20 batsmen whose Test average never dipped below 40: Part 1

(19) Geoffrey Pullar (England): 1959-1963

Geoffrey Pullar was the first Lancastrian to score a

test

hundred at Old Trafford.

Matches: 28, Runs: 1974, Average: 43.87, Highest: 175, 100/50: 4/12.

Lowest Career Average: 41.62 (17th Test)

Geoffrey Pullar debuted into an England setup that had the likes of Ken Barrington, Peter May and Colin Cowdrey present in there. It meant that Pullar was pushed to open the batting, a position he had never batted at, prior to his test debut. Pullar was unfazed and responded in style.

He scored 75 against India in his first test and followed it up with a century in his next test. In the process, Pullar became the first Lancastrian to score a test hundred on his home ground.

Pullar also played a crucial role in England registering their first series victory in West Indies in 1960. Pullar scored 385 runs at an average of 43 as England won the 5 test series 1-0. More than the runs, it was Pullar's defiance that stood out.

While he did not score the daddy hundreds, Pullar bravely negotiated the new ball, paving the way for an unlikely series victory.

Multiple injuries and allergies meant that Geoffrey Pullar played only 28 tests in his career. He fell agonizingly short of the 2000 run milestone and finished his career with 1974 test runs. His highest score of 175 was a match-saving knock against South Africa at Edgbaston in 1960.

Pullar is one of the few batsmen to have opened the batting and batted at No.11 in the same test. The said incident took place against South Africa at The Oval in 1960. He scored 37 and 1* in that match. Pullar was selected as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the year in 1960.

Pullar's lowest career average of 41.62 came after he was dismissed for a pair against Pakistan at Lahore in 1961. The Southpaw scored 2 hundreds and 3 half-centuries in his next 5 tests, and was averaging above 50 at one stage.

A terrible Ashes series Down Under meant that Pullar's average plummeted down to 43.87, thus bringing an unceremonious end to his memorable test career.

Geoffrey Pullar did not achieve the dazzling heights many people thought that he was capable of, but he was a very reliable batsman who made the most of his limited opportunities. His presence on this list is further proof of the same.