An unlucky Victorian top 6 for Australia

As long as one’s posterior points to the ground, Rob Quiney will play more test cricket than me, which brings me to the topic of my short spiel.  In my four and a bit decades of life, I’ve seen a few Victorian batsmen earn test selection, but unfortunately for some, their careers have been brief, very brief. A top six of: Ken Eastwood, Paul Hibbert, Wayne Phillips, Rob Quiney, Jeff Moss, and Trevor Laughlin pay testament to the TEST of test cricket, in which these players could not get the pass for success at the highest level.

To qualify this it  is worth mentioning that Rob Quiney has played twice as many tests as four of the above listed players. Jeff Moss does have a decent average for his match against Pakistan at the WACA, in early 1979. Then there’s the current Victorian opener Chris Rogers, whose sole test was whilst he was a Sandgroper, so I’ve left him of my list.

So whilst we’re talking of passing the tests, one hopes we can pass the current test in Adelaide, then go one up in the series.

Glen!

Comments

  1. Jeff Dowsing says

    It’s an interesting question Glen why the Vics, apart from Dean Jones, have not been able to provide a 50+ test batsman to save themselves. Worth mentioning Siddons & Hodge in such a list – both certainly had the ability and 1st class record to suggest they should have played 50+.

    Yet Victoria produces so many fine bowlers – who by and large have ironically been also pretty accomplished with the willow down the order.

  2. Les Joslin will be happy. His 4.5 Test average trumps Quiney. Dont worry Rob, there is still Ken Eastwood dreaming of a 3.0.
    Joslin got an Ashes tour in 68 but no Tests there. NSW quick – big Dave Rennenberg – was also on that tour for county games only. There were social compensations.

  3. Point Peter. I was a few years too young to recall Les Joslin, though there are other Joslins in the West i can recall. Dave Rennenberg, i’ve read about him, toured South Africa in 1966-67, then played a few home tests against India in 1967-68.

    Dr Roy Park is the saddest case, of a Victorian Batsman, not going on at test level. Bowled first ball, only ball, in his sole test back in 1920-21. There ‘s a story, apocraphal maybe, that his wife was in the stand, knitting, waiting for him to face his first ball, dropped her darn of wool, and missed his whole test career as a batsman. I think he might have played VFL seniors for Carlton as well.

    Glen!

  4. Jeff Dowsing says

    Park was probably University’s most accomplished footballer.

    I’m hoping Quiney can snare a wicket or two so he can at least boast a passable bowling average.

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