One Test Wonder
Encyclopedia
In cricket
, a One-Test wonder is usually a cricketer
who is only selected for one Test match
during his career and never represents his country again (not necessarily due to poor performance). Examples include Andy Ganteaume
, who scored 112 for the West Indies
in his only Test innings in 1948. The term may derive from the term One-hit wonder
, which is used to describe singers who only have one hit song.
Players who are picked for only one Test are often bowlers: batsmen tend to be given a longer run to establish themselves at Test level. One-Test wonders also tend to be picked for a home series, as a stop-gap replacement. As of September 2006, there had been 377 One-Test wonders. Many were unlucky never to be picked again: in addition to Ganteaume, Rodney Redmond
is the only other player to have scored a century in his only Test, scoring 107 and 56 while opening the batting for New Zealand
in 1973; and West Indian Vic Stollmeyer
, brother of Jeff Stollmeyer
, is the only player to have recorded a score in the 90s in his only Test; no other One-Test wonder has scored more than 80. Stuart Law
scored 54 not out in his only Test innings for Australia
, leaving him without a Test average. Gobo Ashley
took 7 for 95 for South Africa
in the first innings of his single Test in 1889, and Charles Marriott
recorded match figures of 11 for 96 (5 for 37 and 6 for 59) in his only match for England in 1933. No other bowler has taken more than five wickets in an innings, or ten wickets in the match, in their only Test. Among wicket-keepers, Indian player Rajindernath
made four stumpings in his only Test, but was not called on to bat.
Occasionally, One-Test wonders have been recalled to Test cricket after a gap of several years. The most extreme example was John Traicos
, who made his Test debut for South Africa in 1970 and played his second Test for Zimbabwe in 1993.
The most recent example was Ryan Sidebottom
, who was recalled for his second Test in 2007 after his debut in 2001. Coincidentally his father, Arnie Sidebottom
, was a One-Test wonder.
Fourteen One-Test wonders have also played in a single One Day International for their team. Kim Barnett
is the only batsman to have scored more than 55, and David Lawrence
is the only bowler to have taken four or more wickets, in their only ODI (both for England).
More rarely, the term may refer to a player who has played in more than one Test, but was very successful only once. Examples include the bowlers India's
Narendra Hirwani
, and Australia's
Bob Massie
, both of whom took eight wickets in each innings
of their debut matches, but then failed to live up to their early promise.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, a One-Test wonder is usually a cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who is only selected for one Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
during his career and never represents his country again (not necessarily due to poor performance). Examples include Andy Ganteaume
Andy Ganteaume
Andrew Gordon Ganteaume is a West Indian former cricketer who played as an opening batsman and occasional wicketkeeper. He was born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago...
, who scored 112 for the West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in his only Test innings in 1948. The term may derive from the term One-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
, which is used to describe singers who only have one hit song.
Players who are picked for only one Test are often bowlers: batsmen tend to be given a longer run to establish themselves at Test level. One-Test wonders also tend to be picked for a home series, as a stop-gap replacement. As of September 2006, there had been 377 One-Test wonders. Many were unlucky never to be picked again: in addition to Ganteaume, Rodney Redmond
Rodney Redmond
Rodney Ernest Redmond is a New Zealand cricket player. He scored a century and a fifty in his only Test, against Pakistan in 1972-73, giving him a Test batting average of 81.50. He also played two One Day Internationals...
is the only other player to have scored a century in his only Test, scoring 107 and 56 while opening the batting for New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
in 1973; and West Indian Vic Stollmeyer
Vic Stollmeyer
Victor Humphrey Stollmeyer was a West Indian cricketer who played in one Test in 1939.Vic Stollmeyer was the older brother of West Indian captain Jeff Stollmeyer....
, brother of Jeff Stollmeyer
Jeff Stollmeyer
Jeffrey Baxter Stollmeyer was a Trinidad and Tobago cricketer and footballer. He played 32 Tests for the West Indies, captaining 13 of these....
