Jason Gillespie Credits A Former Fellow Teammate For His Double-Century As The Night Watchman

Former Australian speedster Jason Gillespie, for the most part of his career, always played a supporting role to Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee. But the one milestone for which Gillespie will always be remembered for is notching up a double-ton as a night watchman. For the same, Jason Gillespie credited a former fellow teammate’s advice.

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The elusive double-century was the only one of Gillespie’s 71-Test career and came against Bangladesh in 2006 in Chattogram. The tourists enjoyed a memorable victory by an innings and 80 runs with the South Australian bagging the man of the match award, scoring 201 and picking up three wickets.

Coming to his double-century, the retired speedster credited Michael Hussey for breaching the mark. Gillespie claimed that when he was in the 160s or 170s, he went for a massive heave off Shadadat Hossain with the ball missing the leg-stump. Immediately, Hussey walked down to him and asked to play intelligently, advising him that there would never be a better opportunity to get a double-hundred in Tests.

“I was batting with Mike Hussey and I must’ve been in the 160s or 170s. I remember Shadadat Hossain came into bowl and I went to play a really big… like a terrible shot and it just missed my leg stump. “Mike Hussey walked down the wicket and I sort of walked up tapping the wicket and he said ‘pull your head in Dizzy, there’s no better chance of getting a double-hundred in your whole career and this will never happen again. So don’t waste the opportunity.” the South Australian said as quoted by News18.

“He sort of nursed me through, which was really good” : Jason Gillespie

The 45-year old continued by saying that he wasn’t so confident but Mr. Cricket’s words dawned upon him through which Gillespie began concentrating. The former Yorkshire coach claimed that his head went to the right place and Hussey’s advice helped him shepherd through to his maiden hundred. The partnership between Michael Hussey and Jason Gillespie was 320 while the former made 182.

“I was thinking ‘hang on Huss, I’m sure I can do this’. I’m walking back to my crease thinking I can do this again, but then reality set in by the time I got to the crease and was marking the center. I’m never going to be ever in this situation again in my life.

So, I pulled my head in and took that advice from Mike and he was very early in his Test career. He made a very fine 180 and we put on over 300 in that partnership and yeah it was good advice; he sort of nursed me through, which was really good.” he added further.

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