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Gilly's two-ton attack
Source: The Advertiser - February 23, 2006
Adam Gilchrist believes he will not be singled out for a continuing personal attack from red-neck South African fans who gave him the toughest day of his cricketing life in 2002.
The explosive keeper-batsman was caught up in unfounded accusations about his personal life on a previous tour as cowardly South African fans unfurled cruel banners and hurled abuse.
Gilchrist wept as he knelt down upon reaching a century before he blasted the quickest double-hundred in Test history at the infamous Wanderers Ground - aptly named the Bullring.
He says he has moved on from the sour crowd memories and refuses to use them as motivation as Australia again prepares for a venomous reception from Proteas fans.
"It was utter rubbish and it's well and truly eliminated so I don't anticipate anything more directly aimed at me than at anyone else in the team," Gilchrist said. "There was one day where I've got a bit of a mixed memory but that day I happened to score 200 as well so that's always going to be a more fond memory than a bad one.
"That was a pretty emotional day because of everything that was going around or been sent around.
"That's not a motivating factor for us."
Gilchrist will return to the Bullring and again face 32,000 screaming spectators when Australia plays its Twenty20 tour opener early Saturday morning (Australian time).
Despite his own bittersweet experiences in South Africa, Gilchrist has counselled Australia's young guns to block out any abuse.
The vice-captain, who has ridden over the speedbumps of a form slip that had critics questioning his place in the one-day side, says players shouldn't become too sensitive about hostile crowds.
"It effects some in different ways than it does others but you have to (block them out)," Gilchrist said.
"Even in our own country, when we lost that first (VB Series) final in Adelaide we were getting absolutely hammered by our own crowds with serious abuse, so you've got to just put it in perspective and trust what you are doing is right."
Australia's squad for the one-day series has a radical new look to teams which have toured here in the past.
Gone are Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden and Glenn McGrath and in their place some fresh new hands like Mitchell Johnson, Mick Lewis and Stuart Clark.
- BEN DORRIES