Cricket is definitely a funny old game. It’s a definite cliché that phrase, but it occasionally has a way of throwing a spanner in the works and providing something that just shouldn’t normally happen.
Rewind to Chittagong in 2006. Australia was playing their first test series in Bangladesh, and in the first test Bangladesh gave a spirited fight led by a stirring century from Shahriar Nafees. There was hope the spirit shown by the Bangladeshis would be carried into the Chittagong match. Alas it was not to be.
And the stage was set for the most absurd inning in cricket history.
Jason Gillespie had long been one of Australia’s great fast bowling servants. His partnership with Glenn McGrath was a major factor in Australia’s run of dominance and he could have easily been a top bowler for any other country at his peak.
He has recently been dropped following a disastrous campaign to England in 2005, which effectively spelled the end of his career, and was only called up because McGrath, Kasprowicz, and Tait were missing. He bowled well in the first test, and took three cheap and effective wickets in the first innings of Bangladesh. At the end of the first day, he was sent in at first drop after Matthew Hayden fell for 29, to join Phil Jaques.
He was not removed for the rest of the innings. Day two was shortened because of poor weather, but by the end of day three he had progressed to his maiden test (And first class) century.
Midway through day four, he moved on to an unbeaten 201, the highest ever score by a nightwatchman and also a higher score than many of his more illustrious batsmen. Along the way he chalked a gigantic 320 run partnership with Mike Hussey, who scored a rapid 182.
There was nothing really remarkable of Dizzy’s batting technique. He effectively put his leg as far as he could down the pitch and blocked. Now he was never a fast scorer, but he was incredibly difficult to dislodge. In India in 2004 his defensive innings, along with Damian Martyn’s century, helped draw the second test, setting the stage for Gillespie to take nine wickets in the next test to bowl Australia to victory.
His double century was full of drives, cut shots, and pulls. He had passed fifty twice previously, so everyone knew he could be a real pest if he hung around. This was something different. He bullied and wore down the Bangladesh attack that just couldn’t get past the long front foot. He brought up his double century with a leg glance for four. The commentators laughed with genuine glee, and Dizzy shook his head at the absurd notion that he of all people had scored a test double century.
Sadly, I have been unable to find any video footage of this particular gem. I’d dearly love to see it and laugh again. It always brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
Only Glenn McGrath scoring a century could be close to more absurd. Or maybe Chris Martin making it into the 20s.
