Queensland cricket’s forgtten Test XI

We name a bumper Test XI of Queenslanders who played just once or twice for Australia.

Here is Queensland Cricket’s forgotten Test XI, a group of players who, for one reason or another, played a mere handful of Tests.

Our cut-off was four Tests, meaning Martin Love, Ken Archer, David Ogilvie (all five Tests) Percy McDonnell (six Tests) and Ron Oxenham (seven Tests) missed selection in this extremely talented side.

The squad of 12 also excludes Australian Test squad tourists Mitch Swepson, Michael Neser, Ashley Noffke and Wade Seccombe, although the Queensland cricket community is willing Neser and Swepson to eventually play Test cricket.

Others, such as Ben Cutting, Alex Hurwood and Sam Trimble, were all Test cricket 12th men.

And then you have the likes of Leo O’Connor, Cecil Thompson, Bill Buckle, Chris Hartley, Jim Maher and Ray Reynolds who were good enough to play Test cricket, but who never got the chance.

ROB KERR (2 Tests)

A wonderful technician with a beautiful technique, the Northern Suburbs Cricket Club opener was better than a two Test career. Timing is everything in life and when Kerr was called into the Australian team, his form had dipped slightly and he found himself up against New Zealand’s greatest ever bowler Richard Hadlee. The Australian batsmen were like deer in a headlight against Hadlee, such was his rich vein of form, and unfortunately Kerr fell victim to the swing bowling legend. But he was very, very good, as evidenced by his match winning 87 not out in a one-day international at the famed MCG.

MARTIN KENT (3 Tests)

Nicknamed Superman after Clark Kent, Martin was Queensland’s boom boy of the mid-1970s. He scored a then record 140 on Sheffield Shield debut, then disappeared into the demanding World Series Cricket before emerging as one of the few shining lights on the 1981 Ashes tour. From the Sandgate-Redcliffe club, Kent was all set to bat No. 3 for Australia in the home series against Pakistan. In the match prior to the announcement of the side, playing for Queensland, he scored 92 against the tourists but aggravated a back injury and never played again.

Stuart Law and Andy Bichel after batting Queensland to another Shield (Pura Cup) title.

STUART LAW (1 Test)

If Stuart Law was playing cricket today, you’d have to count his Test match appearances with a calculator, not on one hand as is the case.

Stuart Law pulls a ball away to the boundary off Les Stillman.

Arguably the best one Test wonder in Australian cricket history, Law was a supreme talent who captained Queensland through its most successful Sheffield Shield period - including the epic 1994-95 Shield win. A first grade player at Valley aged 15, Law had all and sundry covered for class, and remains to this day the closest in style to the great Greg Chappell. A right hander, he seemed to have more time than most and watching him bat was like enjoying a real life version of a How To Play Cricket video.

RELATED LINKS

GPS DOYEN NAMES GREATEST SCHOOLBOY SIDE: Click here https://bit.ly/3H7trKl

THE BEST GPS FIRST XI PLAYER REVEALED: Click here https://bit.ly/3wuP6ax

GREATEST EVER GPS FIRST XI: Click here: https://bit.ly/3wxmKfx

PHIL CARLSON (2 Tests)

Carlson was an outstanding Queensland all-rounder whose swing bowling developed to such high quality, he netted 110 wickets at just 24 while scoring almost 4000 runs. Carlson’s Test caps came when Australia - weakened by players moving to the rebel World Series Cricket - needed balance to its side. Carlson did not set the world on fire with bat or ball, but he did take a fantastic one handed gully catch in Australia’s only win of the series.

JOHN MACLEAN (4 Tests)

An old favourite of Queensland cricket old-timers, Maclean snuck in his four Ashes Tests right at the end of his career.

Former Australian Test cricketer John Maclean. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

A wonderful gloveman to the world’s fastest bowler Jeff Thomson, Maclean was a wicketkeeper-batsman whose path to Test cricket was blocked by Rod Marsh. But when Marsh accepted an invitation to play World Series Cricket, Maclean said no, staying with Cricket Australia in the hope of fulfilling his life’s dream of playing Test cricket. He played in four of the six Ashes Tests of 1978-79 - just months ahead of his retirement.

OTTO NOTHLING (1 Test)

The Brisbane Grammar School old boy had the distinction of replacing Sir Don Bradman after Bradman’s first Test failure.

BGS old boy Otto Nothling.

A fast-medium bowler and hard-hitting middle-order batsman, played his way into the Australian side for the second Test of the 1928-29 season. Although he failed to fire in his only Test, he was a stunning rugby fullback who went on to play 19 Tests for the Wallabies - one of only two Australkians to do the Test cricket-rugby double.

Adam Dale was the king of swing.

ADAM DALE (2 Tests)

A remarkable swing bowler, the best of his era whose Test career was curtailed by the presence of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee and Queensland team mates Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz. He played in two away Tests - both Mt Everest type missions against Sachin Tendulkar in India and Brian Lara in the West Indies. He bowled Tendulkar, but not before he had scored 177. Don’t worry, Adam Dale can see the funny side of that now, looking back at it. Dale was absolutely high class, taking almost 250 wickets at an average of just 20.75.

Former Australian test cricketer Tony Dell, also a Vietnam Veteran.Pic Lyndon Mechielsen

TONY DELL (2 Tests)

The tall Dell was an ackward customer who earned selection as Dennis Lillee’s new ball bowler in two Tests against England. He was from great cricketing stock, come out of the famous Churchie cricketing factory which had also produced the likes of the Archer brothers, Peter Burge, Bob Paulson, Dennis Lille, Dave Rathie, Grant Law and co. He had a wonderful career, taking more than 170 wickets for Queensland.

PETER ALLAN (1 Test)

The great Peter Allan is a rare bird in Australian first class cricket - he once claimed all 10 wickets in an innings. A swing bowler, he achieved the feat of 10-61 against Victoria. Indeed upon his retirement, Allan was, at the time, Queensland’s leading wicket taker (199 wickets at 25). His only Test came against England in 1965-66, although he also toured the West Indies with Australia.

PUD THURLOW (1 Test)

Like Otto Nothling (see above), Thurlow was also a Brisbane Grammar School old boy - and like Nothling he had a remarkable link to Sir Donald Bradman. An opening bowler, he went wicketless against South Africa in 1931–32, but was most famous for being run out for a duck - leaving Bradman stranded on 299 not out.

Queenslander Scott Muller 5 for 43 holds up his fingers to represent his 5 wickets.p/ /cricket

SCOTT MULLER (2 Tests)

At the peak of his powers, Muller was a fast bowling juggernaut who bowled his way to two Tests against Pakistan. The TSS old boy was dragged unwillingly into controversy when the words “can’t field, can’t bowl’’ were uttered live across the Channel 9 coverage after he fielded a ball from the deep in Hobart.

Scott Muller bowls to Azhar Mahmood

Despite suspicions it was Australian teammate Shane Warne commenting near an onfield microphone, “Joe’’ the Channel 9 cameraman claimed he made the comment to an open mic. Regardes, what should not be lost is that Muller was good enough to play his way into Test cricket - he took seven wickets in two Tests - and deserved better than being caught up in the controversy which was the hottest topic of the summer.

John Maguire was a workhorse.

JOHN MAGUIRE (3 Tests)

A tall, lion-hearted stump to stump bowler whose seam and swing contributed to propelling him into Test cricket. He toured Sri Lanka in 1983, made his Test debut at the famous Boxing Day Test and was twice capped on the 1983-84 tour of the West Indies. He would also have been an Ashes tourist in 1985 as well, but signed up for a Rebel tour of South Africa. His stellar Queensland career included 191 wickets.