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Dutch Tri- Series - 2004 |
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icricketer.com > Series >
Dutch Tri-
Series - 2004 > News
Aussies will miss Gilchrist:
Richards
AMSTELVEEN: Barry Richards believes the absence of Australia
wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist could prove a major blow to the world
champions' chances of winning the Dutch triangular event.
Fearsome one-day opening batsman Gilchrist is missing the
tournament, which also features India and Pakistan, to stay at home
for the impending birth of his second child although he hopes to
rejoin the squad for next month's ICC Champions Trophy tournament in
England.
"I think it's a bit of a lottery. Australia without Gilchrist,
I think that will make quite a bit of difference to them in terms of
aggressive batting at the top of the order," Richards said here
on Sunday.
"Who are they going to replace him with alongside Matthew
Hayden at the top?," added the South Africa great, who is
working as a television commentator at the tournament.
But, speaking before Pakistan's 66-run opening match win against
India in front of a 10,000 sell-out crowd and ahead of Australia's
tournament bow against India here Monday, Richards said: "I
wouldn't say Australia were out-and-out favourites. Most times you
would but this is not so clear.
"They are going to need a little bit of luck at the right time
in a one-off match. They could regret being without Gilchrist,"
added Richards who himself knows plenty about heavy scoring having
notched a remarkable 300 runs in a day for South Australia against
Western Australia during the 1970-71 Sheffield Shield season.
"I don't think just turning up will ensure they are in the
final. They are going to have to play really well," added
Richards, who after retiring as a player became the chief executive
of Queensland.
Looking ahead to the Champions Trophy, the mini World Cup and a
tournament Australia have yet to win, Richards said: "I think
Australia are always going to be the favourites but Glenn McGrath
has got a bit older and Shane Warne is no longer part of the one-day
mix.
"It's going to be very interesting cricket all round and it
might give an opportunity to some of the lesser-known players to put
their hands up and say 'I want to be known as one of the best
players in the world'," Richards, whose four-match Test career
was cut short at the age of 24 because of South Africa's
apartheid-enforced isolation, explained.
He refused to pick a winner but warned: "I think the team that
will cause the most trouble is England. I don't think they've got
quite enough to win it. But in Andrew Flintoff they've got a
powerhouse all-rounder."
England's 4-0 Test series rout of the West Indies wrapped up inside
three days at The Oval on Saturday was their seventh straight Test
victory - their best run since 1929 when Percy Chapman's team
completed their own magnificent seven during a 4-1 Ashes series win
in Australia.
The urn is up for grabs again next year, in England, with the hosts
desperate to end a run of eight straight Ashes series defeats.
"I think England will give them a run for their money. The
Achilles heel, as always, is a good spinner," Richards said.
"I've got a great personal amount of respect for Ashley Giles,
the England left-arm spinner, but the West Indies are notorious for
not playing spin well and the Aussies are notorious for playing spin
extremely well because they use their feet and create their own
length.
"But Australia, having said that, are also a little bit on the
decline. I don't think McGrath, coming back from injury is quite the
force he was before that and of course WarneyWarney will be a lot
more known to all the players in England because he plays so much
county cricket (Warne is Hampshire captain) over there.
"Their attack is one that will not put England under as much
pressure as in past Ashes series.
"Fielding will become a big issue and England have some work to
to catch up in that department.
"But I think it's going to be a lot closer than certainly some
people in Australia think."
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