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Gilchrist blazes briefly in vital win

Source: The Age - January 27, 2006

With a six lifted crisply into the members stand, Adam Gilchrist gave the distinct impression that his break had worked wonders, but he could not produce the truly decisive innings he craved as he captained Australia to a pressure-relieving victory over Sri Lanka at the Adelaide Oval last night.

Gilchrist's opening partner, Simon Katich, kept his critics and perhaps his NSW teammate Phil Jaques at bay with a fighting half-century, but continues to search for the groundbreaking knock that might firm up his position before the World Cup.

While Gilchrist and Katich provided a sturdy enough platform for Australia to extend its slender lead at the top of the points table with a five-wicket win, the Australians - without the resting Ricky Ponting - were not overwhelmingly convincing in overhauling Sri Lanka's unintimidating total of 218.

There was a middle-order splutter, when Muthiah Muralidaran claimed two wickets in three balls but for most of the night, it was a painstaking chase on a slow, turning pitch.

Katich scrapped and scratched to 14 from his first 42 deliveries before getting himself going with three fours in an over, and he worked hard for his eventual 52 from 89 balls before Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara snaffled a fine top edge. It was Katich's fourth half-century since he replaced Matthew Hayden atop the order, creating a burning question - how to squeeze the irresistible, record-breaking Jaques into the team?

Gilchrist, the acting captain, managed his bowlers astutely on a pitch with not a lot of love in it for the quicks, to restrict Sri Lanka to a mediocre total, and when he took guard after his two-match hiatus, he looked refreshed as he provided Australia with a blazing beginning.

There were five fours, one creamed through the off side, and an imperious six over square leg off Chaminda Vaas, but in the 10th over, Gilchrist was undone by a ball from the impressive Nuwan Kulasekara that held up and was lifted to the fielder at wide mid-off.

Gilchrist's 34 in 33 balls was full of excitement for the 41 minutes it lasted, and it was his highest score since he mauled the World XI with a century at Telstra Dome in October. When he had departed, the run-rate dropped as Brad Hodge, Ponting's replacement, looked for an outlet but instead was tied up by some accurate bowling and managed five in 16 balls before he was bowled.

A steady partnership between Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds ended when Symonds holed out for 32 and Martyn was bowled by Murali two balls later. It was left to the dependable Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke to steer Australia to victory in the 49th over with an unbroken 42-run stand.

- CHLOE SALTAU