A PHENOMENON CALLED GILLY

A PHENOMENON CALLED GILLY

Adam Craig Gilchrist has called it a day and the cricketing fraternity will have mixed emotions running through. Fans will be deprived of some stunning stroke making, while the bowlers and the opposition captains will be a lot relieved to see Gilly’s back finally!!! Gilchrist has been a true phenomenon and he has completely changed the texture of the game. At this point of time, I felt it would be really great to pen down five of his best knocks, according to me. Gilchrist has smashed many a ball around the world but the world hasn’t still recovered from these innings of character and power.

5. South Africa v Australia, 1st Test, Johannesburg, 204*(213)

At number 5 is the sensational double hundred that Gilchrist made in Johannesburg. Gilchrist’s immediate impact in an innings was very evident from this match. Churchy, as he is fondly called adapts to the conditions very quickly, unlike many batsmen around. But yes, adaptation to the climate and conditions is just a secondary thought for Gilchrist. A knock out punch was delivered to the Proteas in their home territory by the demolisher on the second day of the test series itself. Australia finished the day comfortably at 310/5 with some gritty knocks by Hayden and Mark Waugh. The second new ball was taken and the ball was swinging around as South Africa picked itself slowly until the Western Australian entered the bull ring. Donald, Ntini, Nel, Kallis… bring ‘em on… who do you have??? Gilchrist just smashed everyone around the park. He made a really huge partnership with Damien Martyn in very little time. Gilchrist came in and went undefeated. But, the storm had hit South Africans badly. He scored the then, fastest double hundred. 200 off 212 balls is an amazing feat in any format of the game. Gilly just took the game. When Gilchrist joined Martyn in the middle, it was 293-5 in 79.1 overs. When the partnership was eventually broken by Kallis, the score board read 610-6!!!! What is more interesting is the pace at which Gilchrist and Martyn scored the runs. 317 runs came up in 63 overs at a rapid run rate of 5.1 runs per over!!!

Gilchrist paced his innings quite brilliantly. His 50 came up in 89 balls; next 50 came up in 32 balls; next 50 in 61 balls and the final 50 in 30 balls!!! With his innings, Australia demolished South Africa by a whopping innings and 360 runs!!! To add to his knock, Gilly had 3 catches and 1 stumping to his name in this match.

4. Australia v Sri Lanka, ICC World Cup Final, Barbados, 149(104)

At number of 4 is another sterling innings from Gilchrist that demolished the Lankan hopes of the 1996 WC repeat. It was never going to happen. A dull cricket world cup had a great innings in waiting to be unleashed!!! The man for the moment, Adam Gilchrist seized the opportunity when Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat. Sure Mahela Jayawardene had lot of headaches during the game. With just 38 overs a side in a grand finale, Gilchrist took the attack to the opposition straight away. His impact in the final could well be described with the stat: - Hayden strung a partnership with Gilly at the top. Strung a partnership??? What was that…? Hayden was actually the silent partner J J J. Haydos-Gilly partnership made 172 runs off just 22.5 overs. Hayden contributed a mere 38(55)!!! Gilchrist was all over Sri Lanka and dashed all their hopes of even touching the coveted prize once more in their history. Gilchrist was finally dismissed after 30 overs but the score board read 224-2 in 30.3 overs!! Gilchrist pummeled the Lankan bowlers for 13 boundaries and 8 huge sixes!!! Sure the spectators got their money back with this innings… A brilliant entertainer of the game later revealed that he has used a squash ball in his gloves for better gripping and hitting J J J. You cannot keep him out of action. He came back to do what he usually does best…Wicket keeping!!! He took two important catches of Upul Tharanga and Russel Arnold along with a stumping of Lasith Malinga.

If anyone deserves three world cups it would definitely be Adam Craig Gilchrist. The spirit with which he played his innings in addition to his desire to entertain the crowds is phenomenal.
Srilanka just couldn’t come back from what could possibly be best described as another tsunami, this time in Bridgetown!!!