, is the only player to have recorded a score in the 90s in his only Test; no other One-Test wonder has scored more than 80. Stuart Law
Stuart Law
Stuart Grant Law OAM is an Australian-born cricketer. He is also the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team, as from July, he succeeded fellow Aussie Jamie Siddons, who left shortly after the 2011 Cricket World Cup...
scored 54 not out in his only Test innings for Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
, leaving him without a Test average. Gobo Ashley
Gobo Ashley
William Hare 'Gobo' Ashley was a South African cricketer who played in one Test in 1889....
took 7 for 95 for South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
in the first innings of his single Test in 1889, and Charles Marriott
Charles Marriott
-Life and career:Marriott was one of the best leg break and googly bowlers of the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Lancashire, he went to school at St Columba's in Ireland, coming back to Lancashire to play in his first first-class match in 1919. He then went on to Cambridge, winning blues in 1920 and 1921...
recorded match figures of 11 for 96 (5 for 37 and 6 for 59) in his only match for England in 1933. No other bowler has taken more than five wickets in an innings, or ten wickets in the match, in their only Test. Among wicket-keepers, Indian player Rajindernath
Vijay Rajindernath
Vijay Rajindernath Vijay Rajindernath Vijay Rajindernath (born January 7, 1928 in Amritsar, died November 22, 1989 in Chennai was an Indian cricketer.Rajindernath was one of the four wicket keepers that India tried out against Pakistan in the 1952-53 series. He played in the Test at Bombay which...
made four stumpings in his only Test, but was not called on to bat.
Occasionally, One-Test wonders have been recalled to Test cricket after a gap of several years. The most extreme example was John Traicos
John Traicos
Athanasios John Traicos is a former cricketer who represented South Africa and Zimbabwe at international level. He was primarily an off spin bowler, and is one of a small number of cricketers to have played at the highest level for more than one country.Traicos was born in Zagazig, Egypt in 1947...
, who made his Test debut for South Africa in 1970 and played his second Test for Zimbabwe in 1993.
The most recent example was Ryan Sidebottom
Ryan Sidebottom
Ryan Jay Sidebottom is an English cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Yorkshire. He is a primarily a left-arm fast-medium bowler. Sidebottom played his first Test match in 2001 against Pakistan, but failed to take a wicket and was dropped for six years...
, who was recalled for his second Test in 2007 after his debut in 2001. Coincidentally his father, Arnie Sidebottom
Arnie Sidebottom
Arnold "Arnie" Sidebottom is an English former footballer and cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and played one Test match for England.-Football:...
, was a One-Test wonder.
Fourteen One-Test wonders have also played in a single One Day International for their team. Kim Barnett
Kim Barnett
Kim John Barnett was an English cricketer who briefly played for England in 1988 and 1989, and for Derbyshire from 1979 to 1998. He also played for Gloucestershire from 1999 to 2002, and for South African club sides...
is the only batsman to have scored more than 55, and David Lawrence
David Lawrence (cricketer)
David Valentine Lawrence is a former English cricketer, who played in five Tests and one ODI for England from 1988 to 1992....
is the only bowler to have taken four or more wickets, in their only ODI (both for England).
More rarely, the term may refer to a player who has played in more than one Test, but was very successful only once. Examples include the bowlers India's
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
Narendra Hirwani
Narendra Hirwani
Narendra Deepchand Hirwani is a leg spin bowler who played for India. He is mainly remembered for his outstanding success on his Test debut.-Early days:...
, and Australia's
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
Bob Massie
Bob Massie
Robert Arnold Lockyer Massie is a former Australian cricketer who played in 6 Tests and 3 ODIs from 1972 to 1973.A swing bowler, he had a relatively short international career but is remembered for a Test debut in 1972 at Lord's where he took eight wickets in each innings, with figures of 16/137...
, both of whom took eight wickets in each innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
of their debut matches, but then failed to live up to their early promise.