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Playing for keeps

Source: Herald Sun - January 2, 2005

ADAM Gilchrist has never bothered much about statistics or personal milestones, but his smile was as wide as the MCG when told about his latest record.

Today at the SCG he cracks ironman Ian Healy's Australian record for most consecutive Tests, from game No. 1 onwards, a milestone he cherishes given his respect for the man he succeeded.

From his star-rating Test debut five summers ago in Brisbane, Gilchrist has been a revelation. He has changed forever the role of a wicketkeeper with his dynamic batting, coupled with a distinguished record of dismissals which is fast overshadowing past champions including Healy and another Australian Hall of Famer Rod Marsh.

"I'm a bit nervous, actually, talking about all this," Gilchrist said.

"I hope it doesn't bring the Gods down on me.

"I don't want them to say: 'Right, time's up' just yet."

The closest he came to missing a game in his first five years in the Test arena was against the South Africans in the Christmas Test in 2001-02 when he and wife Melinda's first child, Harry, was born.

"There were serious complications -- not that you'd know it now to look at him -- and some issues I had to work through," he said.

"I wanted to stay at home (in Perth) until we were given the all clear for him to leave hospital.

"Fortunately, that happened a lot quicker than we had first anticipated and I was able to fly in at 10.30pm on Christmas night.

"I had to thank both Steve Waugh and John Buchanan who said for me to do whatever he takes.

"If it had meant missing a Test, I would have.

"As it is, I've missed a few one-dayers, here and there including the Holland tour (last August) when Annie was born.

"I made sure I was there for that."

Only three other Australians have played more consecutive Tests, Allan Border (153), Mark Waugh (107) and Ian Chappell (71). Gilchrist, the most modest of champions, is genuinely humbled to be mentioned alongside two of Australia's finest.

"I've been fortunate," he says. "Touch wood, I haven't had anything too much more than a sore finger or two.

"While Heals had a broken finger and missed a game (in 1994), he was able to come back and play another 50-odd Tests.

"That's the challenge for me. Not that it's going to be a target or a driving factor.

"That's never been important for me and nor will it be now."

He said his average of 4.31 dismissals per match, superior to all his rivals, had to be examined in context, given the extra opportunities created by three of the world's best in Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Shane Warne.

"It helps when you have the bowlers I've had to keep to," he said.

"To me, Healy's figures stack up really well.

"He kept to Warnie when he was right at his peak.

"He was fantastic standing up as he was standing back to the quicker guys.

"I've been able to catch most of them and hopefully I've been doing that to an acceptable level."

Gilchrist, originally from NSW, has been a trailblazer for those looking to shift states to enhance their opportunities.

Having overcome several roadblocks earlier in his career, with others ahead of him at club, state and Test level, Gilchrist said being part of the world champion side at Test and one-day level for the past five years has made the early hiccups worthwhile.

"It's more fulfilling for sure," he said.

"It was a risk to move (from Sydney), but as Alan Jones once told me, to win without risk is a triumph without glory.

"I've never forgotten that."

- KEN PIESSE