With Usman Khawaja playing against his country of birth, Pakistan, in the current test I thought I’d pick a dinki-di multicultural Aussie cricket side. There’s quite a few overseas born chaps missing, but here’s my twelve. Who carries the drinks? Let’s check the pitch and weather.
Charles Bannerman: England
Keppler Wessels: South Africa
Usman Khawaja: Pakistan
Archie Jackson: Scotland
Davennel Whatmore: Sri Lanka
Tom Horan: Ireland
Andrew Symonds: England
Brendan Julian: New Zealand
Sammy Carter: England (WK)
Rex Sellers: India
Clarrie Grimmett: New Zealand
Tony Dell: England
As I mentioned there are others who could have made it into the twelve. Who would you have picked? Let us know.
Glen!
Lennie Durtanovich!!! Croatia.
G’day Shane. Len Durtanovich was born in Western Australia of Macedonian parents.
Glen!
Dizzy Gillespie – half Greek !!
Joe Scuderi, of Italian heritage I think
Following the excellent century by Josh Inglis yesterday on his Test debut, as well as the fact that he was another Test player born in another country (England), got me thinking about an Australian Test side where each player either made a century on his Test debut or took 10 wickets or more for the match on their Test debut.
Preference was given to players who are better known and ended up with a better Test career. As there were only 3 Australian Test bowlers who have taken 10 wickets in a match on their Test debut, Greg Blewett as an all rounder, was selected at number 8 for team balance and most of the batsmen that were selected were handy bowlers at Test level.
Although Josh Inglis isn’t the Test wicket keeper, he was selected as the wicket keeper for this match, as he has played as a wicket keeper, in one day internationals and T20 internationals for Australia.
Here is the Australian team of great Test debuts:
Bill Ponsford (110 v England 1924)
Kepler Wessels (162 v England 1982)
Mark Waugh (138 v England 1991)
Greg Chappell (c) (108 v England 1970)
Michael Clarke (151 v India 2004)
Doug Walters (155 v England 1965)
Jos Inglis (wk) (102 v Sr Lanka 2025)
Greg Blewett (102 not out v England 1995)
Jason Krezja (12 wickets v India 2008)
Charlie Grimmett (11 wickets v England 1925)
Bob Massie (16 wickets v England 1972)
12th man: Adam Voges (130 not out v West Indies 2015)
Concussion sub: Shaun Marsh (141 v Sri Lanka 2011)
This team will play an exhibition match against the English equivalent.
Here is the England Team of great Test debuts:
Alastair Cook (c) (104 not out v India 2006)
Andrew Strauss (112 v New Zealand 2004)
Jonathan Trott (119 v Australia 2009)
Graham Thorpe (114 not out v Australia 1993)
W G Grace (152 v Australia 1880)
Matt Prior (wk) (126 not out v West Indies 2007)
Gus Atkinson (12 wickets v West Indies 2024)
Alec Bedser (11 wickets v India 1946)
John Lever (10 wickets v India 1976)
Tom Richardson (10 wickets v Australia 1893)
Ken Farnes (10 wickets v Australia 1934)
12th man: Frederick Martin (12 wickets v Australia 1890)
Concussion sub: Charles Marriott (11 wickets v West Indies 1933)
The match will be played at Marvel Stadium, so that the ground will be hosting its debut Test.
Entertainment will be organised by Debut Entertainment.
Let’s hope for a good game of cricket that can turn out to be a first!
Surely RE” Tip” Foster should be in for England. Highest ever score on debut for any country. 287 vs Australia Sydney 1903
And you can put Foster in at the expense of all the top 5 except for Grace
Whatsmore, Foster was captain on his debut too. So Cook has to go.
Yes, “Tip” Foster did have a great Test debut. Thanks for the Tip!
Ken Farnes has now been omitted. He can be 12th man and Frederick Martin can be the Concussion sub.
As the England team required an extra batsman, Tip Foster has been added to the starting 11 and he can bat at number 4, Graham Thorpe at 5, WG Grace at 6, Matt Prior at 7, Gus Atkinson at 8, Alec Bedser at 9, Peter Lever at 10 and Tom Richardson at 11.
Well spotted Anon, ta Shane.
Now I’m wondering who has scored a faster Test ‘ton’ on debut than Josh Inglis?
Glen!
Glen, I actually find out the answer to your question before you asked.
According to wisden.com, the record for the fastest Test century on debut still stands with India’s Shikhar Dhawan, for his 2013 effort against Australia. He took 85 balls to get to that milestone. Josh Inglis is now in 2nd place with his Test debut century from 90 balls.
For trivia, in 3rd place is Dwayne Smith from the West Indies, who in 2004, made his Test century on debut from 93 balls.
The 4th person on the list is India’s Prithvi Shaw, who took 99 balls to secure a debut Test ton against the West Indies in 2018.
Inglis’ eventual strike rate of 108.51 is the highest among all debut centurions in Tests.
Inglis’ letztendliche Trefferquote von 108,51 ist die hochste aller Debut-Centurions in Tests.