Sam Gannon's Test career came late, and was almost entirely due to opportunities arising from the mass defection of Australian players to World Series Cricket. Gannon made his debut for Western Australia in 1966-67, making an immediate impact with 6 for 107 against South Australia. But he was competing against the likes of Dennis Lillee, Bob Massie and Ian Brayshaw and was never able to secure a regular place in the state side. For almost five summers from November 1972 he didn't play for Western Australia, but in 1977-78 he was recalled, and within five matches, and on the back of solid performances against South Australia and the touring Indians, he was called into the Australian side. His debut, on his home ground at Perth, was good as Australia won by two wickets and Gannon took 3 for 84 and 4 for 77. But only four wickets in the next two Tests - which Australia lose as India leveled the series - led to Gannon being dropped and his time in the limelight was over. He played the first half of the following season before slipping out of the Western Australian side for the last time.
Martin Williamson