The Googly

Whatever happened to... Brendon Julian

The Australians make a habit of bringing a young, talented tyro on an Ashes tour; Shaun Tait in 2005 being the most recent example.  In 1993, all-rounder Brendan Julian was the boy most likely. 

He impressed fitfully in that summer of yet another Aussie series victory.  The pick being the Third Test at Trent Bridge where he followed an incredible caught & bowled,  diving down to his right in the middle of his follow through to take a shin-high straight bludgeon off Robin Smith, with a dogged two hour session at the crease to reach an unbeaten 56 and save the game for the visitors.  Although to be fair, I'm not sure how hard it is to repel McCague, Ilott, Caddick and Such for two hours.

This fitfulness was the watchword of his international career, and the last of his seven tests was played just two years later, taking only one wicket as the Australians crushed Sri Lanka at the WACA. His one-day career lasted longer, including some games in the 1999 World Cup, but he is generally consigned to the file  marked "dodgy temperament".

He continued to play for Western Australia and Surrey, playing a key role in Wests back-to-back titles in the late 1990s, until his retirement at the relatively young age of 30 in 2001.  Shunning the usual route into cricket commentary, Julian instead went mainstream and now presents the travel programme Getaway on Channel 9.
[Image: Getty]

Whatever happened to... Alex Tudor

As the start of a new feature here on The Googly, we take a look at the England fast-bowling hope who faded faster than an X Factor winner's chart success.

It all started so well for Alex Tudor.  He was picked early for an Ashes tour in 1998-99, where he bowled admirably and even showed some pluck with the bat, hitting 18 in the face of Stuart MacGill's wristy onslaught at the SCG.  The following summer he became England's highest scoring nightwatchman with his 99 not out against New Zealand, all the time bowling tidily without ripping up any trees, as his 34.39 average reflects.  But he was only 21, with time on his side.  Or so we thought.

Alex spent the subsequent five years either on the operating table, in the rehab room, or bowling his way back to fitness before inevitably breaking down again.  It is testament to his talent that in the midst of all this he managed to play an Ashes Test in 2001 at Trent Bridge, returning figures of 5-44, and in Perth in 2003, where he also impressed.  A player who can perform against the Aussies is a rare find indeed - what a shame Tudor's physiology was not in the same league of toughness as his mentality.

Surrey eventually tired of seemingly endless fitness merry-go-round and released him a full year before the end of his contract in 2004.  Essex took the calculated risk of employing a player of his talent with such an injury history, and it has been neither a disaster nor a success.  Tudor played 10 matches in 2007, taking 17 wickets at 35 and averaging a Harmison-esque 11.25 with the bat.

Despite being still only 30, and Stuart Clark is surely living proof that there is life in a fast bowler after this milestone, I see no romantic return to international colours for Alex: a great talent lost to the England side.