5 England players who were unlucky not to have played more for their country

#2 Eddie Paynter

Eddie Paynter upped his game to meet challenging situations

Among all England batsmen who have played at least 20 Tests, Eddie Paynter's imposing average of 59.23 is only behind Herbert Sutcliffe's 60.73 in the all-time list. Owing to the circumspect nature of team selections in the 1920s and 1930s, he had to wait for five years since his first-class debut before getting the opportunity to represent his country.

Renowned for his incredible doggedness, Paynter carved a niche for himself by taking on difficult situations. The left-hander's adeptness whilst batting with the lower-order made him a thorn in the Australian flesh. His astounding average of 84.42 is comfortably the best against the age old rivals. When he was at the top of his game, the second World War came in the way of what could have been an iconic career.