New Zealand's one-test wonders: Black Caps for one test

There are a select group of New Zealand cricketers whose careers for one brief moment took them to the pinnacle of the sport in this country.

These are the "one test wonders" - and we celebrate them because for that one moment in their lives they were the best this country could produce for the international stage.

They are the conduit between those who go on to revered test careers… and the rest of us who toil at club or social level long after such dreams have passed.

Herald writers David Leggat, Chris Rattue, Cameron McMillan and Andrew Alderson give an insight into some of these men - they spoke to many of them and hear of their experience for better or worse, and how they feel looking through hindsight's lens.

There are 30 in total, 14 who are alive, and 12 who are retired. These are the stories of those 12.

Andre Adams
Age: 42
New Zealand test cricketer number: 219
Played: England at Auckland, March 30-April 3, 2002
Return: 18 runs, 6-105, one catch

"Good afternoon Andre, Sir Richard Hadlee here."

"G'day Paddles."

"Your country needs you."

With those four words reverberating from the loudspeaker in his car, Andre Adams knew he would be a test cricketer. He was selected for the final match of the 2001-02 season against England at Eden Park, his home ground.

Bruce Morrison
Age: 84
New Zealand test cricketer number: 96
Played: England, at Wellington, March 1-4 1963
Return: 2-129, and 10 and 0

Morrison had his one taste of test cricket at his home ground, the Basin Reserve, against the touring England side.

His first test wicket was a memorable one.

Andy McKay
Age: 37
New Zealand test cricketer number: 249
Played: India at Nagpur, Nov 20-23, 2010
Return: 25 runs and 1-120

If you only took one wicket in your test career this has to be the one. It was enough to clear out a packed Nagpur crowd.

Peter Truscott
Age: 76
New Zealand test cricketer number: 105
Played: Pakistan at Christchurch, February 12-16, 1965
Return: 29 runs and one catch

Peter Truscott was within one casting vote of advancing beyond this list.

Sunday, February 14, 1965 was the rest day during his test debut.

New Zealand were 130 for seven in reply to Pakistan's 206 after two days of the third test at Christchurch.

Truscott had been adjudged lbw to pace bowler Asif Iqbal for three.

His roommate John Reid took a phone call.

Rodney Redmond
Age: 73
New Zealand test cricketer number: 126
Played: Pakistan at Auckland, February 16-19, 1973
Return: 107 and 56.

Pride of place among New Zealand's one-test wonders must go to Rodney Ernest Redmond.

Only one other cricketer has ever scored a century in his only test before being discarded.

Ian Leggat
Age: 87
New Zealand test cricketer number: 67
Played: South Africa at Cape Town, January 1-5, 1954
Return: 0 runs and 0-6, two catches

Men in White, the country's cricket bible, showcases a photo from New Zealand's 1953-54 tour of South Africa.

The visitors are holding a party in Cape Town for "the press men who had accompanied them". They are soon to depart for Fremantle on the Dominion Monarch to begin the tour's final chapter in Australia.

At one corner of the ensemble stands Ian Leggat. A cigarette protrudes from his left hand, possibly about to feed an ashtray. He looks older than his 23 years.

Stuart Gillespie
Age: 60
New Zealand test cricketer number: 157
Played: Australia at Wellington, February 21-25, 1986
Return: 28 runs and 1-79

Stuart Gillespie enjoyed a halcyon 1985-86 summer.

He was injury-free, had a job, and was in a relationship with the woman who became his wife.

Yet the 28-year-old's stocks kept rising. He was picked in the New Zealand team to tour Australia for the World Series Cup - the 50-over pyjama format captivating cricket fans across the nation.

Gillespie had returned to the game after taking a season off to repair himself… and he sported a moustache which would've sealed a Magnum PI audition.

Greg Loveridge
Age: 42
New Zealand test cricketer number: 199
Played: Zimbabwe at Hamilton, January 13-17, 1996
Return: 4 runs

Greg Loveridge has the unfortunate tag as the bowler who never bowled in his only test. But he gets to reflect on that from a rather fortunate position as a rich lister worth $90m.

Loveridge's total on-field involvement in the five-day format lasted less than 30 minutes.

Richard Jones
Age: 44
New Zealand test cricketer number: 223
Played: Pakistan at Wellington, December 26-30 2003
Return: 16 and 7

Christmas 2003 was an unusual time for Richard Jones.

On Christmas Eve, he was at his girlfriend (now wife) Sally's family farm north of Wellington. The phone rang.

''Jonesy we need you to come to training tomorrow morning at the Basin. I said 'sorry?''' Richard Jones recalled.

David Sewell
Age: 40
New Zealand test cricketer number: 203
Played: Zimbabwe at Bulawayo, September 25-29, 1997
Return: 1 run and 0-90

As a 19-year-old the Otago left-arm paceman was chosen for his one and only test match on the 1997 tour of Zimbabwe.

He was part of the New Zealand academy tour to South Africa when Andrew Penn left the Black Caps squad due to injury. Instead of sending someone over from New Zealand, coach Steve Rixon decided to pick the youngster.

Gary Robertson
Age: 57
New Zealand test cricketer number: 158
Played: Australia at Auckland, Mar 13-17, 1986
Return: 12 runs and 1-91

Gary Robertson played alongside some of the most famous names in our cricket history, as John Bracewell spun Allan Border's Australia to defeat at Eden Park in 1986.

The importance of the eight wicket win has only grown over the years as it gave New Zealand a series triumph not repeated against the mighty Australians since.

Bracewell will long remember his history-making 10 wicket haul. Robertson, meanwhile, can recall his lone test wicket with humour and pride.

Michael Mason
Age: 43
New Zealand test cricketer number: 226
Played: South Africa at Basin Reserve, March 26-30, 2004
Return: 3 runs and 0-105

On a calmer Wellington day, maybe Michael Mason's test career could have played out differently.

On his test debut the CD paceman had to bowl into the wind at the Basin Reserve. A wind that the word gale would probably be understating it.