Can you think of a more left-field decision than Pattinson?

I would've thought Peter Taylor being picked for the 5th Test v England in 86-87 was a similar selection to Pattinson (except Taylor was successful!!). Taylor only had a handful of FC games under his belt with no success. We went into the game with only one opener (Fat Cat Ritchie ended up opening). To this day many of us believe that Chairman of selectors Greg Chappell actually meant to choose opener Mark Taylor, who was scoring bucketloads of runs in Shield at the time.

Jon Kent, picked to play a ODI for SA against Aus at Durban. No-one even tried to explain it, except to say that Durban was his home ground, although I'm still not sure if that was used as an explanation as to why he was picked or if they were just trying to clarify who he was. He's not even black FFS.

horace wrote:the pomgolian hue and cry over DP - as if it his fault the poms were humiliated - obscures the reality of the jelly in the top order

Cherub-dick, stop making twat things up. We're not blaming him for the defeat. Or the selection. So, get a clue please mate.

We blame the selectors for the selection, our all-round gashness for the defeat.

However, that isn't to say that Pattinson wasn't shithouse - because he was.

Robin Hobbes?

Gavin Robertson

Adam Voges in the Aust 12.

What about Bruce Francis in 72' ?

JKLever wrote:What about Bruce Francis in 72' ?

Before my time.

JKLever wrote:What about Bruce Francis in 72' ?

He actually had a stellar Shield season before that tour. The 72 tour is pretty much the very first tour that I can remember as a kid barely in double figures. I remember listening on ABC radio to Doug Walters and Bruce Francis putting on a million for NSW prior to that tour.

Pat Pocock's recall at the age of... god knows - about the same as god.

It wasn't as if he was ever much good. He played really quite well though!

noel david picked for the indian squad to the windies in 1997. when the captain tendulkar was informed through the media all he could say was "noel who?". as could the rest of the nation

David ("Father F Christmas"- Tommo) Steele.

The recall of Brian Close ffs!!!!


Both more successful than anyone could have imagined. Even in losing causes.

And both far more justified on form and pedigree than Patta. Though hardly less surprising.

Merlin wrote:

JKLever wrote:

Rob I wrote:

embee wrote:Chris Cowdrey's call up as captain

Yep, that was it.

That was during the test series where we had 4 test captains!

Aye, that was some bloody nightmare!
And then ... voila ... Chris bleedin' Cowdrey!!!

Was that the last time we called up a new captain from outside the existing squad? Has any Test side ever made that kind of selection a success?

Even then Cowdrey had a couple of tests under his belt when called up.

JKLever wrote:Even then Cowdrey had a couple of tests under his belt when called up.

He hadn't played for England for a few years though I seem to remember, and certainly was never a regular.

Have England ever given a player their Test debut as captain (apart from the first ever Test obviously)? I know NZ did it with Lee Germon, and he didn't last long. How desperate would you have to be to call up a player with no previous international experience as your new captain?