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Adam Gilchrist 10 yrs before he played test cricket...

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
So WA offered absolute security in all areas.
Nah cus their current keeper got the first shot. But he failed and Gilly was scoring runs at Grade level. There was still the inital belief in WA that Gilly was more of batsmen who could keep, then a keeper batsmen.
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Nah cus their current keeper got the first shot. But he failed and Gilly was scoring runs at Grade level. There was still the inital belief in WA that Gilly was more of batsmen who could keep, then a keeper batsmen.
How long until Emery was out of the picture?
 

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
How long until Emery was out of the picture?
About five years, Haddin had two season in ACT before coming over. Emery was at the the peak of his powers when Gilly was on the fringes and was seen 2nd best keeper in Australia behind Healy at the time. So there was a chance he could play like five season as specialist bat. Which was the main reason why he left, even though there was no certainity of games in WA either. Zoerner just had less time left in his career. So it would of only been two season max, playing as specialist bat. Rather then the potential five. If he stayed at NSW I dare say Emery would have been dropped after a season, to play an extra bat.
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
About five years, Haddin had two season in ACT before coming over. Emery was at the the peak of his powers when Gilly was on the fringes and was seen 2nd best keeper in Australia behind Healy at the time. So there was a chance he could play like five season as specialist bat. Which was the main reason why he left, even though there was no certainity of games in WA either. Zoerner just had less time left in his career. So it would of only been two season max, playing as specialist bat. Rather then the potential five. If he stayed at NSW I dare say Emery would have been dropped after a season, to play an extra bat.
So it made sense in a way then? At WA he was challenging another fringe player for the position and probably backed himself moreso than being up against the incumbent. I'd say it's entirely possible he was given an indication from WA that if he performed he'd be in the W/K position whereas at NSW he may have got the feeling he could be waiting for a while. Can't really argue with the result anyway.
 

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
So it made sense in a way then? At WA he was challenging another fringe player for the position and probably backed himself moreso than being up against the incumbent. I'd say it's entirely possible he was given an indication from WA that if he performed he'd be in the W/K position whereas at NSW he may have got the feeling he could be waiting for a while. Can't really argue with the result anyway.
Zoerner wasn't a fringe player he played for Australia and had been in the WA step up for a decade. Was a massive up roar at the time when he first replaced him in WA. Also was seen as strange move at first, cus WA was groming Ryan Campbell for keeper's spot once Zoerner retired. He basically just took a punt and it paid off, wasn't really the most educated move at the time. Cus if he didn't get the gloves, there wasn't much chance of playing as batsmen, as WA had a decent batting line up at the time as well.
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Zoerner wasn't a fringe player he played for Australia and had been in the WA step up for a decade. Was a massive up roar at the time when he first replaced him in WA. Also was seen as strange move at first, cus WA was groming Ryan Campbell for keeper's spot once Zoerner retired. He basically just took a punt and it paid off, wasn't really the most educated move at the time.
But they were looking to replace him, thus the battle between Gilchrist and a fringe player for the spot.

I wouldn't be surprised if WA lured him with something along the lines of 'We're looking to replace our keeper, come on over and you'll be given a fair crack at taking the position'. If it was a similar situation to the one he faced at NSW then he wouldn't have gone in the first place. There would have had to have been some sort of carrot dangled. Either that or he was of the opinion himself it offered more opportunity. Which it did in hindsight. I don't think it can be construed as something negative on Gilchrist's part.
 

James90

Cricketer Of The Year
How good was Australia's keeping talent in the early-mid 90s!

Healy, Seccombe, Emery, Berry and Gilchrist. You'd be hard-pressed to find five quality wicketkeepers in the country at any other point in time.
 

Top_Cat

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But they were looking to replace him, thus the battle between Gilchrist and a fringe player for the spot.

I wouldn't be surprised if WA lured him with something along the lines of 'We're looking to replace our keeper, come on over and you'll be given a fair crack at taking the position'. If it was a similar situation to the one he faced at NSW then he wouldn't have gone in the first place. There would have had to have been some sort of carrot dangled. Either that or he was of the opinion himself it offered more opportunity. Which it did in hindsight. I don't think it can be construed as something negative on Gilchrist's part.
If Zoehrer's autobiography, 'The Gloves Are Off'*, it was more of a done deal than that. According to him, Gillie, after indicating his interest in moving cross-country, was assured the WA spot before coming over and Zoerher was just in the way so they shafted him by asking to resign, which he refused to do. WA officials then went public saying Zoerher was a disruptive influence, especially amongst the younger WA brigade like Martyn, etc. so they thought it best to get rid of him.

* See there are advantages to being one of the 5 people (Zoerher, his Dad, brothers and me, in all probability....) who own that book!
 

chaminda_00

Hall of Fame Member
How good was Australia's keeping talent in the early-mid 90s!

Healy, Seccombe, Emery, Berry and Gilchrist. You'd be hard-pressed to find five quality wicketkeepers in the country at any other point in time.
Tim Neilsen was quite brillant behind the stumps as well and Mark Atkinson at his peak wasn't too far behind. He was probably ahead of Seccombe and Berry in that period as well. Both peaked in the late 90s and early 2000s. Berry was probably at his batting best in the mid 90s though.
 

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