Draft: One-Test Wonders

[Na Maloom Afraad]

NMA's ONE-TEST WONDERS XI

Wally Hardinge
Ajay Sharma
Jeff Moss
Alan Wells
"Bal" Dani
John Stephenson
Hardus Viljoen
Shute Banerjee
"Hopper" Read

Just putting all my picks in a lineup.

 

[VC the slogger]

After having updated the index, it would seem @Aislabie has another pick to make.

 

[Aislabie]

Ian Callen

Test stats: 6 wickets @ 31.83 (best 3/87) in 1 match
First-class stats: 197 wickets @ 27.47 (7 5WI, best 8/42) in 53 matches

A tall, gangling swing bowler with a glass back, Ian Callen could easily have been the third part to a seam bowling puzzle that already included Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson. Instead, he found that his narrow frame couldn't support the workload of Test cricket (he bowled nearly 75 overs on debut, on sun-baked Indian ground) and he was never quite able to get back into the Australian side. He also ended up having to turn down the chance to become Somerset's long-term overseas player, again because of the glass back. Like many former Australia bowlers of a certain age (see: Ray Bright), he has since gone on to become a bat maker.

1.
2. Jim Parks
3. Ed Joyce
4. Paul Parker
5. Adrian Kuiper
6. Albie Morkel
7. Fred le Roux
8. Atiq uz-Zaman
9. Andre Adams
10. Ian Callen
11. Dinuka Hettiarachchi

12th man - JJ Ferris

@ahmedleo414

 

[ahmedleo414]

I will go with Ajmal Shahzad

Stats|Matches|Wkts|BBI|BBM| Ave|5w/10w
First-Class |97|249|5/46|8/121|34.97|12/4
Test |1|4|3/45|4/63|15.75|0/0

His bio from cricinfo:

"In January 2010, he was named in the Test and ODI squads for the England tour of Bangladesh. On his debut for England in a Twenty20 International against Pakistan, he claimed two wickets, both in his first over. He then made his ODI début against Bangladesh, again taking a wicket in his first over.

When Bangladesh toured England a few months later, he made his Test debut in the second Test, replacing the injured Tim Bresnan. After only scoring 5 runs in England's innings and an expensive first bowling spell, he took 3 wickets in 3 overs in his second spell as Bangladesh failed to reach the follow-on target. Pakistan toured England in July and Shahzad was included in England's 12-man squad for the first Test. A week before the match, he twisted his ankle whilst playing for Yorkshire. As he was still experiencing discomfort the day before the Test, England chose to play Tim Bresnan instead of Shahzad.

Though pundits had expected Shahzad to be included in England's squad for the 2010–11 Ashes, he was omitted from the 16-man touring party. However, he was included in the performance squad who were training in Australia and ready to provide cover in the event of injuries. He was not called upon in the Tests, but played two T20Is against Australia and the first five of the seven ODIs that followed. He took 6 wickets at an average of 40.50 before a hamstring injury in the fifth match ruled him out of the rest of the series.

Shahzad was included in England's 15-man squad for the 2011 ICC World Cup held in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka in March 2011. He managed three wickets from two appearances in the tournament, but suffered a recurrence of the hamstring injury against Australia forcing him out of the tournament prematurely.

On his return to Yorkshire, he struggled for form so was left out of the England Test and ODI squads to face Sri Lanka in 2011. He was selected in the England Performance Programme held over the 2011-12 English off-season, but never played international cricket again."

A series of unlucky injuries cost him what could've been a promising test career.

My Team so far:


1. Rodney Redmond
2. Andy Lloyd
3. Naveed Nawaz
4. Buddy Oldfield
5. Fred Grace
6. Edward Grace
7. Zulqarnain Haider
8. Charles Aubrey Smith
9. Ajmal Shahzad
10. Mick Malone
11.

@El Loco you have the next pick

 

[El Loco]

Unfortunately the pre-independence era of Indian cricket was marred by the inter-empirical struggles between the Maharajahs and Princes of the day. As a result many of them appeared for the team undeservedly during this time.
However, this man may have been one of the few to actually merit his inclusion in the national side, I am referring to the imposing 6' 5 frame of Yadavindrasingh aka Yuvraj of Patiala.

In his only test match, he scored 24 in the first innings and then in the next, he put on a partnership of 84 in less than an hour with another youngster by the name of Vijay Merchant. He was eventually caught behind off the bowling of Hedley Verity who ran rampant in this match but not before he top-scored with 60 runs.
He was noted in Wisden for his "cutting and driving" in this game while Mihir Bose wrote in his book A History of Indian Cricket that he used "his reach and height to play the spinners".
The latter also made the bold statement in another book, The Magic of Indian Cricket: Cricket and Society in India, that Yadavindrasingh was "probably one of the finest cricketers to play for India — albeit in unofficial Tests — and he had some relish for the cricketing intrigues so intrinsically part of Indian cricket that he might well have been the captain of the ill-fated 1936 tour. A tall, hard-hitting batsman, the Yuvraj seemed to combine both the batting dash associated with cricketing princes…and the chivalry which is the hallmark of any prince."

