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No rest for the wickie until after world cup

Source: smh.com.au - December 2, 2005

ADAM Gilchrist has heard the comments that he has looked out of sorts with the bat, that his multi-hatted cricket job and increased family demands might have worn him down and that he should consider quitting one-day cricket to concentrate on Tests. He rejects them all.

Gilchrist has never been a fan of setting goals but he has made the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies a target. After that, when he will be 35, retirement from one or both forms of the game may come. Or it may not.

In light of his truly phenomenal standards, more questions have been asked about Gilchrist's Test batting in the past six months than ever before in his six years wearing the baggy green cap. He has heard criticisms about his keeping before, but this is a new development.

He averaged only 22 in the Ashes, and 17 against the West Indies. His modes of dismissal in Hobart and Adelaide - caught flailing wide of off-stump early on - caused as much eyebrow-raising as his scores of two and six.

Gilchrist insists those looks were deceptive. Before that, he was proud of his 44 in Brisbane, which helped turn 4-111 into a healthy 435. Before that, he made 94 in the Sydney Test against the World XI.

He also made 103 in the second Super Series one-dayer against the World XI in October. As important, the one-day opener believes, was his 45 off 48 in the first match of that series. He takes offence at dismissals of the composite opposing side's motivation, saying the one-dayers and the Test were deeply important to the Australians' post-Ashes recovery.

Gilchrist knows statistics can be made to say many different things. His 2005 looks great - a 49 average from 13 Tests. Since the start of the England tour, however, he has averaged only 25 from nine Tests and just one half century. In one-dayers since the start of the England tour, he has improved to average 52 from 13 games, as opposed to 40 from 24 matches all year. Still, this can help the contention his Test cricket would benefit from not spending energy on one-dayers.

The left-hander admits he would have relished the break selectors had planned for him from the Chappell-Hadlee series, starting in New Zealand from tomorrow, before they were over-ruled. But he says he is determined to get back amongst the runs in these three games. Moreover, he is not thinking about giving up any form of the game.

"It's always a question that gets asked but it's not something I've considered or am going to consider in the near future," Gilchrist said yesterday. "I've never set any real targets in my career but I would like to get to the World Cup. I definitely feel I can do it and still be as vital a part of the team.

- TREVOR MARSHALLSEA