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Gilchrist discloses the secret of Australian success

Source: CricketZone.com - October 10, 2006

Dashing Aussie wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist discloses the secret of the recent Australian dominance of international cricket.

According to Gilchrist, the secret of the recent Australian dominance of international cricket lies in the relatively fewer teams in its domestic set-up, which breeds a higher level of intensity and competition.

"We have only six sides in state cricket in Australia, which means that at any given point in time, there are only 66 players playing first-class cricket," Gilchrist said in New Delhi on Monday.

This meant that there were limited opportunities for players who develop a hunger to take advantage of their chances as and when they came.

"The players have to fight hard just to get into the state teams which makes the Australian junior cricket pretty competitive and of a very high standard. As a result, the best and toughest players find their way to the top," the ace cricketer said.

The tough cricket to which Australians are exposed from an early age prepares the players for the intense pressure and scrutiny of the international game.

"The players are used to that sort of pressure as they are used to high-pressure intense cricket from a very young age," Gilchrist said.

"I am sure the other countries also get their best players out in the park, but the fewer teams in Australian domestic cricket work well for us," he said.

India has more than 30 first-class teams divided into two divisions that fight it out for the national championship.

Gilchrist also said the intense competition sometimes made it difficult for players to break into the Australian side at an early age.

Gilchrist himself had to serve his apprenticeship while Ian Healy was in the side while Michael Hussey made it to the side at the age of 30.

"The guys in the team have been doing a great job for a long time so there has not been any reason to bring new players," he said.

"We have had stalwarts like the Waugh twins and Shane Warne, some of the best players that Australia has ever produced, so there were not too many vacancies."

Gilchrist said the role of a wicketkeeper had changed in recent times and he is also expected to contribute with the bat like other specialist willower.

"I have a grievance that wicketkeepers are not considered all-rounders even though they function in two departments of the game," he said.

But he said that he considered himself a wicketkeeper first.

"I try to ensure that I take every catch and make every stumping before I go out to bat. Most other glovemen would also tell you that they consider wicket keeping as their primary task," the Western Australian said.