One-Test wonder


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. This is not necessarily due to a poor performance. The term is also used in rugby.
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 Narendra Hirwani of India and Bob Massie of Australia, both of whom took eight wickets in each innings of their debut matches, but then failed to live up to their early promise.

Notable examples

As of April 2020, there have been 451 players who have only played one Test match. Some of the best performances by these players are:
About one in eight Test cricketers are only picked once. Occasionally, one-Test wonders have been recalled to Test cricket after a gap of several years. One 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.
Darren Pattinson is an unusual one-Test wonder in that he played a single Test for England, while his brother James Pattinson had a more successful Test career with Australia.
As of May 2007, fourteen one-Test wonders have also played in a single One Day International for their team.