New Delhi: James Pattinson, Australias latest pace-bowling prospect, picked up the Man-of-the-Match debut on Test debut and the Man-of-the-Series award after just two appearances. A couple weeks before that, South Africas Vernon Philander achieved the identical distinction. While the pair joined an elite list of bowlers who dazzled on Test debut, there is an equally significant list of bowlers who faded away after eye-catching starts to their Test careers.
Here, we take a look at a few such examples:
Saliya Ahangama
Ahangama, a Sri Lankan medium-pacer, played his first Test match a mere two weeks after making his first-class debut in 1985-86. His debut performance seemed to have justified the Sri Lankan selectors decision to fast-track Ahangama: with his fourth ball, he dismissed Mohammad Azharuddin, and went on to finish with a match bag of 5 for 109. A career-best 5 for 52 followed in the historic second Test in Kandy, Sri Lankas maiden Test win, and after three Tests Ahangama had taken 18 wickets at 19.33. However, injuries and Sri Lankas lack of Test cricket opportunities restricted him to those three appearances. Ahangamas had been a meteoric rise, but as swift and sudden was his exit from the world stage....
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09:08 PM, Mar 29, 2008
