5 unforgettable moments from Jason Gillespie's career
Jason Gillespie had an illustrious career for Australia during their 'golden years'. His role as a tall and steady fast bowler could easily be forgotten among the names who played in that era, but his tally of 259 wickets is the ninth-highest for his country in Test cricket. The right-arm pacer was also a very handy lower-order batter who managed to score a Test double hundred also.
Dizzy, as Gillispie was called by his teammates, played 71 Tests and 97 ODIs for Australia. His career included some notable performances. Let's take a look at 5 of his best moments on the cricket field.
#5 Jason Gillespie's best: Last wicket stand vs New Zealand (2004)
Before this particular series, neither Gillespie nor Glenn McGrath had scored a half-century in international cricket. But the pair put on a huge 114-run partnership at the tail-end of Australia's first innings.
The Aussies had a first innings lead of 100-odd runs when the pair got together at the crease. The Australian side was ready to get back on the field and bowl at New Zealand. But, Dizzy and Pigeon had other ideas.
They both scored their maiden half-centuries. Gillespie's 54* helped Australia to a lead of 232 runs. It was the 11th highest 10th-wicket partnership in Test history at the time and still sits at the 16th position.
#4 Jason Gillespie's best: 5/22 vs Pakistan (2002)
Gillespie played a major role in his team inflicting on Pakistan their biggest ODI defeat at the time - by 224 runs - in 2002.
Australia made 332/5, setting a big target for Pakistan and a perfect platform for their own bowlers.
Dizzy bowled early on in the Pakistani innings and destroyed any hope that the side in green may have had. The Aussie seamer recorded the best ODI figures of his entire career. He ended up with 5/22 in a spell of 10 overs which had 49 dot balls.
#3 Jason Gillespie's best: Lethal spell vs West Indies (2000)
In the Boxing Day Test of the year 2000, Australia were looking to advance their 3-0 series lead against a West Indian side who were in a decline after a golden era of two-and-a-half decades.
The Aussies made a solid 364 runs in the first innings and the West Indies were looking for a good start in response. But Jason Gillespie foiled their plans as soon as he came on to bowl. He took the first two wickets of the innings, leaving the tourists at 6/2. Dizzy eventually finished with 3-48 in the innings.
The tall seamer's performance went up a notch in the second innings. Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, and Brian Lara, all succumbed to Gillespie's first spell. He had the Windies battling at 7/3. But the carnage wasn't over! His next spell produced three more wickets and left the Windies reeling at 23/6.
It will be remembered as one of the most destructive spells in Test history, with his dismissal of Lara a serious highlight. The Aussie pacer ended up with figures of 6/40 in the second innings. His overall matches figures of 9/88 look very impressive.
#2 Jason Gillespie's best: 201* vs Bangladesh (2006)
Gillespie elevated himself into the record books after scoring an outstanding double century in 2006 against Bangladesh. He was always known as a handy lower-order batter and a doughty nightwatchman, but this innings took everyone by surprise.
In this particular game, Jason Gillespie strode to the crease as a nightwatchman, only to run Ricky Ponting out early in his innings. But on the next day, which was his birthday, he managed to stroke the ball all around the field and register his best individual score of 201 - the highest for a nightwatchman in Test history.
Perhaps it was a bittersweet moment, as it ended up being his last international match.
#1 Jason Gillespie's best: Career-best figures of 7/37 vs England (1997)
With the Ashes locked at 1-1 going into the fourth test of the 1997 series, Jason Gillespie broke the game (and the series) wide open with a consistent and pernicious bowling display. He stepped up to perform for his country when it needed him the most.
England were cruising nicely at 100/2, but Gillespie went on to take six of the remaining eight wickets, with the batting side only able to muster 72 runs more.
This put Australia firmly ahead in the match. Dizzy's career-best figures and bowling spell in which they came are regarded as the major tipping point in the series. Deservedly, he won the Man of the Match award.