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Gilchrist voted destroyer-in-chief

Source: IOL.co.za - June 16, 2005

Adam Gilchrist has been voted the most destructive and intimidating batsman in one-day International cricket.

A poll of leading bowlers - carried out by The Wisden Cricketer magazine - identified the Australian as the man they fear most, ahead of the likes of Brian Lara, Shahid Afridi, Virender Sehwag and England's Andrew Flintoff.

South African bowler Makhaya Ntini described the left-hander as, "just unbelievable sometimes", while New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori admitted: "I would never say any batsman is frightening, but there are some that you are less interested in bowling to than others - that would be Gilchrist."

Azhar Mahmood added: "Gilchrist - I don't want to bowl to him, man."

Gilchrist played down the accolades with characteristic modesty. "I guess it is an honour in a strange kind of way," he said.

"But it is not something I place a lot of emphasis on. When I bat I am trying to perform a job for the team. It is not a personal battle against individual bowlers."

In 209 ODIs Gilchrist has scored 6 969 runs at a strike rate of 95, with a colossal 840 boundaries and another 94 which have cleared the ropes, and sometimes the stands.

With this summer's Ashes Test series looming, the survey also revealed the depth of Australian respect for Flintoff.

"Flintoff hits some big balls from good players," acknowledged Jason Gillespie, while Shane Watson, who hasn't even played against him, rates England's great hope as the batsman who hits the ball hardest in ODI cricket.

Bowlers who took part in the survey also included Shaun Pollock, Muttiah Muralitharan, Heath Streak, Harbhajan Singh, Brett Lee, Shadat Hossain, Martin Suji and Peter Ongondo.