After three days of urgent news an opportunity has arisen to look back on the 2007/08 season. While there was enough controversy and sterling cricket to keep the most efficient writer busy for eons, there has been one topic that has been burning and churning within for a while. The retirement of Adam Gilchrist.
Since his days in junior cricket Gilly has been an unselfish cricketer and although his stats are impressive they tell only a fraction of the whole.
I was fortunate to witness Adam’s professional career from his debut as a middle-order bat for New South Wales till his final appearance in the green and gold at the ‘Gabba last month.
It should be noted that Gilly is far from finished playing cricket as he has joined the Hyderabad franchise, the Deccan Chargers, in next month’s inaugural IPL where he will join a stellar line-up that includes VVS Laxman, Hershelle Gibbs, Shahid Afridi, Andrew Symonds, Scott Styris, RP Singh and Chaminda Vaas.
So although a tad premature, over the Easter break I’d like to share my top five Gilly highlights in chronological order.
Second Test v Pakistan, Bellerive. 22nd November, 1999
In only his second Test, Gilly proved his mettle and confirmed his status as a leader, scoring a second innings 149 not out from 163 balls to miraculously steer Australia to the hefty target of 369. It was the highest winning fourth innings total in Australia and the fourth highest in Test history.
When Gilly appeared an hour before stumps on day four, Australia were on their knees at 126/5. With Justin Langer batting for his Test career (was it ever any other way), the West Australian pair produced an extraordinary partnership of 238 on a wearing two-paced deck.
Considering the Pakistan attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akthar and Saqlain Mushtaq was at that time the best in world cricket, Gilchrist’s exploits in this match are even the more impressive.
It was an innings of bravado and nerveless shot selection and I can clearly remember the joy on everyone’s faces as we headed to the carpark after the match.
We all knew we had witnessed something special but none of us ever imagined that a display of that calibre and character was nothing out of the ordinary for the baggygreen’s newest recruit.
Tomorrow: Johannesburg 2002 - The fastest double century in Test history and South Africa’s heaviest ever defeat.
Posted in 2007/08, Tests, australia | Tags: cricket, australia, IPL, test match, adam gilchrist, Pakistan, Bellerive
