Richard Michael
DeanoHarmoGilchrist returns
December 17th 2006 07:52
Category: No Category
All the jokes are being put to one side for this post. Yesterday's innings by Adam Gilchrist will be remembered for generations to come. It was an innings of calculated risk, of glorious strokeplay and of disdainful aggression.
After Mike Hussey got out, I joked to my friend that it would be nice if Symonds and Gilchrist could both come in and get quickfire fifties. After the quick dismissal of Symonds, said friend and I were worried that Gilchrist would follow shortly, as he had in the first innings. His form certainly hadn't been encouraging, and once again Monty Panesar was getting turn and bounce. The beginning of Gilchrist's innings was nothing to rave about either. A little bit edgy, Gilchrist seemed too desparate to be able to have it his way. What sets Gilchrist apart from almost all other batsmen is that if he is in the right mood, he is able to do exactly that. Have it his own way, regardless of the bowling or any other factors.
He showed this in the definitive over of his innings. After 'biding his time' on the way to his 40-ball half century, Gilchrist decided that he wanted to go after Panesar. Not just go after him, but completely obliterate him. So, as Panesar bowled a regulation ball, Gilchrist hopped down the pitch and dispatched the ball over the cow-corner fence. Just for good measure, he did the same thing next ball, only then he hit it further. My friend and I both agreed that he wouldn't try it a third time. To be honest, it was quite naive of us to doubt him. He came down the pitch and this time had the unsatisfactory result of hitting a four. So, to correct this error, the next ball he once again double stepped Panesar and banged another six, the biggest of the lot.
At the end of the over, Panesar laughed. It's all he could do. As all who were watching could attest, Panesar didn't bowl that badly. He just caught Gilchrist in the frame of mind that international bowlers no doubt have nightmares of. Gilchrist followed the Panesar over with several more overs of spectacular plundering, despite the fact that the boundaries were peppered with fieldsmen. Realistically, those on the other side of the boundary fence had more chance of catching Gilly.
Gilchrist eventually reached his century off 57 balls, one shy of the all-time Test Match record for the fastest hundred set by Viv Richards. All the mathematicians reading this will no doubt be reaching for their graphics calculators and gasping in horror as they realise the magnitude of what Gilchrist achieved. His second fifty was off just 17 balls. To put that feat into perspective, Sanath Jayasuria scored the fastest ODI fifty off 17 balls. However, he had only two fieldsmen on the rope. Gilchrist had up to eight.
Sorry to Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke, both of whom played fantastic innings'. You simply weren't Gilchrist. Nothing to be ashamed of, mind you. There has never been a wicketkeeper-batsman like him, and as premature as this may be, I doubt there ever will be.
After Mike Hussey got out, I joked to my friend that it would be nice if Symonds and Gilchrist could both come in and get quickfire fifties. After the quick dismissal of Symonds, said friend and I were worried that Gilchrist would follow shortly, as he had in the first innings. His form certainly hadn't been encouraging, and once again Monty Panesar was getting turn and bounce. The beginning of Gilchrist's innings was nothing to rave about either. A little bit edgy, Gilchrist seemed too desparate to be able to have it his way. What sets Gilchrist apart from almost all other batsmen is that if he is in the right mood, he is able to do exactly that. Have it his own way, regardless of the bowling or any other factors.
He showed this in the definitive over of his innings. After 'biding his time' on the way to his 40-ball half century, Gilchrist decided that he wanted to go after Panesar. Not just go after him, but completely obliterate him. So, as Panesar bowled a regulation ball, Gilchrist hopped down the pitch and dispatched the ball over the cow-corner fence. Just for good measure, he did the same thing next ball, only then he hit it further. My friend and I both agreed that he wouldn't try it a third time. To be honest, it was quite naive of us to doubt him. He came down the pitch and this time had the unsatisfactory result of hitting a four. So, to correct this error, the next ball he once again double stepped Panesar and banged another six, the biggest of the lot.
At the end of the over, Panesar laughed. It's all he could do. As all who were watching could attest, Panesar didn't bowl that badly. He just caught Gilchrist in the frame of mind that international bowlers no doubt have nightmares of. Gilchrist followed the Panesar over with several more overs of spectacular plundering, despite the fact that the boundaries were peppered with fieldsmen. Realistically, those on the other side of the boundary fence had more chance of catching Gilly.
Gilchrist eventually reached his century off 57 balls, one shy of the all-time Test Match record for the fastest hundred set by Viv Richards. All the mathematicians reading this will no doubt be reaching for their graphics calculators and gasping in horror as they realise the magnitude of what Gilchrist achieved. His second fifty was off just 17 balls. To put that feat into perspective, Sanath Jayasuria scored the fastest ODI fifty off 17 balls. However, he had only two fieldsmen on the rope. Gilchrist had up to eight.
Sorry to Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke, both of whom played fantastic innings'. You simply weren't Gilchrist. Nothing to be ashamed of, mind you. There has never been a wicketkeeper-batsman like him, and as premature as this may be, I doubt there ever will be.
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