3. India v Australia, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 1st Test, Mumbai, 122(112)

At number 3 is Adam Gilchrist’s first test innings in Indian soil. It couldn’t have been better than this. India were bowled out cheaply for 176 on Day 1. Gilchrist pouched 3 catches of Ramesh, Dravid and Tendulkar. Day 2 beckoned a brilliant innings from Churchy. The setting was perfect. Australia were tottering at 99-5. Slater, Langer, Ponting and the Waugh brothers were all back in the pavilion. Rahul Sanghvi and Harbhajan Singh purchased a lot of turn from the Wankhede pitch. Hayden was joined by Gilchrist in the middle. Gilchrist started pouncing on the lose deliveries from the Indians. He raced to 50 off 55 balls with 42 runs coming off boundaries (9X4; 1X6). Hayden was going strong in the other end. As he usually does, Gilchrist reached his 100 in the next 29 balls!!! By the time Gilchrist reached his 100, Hayden was still hovering in 90s!!! Gilchrist was finally done in by Harbhajan Singh when he was stumped, again out after reaching to hit the ball out of the park. Gilchrist’s innings gave the required impetus to the Australian innings and took them to another resounding victory. It was their 16th consecutive victory and Gilchrist had contributed a lot for this victory. By the time he got out, he had scored 122 off mere 112 balls with 15 fours and 4 sixes. Ganguly was bemused and so were his team mates. They had believed a lot in them to rip off a defeat for the Australians. Gilchrist showed why the Aussies were the world champions. India lost the test match by 10 wickets.

Although Gilchrist’s test average against India (29) remains well below his overall test average (48), his innings in Mumbai showed his class and showered a lot of appreciation from all fronts for his approach to the match situation.

2. Australia v England, The Ashes, 3rd Test, Perth, 102*(59)

At number 2 is a Gilchrist phenomenon that was witnessed in his home ground. Gilchrist went through a rough patch like many other greats. He failed time and again. He was even out for a duck in the first innings of this test. Pressure mounted on Gilly and he just opened up in a fashion that only he could do. England were on the receiving end and Madhusudhan Singh Panesar’s truck was crashed when he scored 24 runs off one over!!! Gilchrist went to top gear swiftly and packed four huge sixes out of the ground. Perth witnessed another 12 boundaries in his short stay. Fierce cuts and ferocious drives were the order of the day. He had he swiveled a number of pulls and hooks!!! He had stayed for around 100 minutes and the crowd witnessed a mini Twenty20 innings inside a hard fought test match. Gilchrist reached his 100 off just 57 balls. It was the second fastest in the world. Only Sir Vivian Isaac Richards was faster than this man. Gilchrist’s innings again sealed the match for Australia.

Many batsmen around the world make their comeback in some style with a lot of patience and grit. Gilchrist found a unique way to get back to form. Gilly truly lived up to the expectations of his home crowd.

1. Australia v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Hobart, 149*(163)

At number 1 is what Wasim Akram and co. watched from close quarters than anyone. Pakistan hoped of winning a test match in Australia. The hope remained a hope. Gilchrist, playing only his 2nd test match smashed everything thrown at him. A true test of character for a new comer!! When a bowling attack comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq and Azhar Mahmood couldn’t much do against Gilly, then which bowling attack can??? The variety that they had and the form that each of the Pakistani bowler was in clearly showed in the match. With a target of 369, Australia had a mountain to climb. The task became even steeper with the fall of the top order barring Justin Langer. Australia were starring a defeat after the close of 4th day’s play. They were @ 188-5, but Gilchrist already had his eye in. Langer supported him from the other end. Gilchrist started Day 5 from where he left. Shoaib and Akram were hit really badly. At the end of the match, when Gilchrist returned back to the pavilion he made sure that Australia won the match and the series. Pakistan couldn’t come back from that hard defeat and lost the 3rd test match also. Gilchrist also pouched 4 catches in the match. But, his innings of 149 helped Waugh’s men march on to their record 16 consecutive victories.

Without Gilchrist’s contribution, Australia could well have been similar to many teams. When Gilchrist made his debut for Australia, not many teams had such a wonderful batsman-keeper. India had chip-chopped with many keepers. MSK Prasad, Nayan Mongia, Sameer Dighe, Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni were all part of the Indian team when Gilly was the only keeper for Australia during the same time. England had altered their choice of keeper also. Alec Stewart, James Foster, Chris Read, Matt Prior, Geraint Jones and Paul Nixon were all a part of the England XI during the same tenure of Gilchrist’s. It was the same case with every other team in the world, except for South Africa and to an extent, New Zealand.
The deadly combination of the batsman-wicketkeeper will be missed in the future and it will be hard to beat this man, in terms of stats and the spirit with which he played his cricket.

Hail Gilly!!!