Jason Gillespie

Gillespie took 259 wickets in 71 Tests (at an average of 26.13) making him Australia's sixth-highest wicket-taker and giving him the 14th best bowling average for Australian bowlers who have taken more than a hundred wickets.[13]

He bowled at 140–150 km/h (around 90 mph) in his early career up to about 2001. When he made his comeback in the 2001/02 season, he bowled more consistently, but at a speed of about 135–145 km/h. Repeated injuries forced him to operate from a shorter run-up and therefore reduce his pace.

Gillespie seldom dominated a Test series (the most wickets he took in a series is 20), but he was a reliable support bowler over several years for his more famous teammates Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. For his performances in 2004, he was named both in the World Test XI and ODI XI by the ICC.[14] However, Gillespie's career suffered an unexpectedly sharp decline. In early 2005, there were signs that he was struggling, with poor displays against New Zealand, but he was still considered Australia's leading fast-bowling partner for McGrath. This poor form continued into the 2005 Ashes series where he took just three wickets at a cost of 300 runs and was dropped after the third Test.

Gillespie took 40 wickets for South Australia during the 2005/06 Pura Cup Season. He was the fourth-highest wicket taker in the competition, with an average (21.3) far below the other leading wicket takers. His best figures came against Victoria where he took 7–35. These performances saw him make a return to the Australian Test side against Bangladesh after injury problems to the first choice attack. Gillespie was named man of the series after taking eight wickets and making a double century in the two Tests, but he was never selected to play for Australia again.

Gillespie occasionally proved his worth with the bat, with a highest Test score of 201 not out and an average of 18.73. He is the only player in Test cricket with a career batting average of less than 20 to score 200 runs in an innings. He demonstrated a solid defensive game, known by teammates as 'The Walking Forward Defence', and despite not regularly making big scores, he was a difficult batsman to dismiss and occupied the crease for substantial periods of time, allowing his batting partners time to get bigger scores. His low back lift helped him to defend or deflect shots from spin bowlers more readily.

He has a one-day international high score of 44 not out and he averages 12.6 in one-day internationals with a strike rate of 78.5.

Glenn McGrath (61) and Gillespie (54*) shared a last wicket stand of 114 against New Zealand in 2004 at the Gabba[15] to hilarity and the acclaim of their team-mates.[16]

In the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong on 19 April 2006, Gillespie (201 not out) set the world record (on his 31st birthday) for the highest individual score by a night watchman. This was his maiden first-class century. He also shared a fourth wicket partnership of 320 runs with Michael Hussey. Gillespie was awarded man-of-the-match honours for his double-century in the first innings and he was also named man of the series for his efforts that included eight wickets, at an average of 11.3. It was his final match in international cricket. Gillespie is the only night watchman to score a double century in a Test.[17][18][19]

Jason Gillespie preparing to bowl for South Australia against Western Australia in January 2007

Throughout his career, Gillespie had bad luck with injuries, suffering from foot injuries, stress fractures in the back, hip twinges, side-strains, shoulders, torn calves, aching hamstrings, groin complaints and a broken right leg. He played only 52 from a possible 92 Tests following his debut to his axing during the 2005 Ashes series.[20][21] Despite these problems, he was both accurate and economical.

In Australia's 1999 tour of Sri Lanka, he was involved in a sickening outfield collision when both he and Steve Waugh were running to take a catch. Waugh was running from the infield towards the outfield, while Gillespie was running in. Waugh dived for the ball resulting in his nose and Gillespie's right leg being broken. The catch was not taken.[22][23][24]