History's great re-writer
Peter English
January 26, 2007
Adam Gilchrist has been a standout with bat and gloves © Getty Images
Video - The Adam Gilchrist story (Windows Media Player - 3m 42s)
Until Adam Gilchrist arrived a wicketkeeper who made regular runs was a luxury. Now they're the norm. Before his debut in November 1999 specialist glovemen needed only to be tidy behind the stumps and capable of resistance in front of them. Now they must bat No. 7 or higher in Tests and be able to make damaging centuries. They might even be judged on their catches and occasional stumpings. Gilchrist has done it all and made it look simple.
Ten years ago the only people who wore gloves and could be considered allrounders were multi-skilled batsmen. Alec Stewart might have collected 4540 runs in Tests when he kept wicket, but his role was initially as manufactured as a reality television show. His results, like those of Jeff Dujon, were a shadow of Gilchrist's. In Australia Rod Marsh and Ian Healy combined for seven centuries over 215 Tests; in 90 games Gilchrist has 17, the most by any wicketkeeper. His legacy is creating a new genre of player.
Achievements
Apart from his batting etchings, he is closing on the second-most dismissals of all-time. Ian Healy held the record with 395 until Mark Boucher passed him in January, but Gilchrist's collection of 344 catches and 37 stumpings is a mighty work. And that's just in Tests. His haul of more than 400 ODI victims is the most of any player and the overall record grows in prestige considering much of his early career was spent finding the right place to impress.
Stuck behind Phil Emery at New South Wales, Gilchrist took a risk by moving states, upending the respected keeper Tim Zoehrer in Western Australia before working on the then impossible job of unseating Healy. His first Test was in Brisbane and he was booed by thousands of Healy's supporters, but after 47 appearances he was averaging 60.25 - a mark bettered only by Herbert Sutcliffe and Don Bradman after so many games. Since then it has slid to just short of 50.
In the one-day arena he has flourished since Steve Waugh's brainwave over a bowl of ice-cream to turn him into an opener. His strike-rate of 96 is the highest of any batsmen with more than 5000 ODI runs and he sits in the top 15 run-makers of all time. The aggressive instincts have led to him being three big blows away from becoming the first Test batsman to 100 sixes.
What makes him special
Mostly it's the way he just walks out and wallops. At first his heavy hitting seemed to be too risky and unconventional, but he had worked on his batting as meticulously as his keeping from childhood and early-inning lofting was cemented in the repertoire. The ability to switch on immediately is also a crucial asset. In the rain-hit Wellington Test of 2005 the clouds cleared so quickly he was still swimming in the hotel pool with his boy Harrison when it was time for the warm up. He raced to the Basin Reserve, put on his pads and started thumping towards 162 from 146 balls.
What has happened before rarely phases him, although Andrew Flintoff's round-the-wicket angles did cause some worries. Australia were 4 for 61 against Bangladesh when he saved them with 144 in 2005-06 and 5 for 336 when he struck 152 in his first Test in England. With his opening spot in doubt during last year's home one-day campaign, he scored two hundreds and an 88 in six games. And his wicketkeeping often goes unnoticed, which is an excellent sign.
Gilchrist became the second-fastest century-maker with his 57-ball effort against England in Perth © Getty Images
Finest hour
It has taken him less than 60 minutes to grab some matches by the neck and swing them Australia's way, and his most brutal performance was easily the 57-ball hundred against England in the third Ashes Test in Perth. He missed by one equalling Viv Richards' world-record mark of 56 deliveries in a fierce display that included 12 fours, four sixes and a 24-run over from Monty Panesar. The most satisfying innings was his 204 in South Africa in 2001-02. He was away from his newborn baby and was also the subject of a false and vicious email rumour, which led to an emotional celebration. At the time his 212-delivery effort was the fastest double-century of all-time, but it has since been beaten by Nathan Astle, Virender Sehwag and Herschelle Gibbs.
Achilles Heel
For a player whose behaviour is so highly respected, he has managed to gain a pile of dissent charges. Half of his four offences came after showing disgust at decisions handed to team-mates (Steve Waugh against India in 2001 and Andrew Symonds in Sri Lanka in 2004), but he was reacting to a turned down catch when he received a reprimand in 2002-03 and was docked 40% of his match fee in January 2006 for not agreeing with the umpire. In 2002 he had his knuckles rapped for saying Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling was not within the rules. However, he walks when he edges, including during the 2003 World Cup semi-final, and promises that he appeals only when he thinks a batsman is out. In the modern game that makes him a saint.
How history views him
He has broken so many barriers that his name should be highlighted for decades. Like Shane Warne, there have been many attempts at clones, but nobody has been able to combine his skills with such inspiring success. He didn't play his first Test until he was almost 28, but in the past eight years he has re-written books with a language few can copy.
Life after cricket
It's probably another year away, but don't expect him to spend the rest of his life on the road. The treadmill has worn him down and until four of Australia's long-term players stepped down he was a favourite for early retirement. Family will play a big part when he passes on the gloves and his mind and body, particularly his knees, will enjoy the rest. A chatty, good-hearted nature and strong values make him well suited to life as a television expert and he will also be in demand from the corporate and endorsement sectors.
