'Close but no cigar" XI

Hubble was pretty useful even when he returned for WA around 1972 after a couple of years' absence ... what happened to him, was his career blighted by injury?

Competition would have been a bit tough with Lillee, McKenzie, Massie & Brayshaw around.

Amongst other touring teams I can only remember Majid Usman (a 1972-3 Pakistani tourist) touring but never managing a Test.

lardbucket wrote:Amongst other touring teams I can only remember Majid Usman (a 1972-3 Pakistani tourist) touring but never managing a Test.

I recall the reserve wicketkeeper on that tour was a bloke called Iqbal Masood who I think never played a test. I remember him because they also had Asif Iqbal & Asif Masood in the party. Mix and match names.

That sounds right, too.

Great tour ... especially for Mohammed Ilyas and Saeed Ahmed.

WideWally wrote:Competition would have been a bit tough with Lillee, McKenzie, Massie & Brayshaw around.

and Watson, Varis, Gannon, Baker, Thornton, and Wilson ...

Ian King couldn't get a game in the WA team when he went over there & he had been outstanding for Queensland in the 1969/70 season & was the Perth grade cricketer of the year on at least one occasion, I think.

lardbucket wrote:

WideWally wrote:Competition would have been a bit tough with Lillee, McKenzie, Massie & Brayshaw around.

and Watson, Varis, Gannon, Baker, Thornton, and Wilson ...

and Laurie Mayne

lardbucket wrote:That sounds right, too.

Great tour ... especially for Mohammed Ilyas and Saeed Ahmed.

The Saeed Ahmed incident was hilarious. Started a blue with DKL & then pulled out of the next test so he wouldn't have to face him.

Aye, Mayne finished in 1969, didn't he? Hubble came back for a few games at the end of 1972-3 IIRC.

embee wrote:

lardbucket wrote:

WideWally wrote:Competition would have been a bit tough with Lillee, McKenzie, Massie & Brayshaw around.

and Watson, Varis, Gannon, Baker, Thornton, and Wilson ...

and Laurie Mayne

I was going to mention Mayne earlier but noticed he didn't play any FC cricket after the 1969/70 tour of India & South Africa. Did he retire then or have injury problems?

finished in 69/70 ...played in the tests in sethefrica

I've resorted to looking at Hubble's cricinfo profile. He started in 1964 FFS (!) so his career would even have overlapped with Hoare and Gaunt. He finally finished up in 1974-5, probably when Alderman arrived on the scene.

Gaunt's last game was 63/64 ...Hubble started in 64/5.

Well, Hoare at least.

Hoare finished in 65/6

Aye, and Hubble started a season earlier ...

I missed Wally's comment about Ian King, above ... another forgotten bowler.

WA really was producing good swing bowlers for fun in the 1960's.

lardbucket wrote:Aye, and Hubble started a season earlier ...

I missed Wally's comment about Ian King, above ... another forgotten bowler.

WA really was producing good swing bowlers for fun in the 1960's.

Ian King came from Queensland but had a difference of opinion with some administrators here back in 1970. As a result, he packed his bags & headed west. The fact that he unable to make the WA team emphasises how strong the pace bowling ranks were because he was probably bordering on test class.

...and now we are importing them from all over the world

Ian King would have faced the same hurdles as John Maguire to make the WA team

embee wrote:Ian King would have faced the same hurdles as John Maguire to make the WA team

Aye. Do you think that was the reason that McGuire didn't play FC cricket? I've read that he was an outstanding grade cricketer who must have been very close to selection.

He was ...he also played WAFL footy for East Perth ...but at a time when it was still possible to combine 2 sports

WA had a pretty strong team at the time but I think some of Maguire's clubmates may have played for WA and his club performances were seemingly better than theirs ...

Thanks embee. I've often wondered if that might have been the case with McGuire.

No proof , Wally

... but the only other explanation I can think of is if Maguire had made himself unavailable for State selection ...and I've never heard that he did that

Alan Jones.

Got his cap taken away.