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In celebration of Will Pucovski’s recent elevation to the Test squad, cricket.com.au published a list of legends of the game who made their first class debut very quickly and went on to have amazing careers.
It’s one hell of a team, including handy players like Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
It does omit a few key things in some of the biographies – like the fact Justin Langer and Craig McDermott had to spend years in the wilderness after their debuts before they clicked as Test players.
It also gives a false impression as to the success of all players promoted rapidly. In the spirit of offering an alternative view, I thought I’d collate my own top XI of Australian players rushed into the Test team for ultimately little purpose.
Will Pucovski. (Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images)
1) Ian Davis (six FC games before Test debut)
Davis was an exciting strokemaker rushed into the Test side in 1973-74 after six first class games at the age of 20 replacing Ian Redpath, where he proceeded to do… not much.
He was dropped after six Tests and didn’t get back in until 1976-77 where he had a pretty good season, but failed to make much impact on the 1977 Ashes (when Australia really needed him) or in World Series Cricket – or on his return to first class cricket.
A classic example of NSW selection bias, with 15 Tests, 692 runs at 26.6; 4609 first class runs at 33), even Davis thinks he was picked too early.
2) Wally Edwards
A West Australian batsman who owned his rapid promotion to Australia’s perennial trouble in finding openers in the early 70s.
It wasn’t worth it, with Edwards (picked over Rick McCockser) doing little in three Tests in 1974-75, though he did go on to become Chair of Cricket Australia. He played three Tests, scoring 68 runs at 11.33; 1381 first class runs at 30.68.
3) Graeme Hole
An early 1950s batsman from NSW and SA who apparently just looked great – pretty shots, handsome appearance (his Wisden obituary refers to his handsomeness) and could bowl too. Hole was rushed into the Test team in 1950-51 at age 20 and given plenty of chances which he consistently failed to take. He played 18 Tests, scoring 789 runs, aver 25.45; 5647 first class runs at 36.66.
4) George Thoms
Thoms played Test cricket after only eight first class games, but it turned out to be just the one Test – against the West Indies in 1951-52.
He went on to become a gynaecologist which is cool – he actually left cricket early so his hands wouldn’t be too injured to perform surgery, but his rapid promotion was, ultimately, pointless.
Playing just one Test, he scored 44 runs, average 22; 1137 first class runs at 35.53).
5) Bill Watson
Another NSW player rapidly ushered into the side, Watson made his Test debut after just four first class games (when he hadn’t even locked down his state place), in 1954-55.
His selection was in part due to the usual panic that ensues after Australia lose to England at home. His international career was brief and inglorious. He played four Tests, scoring 106 runs at 17.66. He scored 1958 first class runs at 32.09.
6) Ian Craig (c)
Perhaps the most ridiculously over promoted person of all time – a talented player with a sensible head on his shoulders, Craig was thrust into the Test side in 1952-53 at age 17 following an unbeaten 213 for NSW against the touring South Africans.
Craig scored 47 and 53 on debut ushering in a lot of hype but he struggled in following years.
He got back in the team in 1956 then bewilderingly was appointed Australian captain at age 22 (the youngest Test captain in history) when Neil Harvey and Richie Benaud were far and away better alternatives.
Craig did a good job, leading Australia to a 3-0 victory in South Africa, but struggled with the bat and when he fell ill to hepatitis at the start of the 1958-59 summer I think the selectors were relieved they didn’t have to drop him.
Obviously a smart guy – he eventually ran Boots Chemists in Australia – but he retired from first class cricket at age 26 and his early promotion was pointless.
He played 11 Tests with 358 runs at 19.88 and 7328 first class runs at 37.96.
7) Les Joslin
Selectors are only human and can fall in love, which is what happened to former Australian captain turned selector Jack Ryder and Les Joslin.
At 18 Joslin was the youngest Victorian to make a Sheffield Shield century.
At 20 he was picked to make his Test debut against India in 1967-68. By 22, he was out of first class cricket.
He played one Test, scoring nine runs at 4.5 with 1816 first class runs at 29.77.
8) Simon O’Donnell
Nothing forces Australian selectors to pant harder than the thought of an all-rounder.
In the tough Aussie summer of 1984-85 they jumped on the promise of handsome Simon O’Donnell like a drowning man. He’ll fix everything!
The thing about O’Donnell which they could never face was he was a fine one day player, but at first class level he was more a batting-leaning bits and pieces player.
Yet he was picked on the 1985 Ashes as a bowler on the strength of his batting. So… a few useful knocks with the bat but little impact with the ball.
O’Donnell went on to become an ODI great at least but was no loss to the Test arena, before becoming a cricket commentator.
He played six Tests, scoring 206 runs at 29.42 and claiming six wickets at 84. He cored 4603 first class runs at 39.34 and 151 first class wickets at 37.36.
9) Michael Beer
Beer was a Western Australia spinner not even particularly favoured by his own state who found himself promoted to Test status in 2010-11 on the back of an approving column by Shane Warne.
That was a dogged summer for the Australian panel (Greg Chappell’s second stint at the gig), which refused to show faith in Nathan Hauritz, gave Simon Katich the boot, ignored Steve O’Keefe in favour of Beer and Xavier Doherty, picked Steve Smith as a batsman because of his bowling but didn’t take him to Sri Lanka (Greg Chappell tends to leave this bit out), ignored David Hussey and Cameron White as batsmen.
They did come good at the end picking Nathan Lyon for Sri Lanka but before there’s too much high fiving – let’s never forget the Beer experiment.
Two Tests, three wickets at 59.33; 74 first class wickets at 40.37.
10) John Watkins
Australia’s selectors go nuts again for another NSW player, with Newcastle based spinner Watkins making his Test debut in 1972-73 against Pakistan after just five first class games.
He bowled a famously bad spell with the ball, but actually helped Australia win the game with his batting, scoring 36 in a crucial 83 run partnership with Bob Massie.
Watkins was picked on the 1973 tour of the West Indies but did little and drifted off into obscurity. One test, 0-48; 20 first class wickets at 36.3.
11) Mike Whitney
Whitney was a fine player, with an excellent domestic record who was probably unlucky not to play more Tests – his omission from the 1989 Ashes squad in favour of Glenn Campbell was seen as a silly decision at the time and looks worse in hindsight.
But he was chosen for Test duty with absurd rapidity on the 1981 Ashes – he was playing county cricket at the time.
I know Rodney Hogg and Geoff Lawson were injured but Graeme Beard was in the squad. Mind you, that might mean two spinners which would have been unmanly – Carl Rackemann was another option.
He played 12 Tests, taking 39 wickets at 33.97 and 412 first class wickets at 26.75
So, Pucovski. Is he the next Ricky Ponting or the next Ian Davis?
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