His lack of appearances thereafter might have had something to do with the increasing influence of the Maharajah of Vizianagram who had a long and bitter history with Yadavindrasingh's father, the Maharajah of Patiala, who took first dibs over Vizzy on donating the trophy that would from then on be awarded to the winners of India's premier first-class competition. But hey this is just a working theory who knows...it might have been for more sporting reasons.
Besides, state business was also on the Yuvraj's mind, he had also previously been invited to tour England in 1932 but declined for this very reason, and in 1938 after the passing of his father he became the new Maharajah.

1. John Rutherford
2. Andy Ganteaume
3.
4. Vic Stollmeyer
5. Frank Penn
6. Yuvraj of Patiala
7. John Hastings
8. Len Johnson
9. Arnold Warren
10. Douglas Carr
11. Charles Marriott

 

[El Loco]

@CerealKiller

 

[ahmedleo414]

@CerealKiller missed his 24 hours, @Yash. has the next pick

 

[Yash.]

My pick would be Gursharan Singh.

An excellent batsman at no. 4. He often played monumental innings for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy (including 298* against Bengal in QF of 89). He'll play at no. 4 while Robin Singh would bat at 3[DOUBLEPOST=1589171639][/DOUBLEPOST]@Na Maloom Afraad

 

[VC the slogger]

Now that we’re nearing the close, I thought I’d put it out there that I’m definitely planning on doing a post-draft tourney similar to the one I did earlier for the original Best to never play Tests draft.

 

[CerealKiller]

I'll go with Aussie Jeff Moss, who averaged 43 in 51 FC matches, playing his only Test in 1979.
Here’s his Cricinfo profile

Jeff Moss was an upright, hard-hitting left-hand batsman who was pivotal in Victoria's Sheffield Shield success in 1978-79, scoring 748 runs at 68.00. Despite this, he was not called into the Packer-decimated Australian side which was being dissected by England that summer. But his chance finally came against Pakistan in Match 1979 when he was brought in to replace the injured Graham Yallop for the final Test against Pakistan at Perth, where he made 22 and an unbeaten 38. That won him a place in Australia's 1979 World Cup squad , but he made only one appearance, also against Pakistan. With the return of the rebels, he had no more opportunities, although he continued to score well at state level. In 1981-82, his final season, he scored 200 against Western Australia at St Kilda in a record third-wicket stand of 390 with Julien Wiener.

CerealKiller's XI
1. Mark Benson
2. Sep Kinneir
3.
4. Jeff Moss
5. Stuart Law
6. Naman Ojha
7. James Faulkner
8. Rangy Nanan
9. Jack Durston
10. Tertius Bosch
11. Gobo Ashley

 

[VC the slogger]

I'll go with Aussie Jeff Moss, who averaged 43 in 51 FC matches, playing his only Test in 1979.
Here’s his Cricinfo profile


CerealKiller's XI
1. Mark Benson
2. Sep Kinneir
3.
4. Jeff Moss
5. Stuart Law
6. Naman Ojha
7. James Faulkner
8. Rangy Nanan
9. Jack Durston
10. Tertius Bosch
11. Gobo Ashley

Already picked by @Na Maloom Afraad

 

[CerealKiller]

Already picked by @Na Maloom Afraad

My mistake, missed it. Will pick in a while, busy right now.

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

NMA's ONE-TEST WONDERS XI

Thelston Payne
Wally Hardinge
Ajay Sharma
Jeff Moss
Alan Wells
"Bal" Dani
John Stephenson
Hardus Viljoen
Shute Banerjee
"Hopper" Read

Need a wicket-keeper, so yeah, Thelston Payne. Also gonna play him as an opener to kill two birds with one stone. @VC the slogger, you're up (I think)

 

[ahmedleo414]

@VC the slogger missed his 24 hours, @Na Maloom Afraad you have the next pick again

 

[Na Maloom Afraad]

NMA's ONE-TEST WONDERS XI

Richard Jones
Wally Hardinge
Ajay Sharma
Jeff Moss
Alan Wells
"Bal" Dani
Thelston Payne
John Stephenson
Shute Banerjee
Hardus Viljoen
"Hopper" Read

Dick Jones from New Zealand will complete my team.

Only Test: 23 runs in 2 innings at an average of 11.50. Highest score of 16.
First-class stats: 7,254 runs in 215 innings at an average of 35.73, 19 tons and 33 fifties. Highest score of 201.

- - -

I'm gonna go back on my word and remove Thelston Payne from the opening position and bring him down to number seven, which is where he batted in his only Test. Even though he was an opener for the West Indies in limited-over games, I think number seven suits him better for Tests. Richard Jones and Wally Hardinge will open for me. I've put Ajay Sharma at the coveted number three position since he's the best batsman I have. Jeff Moss is at four and Alan Wells is at five. 'Bal' Dani has been slotted over Thelston Payne but if there's any need, he can push Payne before him. Dani will also lead my team like he led the Services team. Even though John Stephenson played as an opener in his only Test, I feel he's better suited right before the tail-end begins. Viljoen, Banerjee "Hopper" will lead my bowling. It should be noted that Stephenson, Banerjee and Viljoen are by no means chumps with the bat. Hopper Read though, he's a proper rabbit, coming in at eleven.

@Yash., you're next