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Loading ...There’s talk of Prior becoming our permanent #6, too – not a bad reward for a hundred on a flat pitch against an attack featuring one bowler of Test-match quality. And Edwards is still pretty erratic.
He’s not the Messiah…….
By Richard Seeckts last year, at the start of March Add your comment below
Please, please, please let us be spared a chorus of ‘Prior is the new Gilchrist’ over the coming days and weeks.
He isn’t. Adam Gilchrist was a once in a lifetime player and it will do Prior no favours to mention the pair in the same breath.
Almost unbelievably, the suggestion first appeared in print after Prior’s century on debut at Lord’s in May 2007. The West Indian bowling in that match was little better than the club class pies tossed his way today, and the pitch equally as easy as that in Trinidad.
Prior can bat, and hasn’t dropped any howlers recently, but let’s reserve judgement on his class until he has played several series against Australia and South Africa. He may evolve into the new Alec Stewart in time, which would be laudable enough. But Gilchrist, never.
Remember, England spent twenty years dubbing the likes of David Capel, Derek Pringle, Phil De Freitas and Chris Lewis as the new Botham before finally realising that there will never be one.
Tags: adam-gilchrist, matt-prior |
17 Responses to “He’s not the Messiah…….”
March 7th, 2009 at 11.02 pm
March 8th, 2009 at 12.55 am
He’s better than fred with the bat at present , so deserves to be no 6. He may have only scored 2 100’s, but that’s five years better than Flintoff.
And if you’ve heard someone comparing him to Gilchurch, then you let me know where it happened, and I’ll go and Suave smash them!
March 8th, 2009 at 7.35 am
Gilcrist was once in lifetime cricketer.
none in the present cricketin scenario can match him
though dhoni and mucculum one day maybe
March 8th, 2009 at 9.41 am
Prior can’t be the new Gilchrist because the Australian media have already coronated Haddin in that position (despite some fairly average performances).
Perhaps we can coronate him as the new ‘Ian Healy’? Or perhaps the new Chris Read, after the old Chris Read got dumped. Maybe he’s actually the new, old Paul Nixon. No, he’s got to the the new, old, old, newer Geraint Jones (you know, the time where he had a little bit of form, but it was nothing spectacular, but still better the crap either side). Now that’s a title to be proud of.
March 8th, 2009 at 11.31 am
Agree he’s not the messiah but I think there’s plenty of evidence that he should bat above Fred in the order.
March 9th, 2009 at 7.08 am
Dhoni will never match Gilchrist…1 hundred in 56 test innings so far…way to inconsistent.
March 9th, 2009 at 9.51 pm
I don’t think you’ll hear any Prior = Gilchrist talk from anyone who knows anything about the game.
March 10th, 2009 at 6.12 am
Are there really people who’re suggesting that?
richo,Gilchrist might never match the ODI/T-20 skills of #1 Batsman MSD either.Same problem.Way too inconsistent.
Give MSD time,he’ll get close in the tests.Not equal,but definitely close.
March 10th, 2009 at 7.03 am
Didn’t take long for an Indian fan to get his knickers in a knot I see (regarding my comment on Dhoni), given Gilly is retired I dont see how you can say he’ll never match Dhonis’ ODI/T20 prowess. Gilys performances in ODI still match anything Dhoni has done Sunny!
March 10th, 2009 at 2.03 pm
Dhoni
Batting and fielding averages Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 35 56 6 1807 148 36.14 2873 62.89 1 14 208 32 81 17
ODIs 133 120 32 4376 183* 49.72 4794 91.28 4 30 335 98 131 41
T20Is 13 12 3 215 45 23.88 207 103.86 0 0 16 4 3 0
Gilly
Tests 96 137 20 5570 204* 47.60 6796 81.95 17 26 677 100 379 37
ODIs 287 279 11 9619 172 35.89 9922 96.94 16 55 1162 149 417 55
T20Is 13 13 1 272 48 22.66 192 141.66 0 0 27 13 17 0
March 10th, 2009 at 10.34 pm
Thank you JII for confirming with actual figures what i allready knew. Gillies feats as a batsman are superior to MSN in every aspect of the game. Sunny have a look and then retract your rather silly statement that Gilly was “too inconsistent” in odi and T20. Gilchrist was a once in a life time player so it is not being disrespectful to say that Dhoni is not going to match him —it is just stating the facts that a good player he certainly is, but not a once in a lifetime player.
March 11th, 2009 at 11.07 am
Dhoni leads the side also (added pressure)
richo hav u ever seen a batsman batting at no. 6 having an average of 50 except dhoni and beaven
gilcrist was abrilliant cricketer but dhoni is as good
March 11th, 2009 at 3.15 pm
You kangaroos,your knickers are always in knots.
Try reading my comment again.
I also see it didn’t take long for snobbish aussie fans to react emotionally to an “ODI” comparison b/w 2 of the best keeper-bats of all-time.Again,I meant ODI/T-20’s there.
Logic & aussies are two parallell lines.They can never meet.
I wish you could give credit where its due & acknowledge that Gilchrist was never really as consistent as Dhoni is.
Sadly,you might never learn to give credit to individuals not belonging to your ‘great’ country.
Gilchrist is way ahead in tests.Though given time,like I’ve already stated,Dhoni might get close.
In the One Day format,Dhoni averages 50 with a strike rate just 3 runs behind Gilly.Playing most of his career in the lower part of the middle order,he’s doing just about everything right.
In the ODI format,I would compare Gilchrist with someone like a Sehwag.Even JSurya.Those sort of guys.
Perspective,is the word.Look it up in the dictionary & then do your kangaroo dance.
March 12th, 2009 at 4.16 am
Hardly.After his deprorable exhibition behind the stumps[a record?].’OH yes my yardstick is byes,someone said.
He got a few runs in a situation even my grannies could have got.He had to!
Now if G.Jones[best English keeper since Godfrey Evans-not keeper/batter,that was obviosly A.Stewart[Prior's mentor!] they would have stopped the game and have him hung,drawn and quarted Guy Fawkes style.But no. Excuses from everyone[poor old Matt etc.].Why?
I have been accused of making no sense,so here comes the face-saving replies.Yes and there are lies,damn lies and STATISTICS.
March 12th, 2009 at 6.33 am
Australians think they own the world.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the best oneday batsman in the world today.
Can’t remember gilly ever making it to the number one spot in onedays.
But gilchrist is gilchrist.1 of the most destructive batsman to ever play the game-tests,onedays,twenty-plenty.
Contrary to popular belief,indians do like some australian cricketers.
Gilchrist,Steven Waugh,Warne,Hussey lead that pack.
Ponting,symonds,clarke,hayden are on the other end.
As for prior,good luck lasting more than 20 deliveries in a test match against the better attacks in the world.
Thats SA,Aus & Ind in that order.
March 12th, 2009 at 2.05 pm
Ranbir,
May I add my favourite Gillespie to the list?
March 15th, 2009 at 10.09 pm
Over 50 byes in a test match. I think that provides your answer!
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