Huge talents who have missed the boat

[morgieb]

To some extent Michael Kasprowicz could be one. He did get a chance, but probably should've played more.

Also, the fact that the Aussie selectors think Siddle is a better seamer than Clark is dire.

 

[morgieb]

He wasn't dropped, he only played that Test at all because Stephen Waugh was injured. Had Waugh played that game, Law would've been the same as Cox - a no-Test wonder.

In any case, with Greg Blewetts, Justin Langers, Darren Lehmanns, Ricky Pontings, etc. around, there were always going to be some people who didn't get the chance.

I knew that, I just said he should've played more than 1 test.

 

[Speersy]

Archie Jackson

 

[fredfertang]

Archie Jackson

Cracking call that - probably the ultimate example, ITBT

 

[satheeshv37]

jacob oram

I think Jacob Oram is a big loss for kiwis..

 

[zaremba]

Ezra Moseley - without the back injury and the ban might have done great things

Nearly killed Gooch in 1990 and thereby pretty much turned the series for the Windies. Looked a good bowler, I hadn't seen any of him before that. His uncle Oswald was also handy but never looked right in a white shirt

 

[fredfertang]

Zarembagate?

 

[Richard]

I knew that

So why say "great work to drop him" then?

 

[Richard]

Nearly killed Gooch in 1990 and thereby pretty much turned the series for the Windies.

Wasn't aware a broken hand was life-threatening TBH. And even Ezra wasn't quite powerful enough to make it rain and thus turn an easy run-chase for England into a very difficult one which ended-up just out of reach. I really hate that Test, even though it was long before I started watching cricket. But for that rain England'd have been 2-0 up with 2 to play.

Agreed that Gooch's injury could've been quite pivotal though. You only have to look at his inspirational qualities (Hussain's words in his book about him being hit and appearing to be in great pain and this dispiriting those who looked-up to him so much are telling) without even thinking about the runs he'd almost inevitably have scored.

 

[morgieb]

Cracking call that - probably the ultimate example, ITBT

He didn't miss the boat, he sunk it.

 

[Burgey]

Casey Donovon

 

[gettingbetter]

Casey Donovon

Haha. FTR I went to primary school with her and I think she still lives in the area.

 

[NZTailender]

His uncle Oswald was also handy but never looked right in a white shirt

 

[Precambrian]

Archie Jackson

Pardon me if am wrong, but isnt that the guy who was regarded as a possible competitor to the Don, if not for the disease that took him away at 21?

 

[Richard]

It is indeed. Mind, many were considered to be the equal of The Don or something along those lines and no-one has ever remotely approached his deeds.

 

[fredfertang]

Ollie Milburn - without the car crash he could have finished rewriting the book on opening the batting in tests a quarter of a century before the Slaters, Haydens, Sehwags and Gayles of this world finally got round to doing so

 

[Richard]

There had been the odd strokeplaying opener before though, right?

I don't think Slater (or Saeed Anwar) really rewrote the book on opening, they were just exceptions to the rule.

The likes of Gibbs, Hayden, Sehwag and Gayle haven't done anything of the sort either IMO, as everyone knows. None of these batsmen would've had success at the top of the order in most eras of Test cricket, where balls swung, pitches seamed and opening bowlers were of high calibre.

 

[Julian87]

Mark Higgs.

Agreed.

Andre Adams
Bradley Young (that ankle injury, diving into the fence in one of his first ODIs)
Saqlain Mushtaq

Brad Haddin could very easily have fit in to this, and still could.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Has anyone mentioned Sid Barnes yet? The Australian Sidney Barnes, I mean. Only 13 tests but scored over 1000 runs @ a tick over 63. Supposedly something of an "individual", which probably accounts for his meagre test tally.

 

[zaremba]

Wasn't aware a broken hand was life-threatening TBH.

My mistake - I was mixing up 2 Gooch hand injuries within the space of a year. I knew that Ezra broke his hand but thought it led to blood poisoning.

It turns out I was thinking of the injury that he sustained in practice on the subsequent 1990/91 Ashes tour. While attempting a caught-and-bowled off Robin Smith he cut his finger. The cut turned septic and the poison began to spread. He needed a career-saving operation which effectively saved the use of that hand and he was out for quite a while.