Its Only Cricket

Filed under Player Profile - Australia

Leading man of following story was a wicket keeper cum left handed batsman, but as no hero is a hero without an equally matched villain (in respectful manner) ~ I'll start the story with an Indian batsman called VVS Laxman.

21 innings, 1081 runs at an average of 54.05 with 4 centuries.. numbers speak for themselves whenever VVS batted at an Australian venue. Everything was fine & Adam Gilchrist - leading man of this story - looked good to represent Australian cricket team for good 2 more years. Meanwhile, Aussie think tank were working overnight to device ways to dismiss Laxman.. DROPPED! Gilchrist drops a simple catch of VVS Laxman off Brett Lee. Adelaide 2008.

A rare miss from this superb wicket keeper who, in same test match, had broken world record for most catches + stumpings by any wicketkeeper ever in test cricket's history. 24 hours later - Adam Gilchrist announces retirement from International cricket.

Last chapters of Adam Gilchrist's cricket career are yet to be written as the champion wicketkeeper represents Australia in Commonwealth Bank triangular series, which also be the last edition of annual triseries in Australia.

An avid aussie cricket fan would remember how Ian Healy was dropped while he was keeping wonderfully but wasn't allowed to complete 400 tests victims. Healy played 119 tests for Australia and effected 395 dismissals as keeper. Then, who could forget Steve Waugh's fight for ODI comeback which he never got, while he continued to captain Australia in test matches! Aussie selectors are known to he harsh at times & who knows they had a major influence on sudden retirement of Adam Gilchrist.

But, that said, the left handed batsman set very high standards for himself. Adam Gilchrist was the only batsman who used to walk when he edged a ball so slightly that even umpires couldn't give him out. His team-mates, fans, opposition and even ICC couldn't relate to why a batsman should walk when umpires don't give him out. No wonder, Adam Gilchrist was nicknamed "Church".

A Cricket Commentator wanna be, chances are ripe that we cricket fans, in days to come, would listen Adam Gilchrist talking & explaining cricket through our television sets while a live match is in progress.

Records & Interesting notes on Adam Gilchrist career
**Gilchrist is the only wicketkeeper in history to play three cricket world cup finals in a row. and what more - he scored half centuries in first two & then a century in 2007 world cup (149 off 104 balls) which sealed the cup for the team from downunder.

**Talk Adam Gilchrist - talk very high batting strike rate. His ODI Strikerate of 96.90 is only 2nd best in oneday cricket by any batsman (behind Shahid Afridi), and 20 of his 43 over 50 scores in test matches came at an average of 90 runs per 100 balls. Adam Gilchrist once scored a 57 ball century against England at a Perth Test match in 2006, which is second fastest century in all test matches ever. Adam also holds the record for fastest double century in test matches by any batsman - his 212 ball 200 against South Africa at Johannesburg on February 2002.

**Adam Gilchrist is the only batsman to hit more than 100 sixes in test match cricket.

**Adam Gilchrist holds the record for most test match and oneday international catches + stumpings = dismissals by a wicket keeper. 416 and 454 respectively (as of 1 Feb 2008). Interestingly, 'c Gilchrist b McGrath' was a mode to dismiss 90 batsmen in test cricket, only second to 'c Rodney Marsh b Dennis Lillee' which happened 95 times.

**Since his debut in 1999 to retirement in 2008 = 11 years career, Adam Gilchrist played all = 96 test match consecutively for Australia, which is 4th most by any cricketer for his country.. obviously, a record for a wicket-keeper.

**96 test matches yielded 5556 runs from Adam Gilchrist's bat, at an average of 47.89 and most runs by a wicketkeeper. Andy Flower was the only wicket-keeper who finished his career with a batting average of more than 50.. 53.60 to be precise.

**Adam Gilchrist : Australian Test Cap no. 381, One-day cap no. 129. the day he retired, he had 416 wicketkeeping victims and the world record too, surpassing South African Mark Boucher.

**8 years since first class debut & 3 years since ODI debut - Adam Gilchrist made his test match debut for Australia, which made him play 76 odis before the 5 day cricket.. also a record.

**Adam Gilchrist won 7 man of match awards in test matches and 26 man of the match awards in ODIs.. which keeps him at 10th position in all time player of a match list.

In Itsonlycricket's views, Adam Gilchrist's
Best test series win : over India in October-November 2004, in which he was the captain as well.
Worst memory : using Squash Ball in the world cup 2007 final against Srilanka.
Best test Innings : November 21-22, 1999. Adam Gilchrist walks out to bat against a Pakistani attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar & Saqlain Mustaq.. chasing target of 369 in fouth innings of that Hobart test match. Australia were 5 wickets down for 126 overs and looked out of that test match. Gilchrist, along with opener Justin Langer - put on 238 run partnership & Australia won by 4 wickets.. Gilchrist remained no out on 149 off just 163 balls. This was one of greatest counter-attacking batsmanship you'll ever see on a cricket field.
Best ODI Innings : Gilchrist had a phenomenal hand eye co-ordination. He batted up the order & took attack right from first ball. His combination with Hayden was perfect.. I write all this, cause I can't pin point on best innings Gilly played. Whenever he made runs - they were joy to watch, iff not against my team India!?!

Shaun Tait : challenging the speed gun!

Michael Hussey : Opener turned lower order crisis man

Micheal Clarke : Aussie cricket's wonder boy!

Brad Hogg : Can't keep my tougue inside!

Brad Haddin : as good as Healy or Gilly?

A tribute to best cricket wicket keeper, ever!