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Gilchrist will open
Source: The Herald-Sun - January 20, 2006
Adam Gilchrist has been guaranteed he will retain his role as Australia's strike opener despite the elevation of debutant Phil Jaques against South Africa today.Simon Katich hurt his groin at training yesterday and will be replaced by his New South Wales teammate Jaques, who will partner Damien Martyn at the top of the order at Telstra Dome.
The selectors yesterday denied a report that claimed Gilchrist's one-day opening career was over.
He will open the batting against Sri Lanka in Adelaide next week when he returns from a two-match break.
Captain Ricky Ponting said he made the final decision on the batting order and had no intention of moving Gilchrist from the position he has held since January 1998.
"He'll go back into the opening position," Ponting said yesterday. "I just love having Gilly at the top of the order in my side.
"Looking back over the years he has won us so many games. Even if he makes only 30 or 40 he generally gets them pretty quickly.
"He is really important for us at the top of the innings.
"I would love him to play the rest of his one-day cricket there."
Gilchrist, 34, has made just 24 runs in his past five one-day innings, prompting fears he had become worn down by the demands of keeping wicket and opening the batting.
"Gilly is just going through one of those trots at the moment as a batsman that everyone goes through," Ponting said.
"It's just taken Gilly a lot longer than most to go through it at international level."
Jaques, who made his Test debut against South Africa at the MCG last month, boasts an excellent one-day record for the Blues. He is the leading ING Cup run-scorer this year with 520 at 104, including three centuries, and boasts a Gilchrist-like strike rate of 98.85.
Martyn and Jaques promise to be a lethal pairing.
The West Australian has a superb record as a fill-in opener, with 415 runs at 103.75 and two centuries in seven innings.
Martyn also made 96 from 56 balls at the top of the order against the Proteas in the Twenty20 match in Brisbane this month.
Katich will be assessed ahead of Sunday's match against Sri Lanka at the SCG.
Pacemen Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken will sit out today's game, with spinner Brad Hogg the super-sub.
Jaques will join lanky paceman Brett Dorey in making his one-day international debut.
Australia is keen to atone for its unexpected loss to the Proteas at the Gabba on Sunday, while the tourists are still annoyed by their follow-up loss to Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
The Proteas hope injured fast bowler Charl Langeveldt (groin) will be fit to play.
- JON PIERIK