Shane Thomson

After an impressive Test debut against India at Auckland in 1990, Shane Thomson was touted as a real prospect. But with his offspinners fairly innocuous at the highest level, he never really delivered in a seven-year, 19-Test career. His finest hour was the thrilling unbeaten 120 in a memorable run-chase against Pakistan at Christchurch in 1993-94, and for the next year or so, as his average flirted just below 40, he looked to have cracked it. But his last six Tests brought nine innings and only 85 runs. Dropped after the 1996 World Cup, he retired from first-class cricket in 1997, aged just 28.