There is always debate going on in cricket: who is greatest wicketkeeper batsman of all time? Bringing all sorts of stats and stuffs done behind the wicket are taken into account but there was no wicketkeeper who played like Adam Gilchrist because he was the bloke who defined the term wicketkeeper batsman. Ahead of his time, Adam Gilchrist hit a 57 balls 100 in test cricket against England in Perth. It was back in 2006.
It was third Ashes test match of England tour of Australia 2005, Gilly had already two ducks to his name in that series. His team had dominated England ruthlessly in first two test matches and first time in that series, Australia were bowled out for 244 runs in the first innings.
With a duck in the first innings, Gilchrist knew Monty Panesar had his numbers in that series but he wasn’t going to back down having a game at his domestic home ground. When Gilchrist came to bat, the crowd applauded his entrance, Australia were at 365/5 so there was no much to worry about the situation.
Mike Hussey, on that day, said on air that Gilchrist can be edgy in first 15-20 minutes of his batting. It looked so because he tried to cut through a ball off Andrew Flintoff and it landed at the point and went through for four because the fielder at point was a bit wider. A bit scratchy and rusty at the beginning but it was the challenging Perth pitch so no player is expected to play dominating cricket from get go.
Gilchrist’s first affirmative shot was backfoot punch through covers, it was a glorious shot that resulted in a boundary. From that point, there was no one stopping Gilly from having his merry day at WACA.
“That Innings Reminded Me Why I Started Playing Cricket”, Adam Gilchrist
Special players just find a way to deliver a special knock. With Michael Clarke at the other end, things were getting out of hands for English bowlers. Seeing how strongly and firmly Gilchrist was hitting the ball in the off side, Flintoff decided to test Gilchrist on the leg side and it even got worse because now he was hitting them more cleanly, everything came right from the middle of the bat.
Swiftly Gilchrist completed his half century in 40 balls. Things really took off from there. He put his dancing shoes on slammed Panesar for a 24 runs over with 3 mammoth sixes over long on to deep mid wicket. With big flat sixes showering, the opportunity to score fastest test match 100 in history of cricket seemed to look a possibility.
Australia went from 400/5 in 99.1 overs to 500/5 in 109.1 over. It took the pair only 16 balls to move from 450/5 to 500/5. This was the mood of the day ay WACA, not an ideal day to be bowler though. Just after drinks, in 112th over, Adam Gilchrist scored 57 balls 100 in front of WACA with 12 fours and 5 sixes. It was second fastest century in test cricket at the time, only behind Sir Vivian Richards’ 56 balls century against England in 1986.
Along with 57 balls 100, Adam Gilchrist also took 5 catches behind the wicket in that match. It was the most entertaining Ashes test century. Once he chipped in some form, he continued with that, went on to score 62 in 72 balls in the fifth test match at the SCG and had 8 catches and 1 stumping in that match.
