Warne, in one of his early autobiographies also said Elliot will make 5,000 Test runs. So he was highly rated by all....A bit of a shame really. I do remember that 199 quite fondly, an absolutely magnificent innings, I was bitterly disappointed when he was dismissed.

As a general rule, an early autobiography is never a sign of someone worthy of respect.

As for Elliott, I agree that his career was a big disappointment. Ditto Blewett. Both looked really good players in their first series against England (which is not difficult, admittedly) and then seemed to fizzle out.

 

[Richard]

He was dropped when he was on 12 or 15 in the slips off that one test wonder lefty Smith!

And what's more that drop, as well as allowing Elliott to play that innings, also very possibly cost England the match.

 

[Kweek]

Andrew Flintoff?

 

[Richard]

Up to September 2001, maybe. Not since then.

 

[fredfertang]

As a general rule, an early autobiography is never a sign of someone worthy of respect.

... surely it's more a sign of somebody with a decent agent?

 

[ret]

Kapil bowled superbly on the Australian tour of 1992 where he also got his 400th wkt .... and he also performed well with the bat [amazing SR] in WC that followed that tour and he should have bid good bye after that or may be after the tour to SA .... it was painful to see him continue after that

Back to his talent, it was unquestionable [probably the most talented of the 4 great all-rounders of his time]. if he had applied himself a little more then would have got more out of his career

 

[Kweek]

Up to September 2001, maybe. Not since then.

imho after that ashes seriers, it's rarely been as good..

I just think that Flintoff could've been so much better

 

[Langeveldt]

imho after that ashes seriers, it's rarely been as good..

I just think that Flintoff could've been so much better

Disagree, I remember when he made his debut against SA in 1998, he looked horrific, he's turned out to be a lot better than I thought he could be

 

[Langeveldt]

Peter Such

Not the most talented cricket I've ever heard of

 

[BoyBrumby]

I thought I'd go for a different approach and name a few currentcricketers who I think will end up wasting their talents by the time they're washed up.

David Warner: Inconsistent at best. Will be replaced at the top of the order in the ODI team by Jaques/Watson despite his immense striking ability.

Robin Uthappa: Like Warner, for a guy who is a hard hitter of the cricket ball - I highly doubt he will make an impression in the international scene if he resurfaces.

Jesse Ryder: Off-field issues will plague his career and could end up as a poor man's Lehmann.

Sreesanth: Has all the talent in the world to bowl 140+ outswing with perfect seam position but a lack of mental strength and perseverance could curtail his career.

Shaun Tait: No one else can bowl as quick as him or bowl a more deadly yorker but his tendency to spray it worse than a garden sprinkler too often will inhibit his effectiveness.

Xavier Marshall: His 85 against Australia was sublime but he has produced bugger all since. His continued selection was only justified on talent and potential rather than anything more substantial.

Would add Mark Cosgrove to the list. Talented boy, by all accounts, but one only has to look at him to see he has some questionable "refuelling" habits.

Ian Bell's in serious danger of wasting his talent too. Needs to sort out his shot selection big time.

 

[sanga1337]

Devon Malcolm and Roy Gilchrist. Both of them sound like they had some serious pace and were very capable of putting in great performances, but both seemed to not be up to it mentally, especially Gilchrist who seemed to be a complete psycho.

 

[Richard]

Gilchrist was undoubtedly mentally unstable to some degree - I've called him a psychopath before now.

Devon Malcolm though I don't think wasted his talent at all. He simply did not possess the skill (talent, ability, whatever you want to call it) to bowl good areas all that often. Ergo, he was only going to be very ordinary, often, and occasionally (such as T&T 1990, The Oval 1993 and 1994 and one or two other cases) devastating. I think Malcolm did about as well as you could expect one of his limited directional skills to do.

 

[Richard]

imho after that ashes seriers, it's rarely been as good..

Nah, not a chance. He's had moments of idiocy (the pedalo instance in WC2007 being the standout, obviously) but there's no way I'd question his commitment over the long-term.

I just think that Flintoff could've been so much better

He could, for sure, but I don't think the reasons are down to lack of effort on his part. Not since the 2001 season. That summer was the last time I thought he was a genuine slacker.