10 Most Underappreciated Players in Cricket History

Aubrey Faulkner: A forgotten great

South Africa: George Aubrey Faulkner (1754 runs @ 40.79, 82 wickets @ 26.59)

While many brilliant South African players such as Graeme Pollock, Mike Procter, and Barry Richards had their careers cut short by apartheid, Aubrey Faulkner might still be the most underrated player from the country.

Aubrey Faulkner may be a player long forgotten by many of today's fans, with his Test career spanning between 1908 and 1924, but it could be argued that he is second only to Bradman. Such may seem a lofty claim at first, but a closer examination into Faulkner's career gives it credibility.

Faulkner started his domestic career as a player who was functional at best. He batted low down the order, and occasionally bowled some medium pace. However, in 1904, a South African spin bowler named Reggie Schwarz came up with a new type of delivery which became known as 'The Googly'.

Schwarz taught Faulkner how to bowl this magical new delivery and it changed his career. Faulkner earned a call-up to the national team when South Africa were still looking for their first win in Test cricket. He would take 2/35 and 4/36 to help South Africa win by a single wicket. Faulkner had transformed from a decent medium pacer to a deadly spin bowler with an unreadable wrong-un.

Faulkner would also become a great batter, his finest achievement being the 1910-11 test series against Australia where in five matches he made 732 runs at 73.20. He was at times South Africa's best bowler and best batter simultaneously.

He only played one Test after World War One, but had he played during another time, he would almost certainly have received much greater recognition.