For some reason I liked Dizzy Gillespie from the get go.
It might have been cause he was really fast, really young and fast, really young, or cause he had a pony tail, who can tell.
As the years went on he gave people a lot to like about him.
He wasn’t just an aboriginal, he was a fast bowling snarling aboriginal player.
Fu©k load of wickets never hurt.
The amount of effort that went into every ball, some times at delivery it looked like he was giving birth to twins.
His batting, which resembled a father protecting his hot daughter’s virginity.
His bowling, especially his bowling faces. The angry one he pulled on the way to the wicket that said, if there was a wicket inside my dog, I would gut him with a spoon to get it out.
Then on the way back from the crease, he was the most relaxed guy, laughing and smiling.
He had an off cutter than could cut you to pieces and he one rode his bat like Happy Gilmore.
Plus he brought back the mullet.
Nuff said.
The first part of his career was severely injury prone, think Shane Watson, but talented.
And for years every time he went back to his mark he would stretch and I would fear the worst. I was like an over bearing mother.
After all the first aid trips he lost a bit of pace, I blame the face plant with Steve Waugh for that.
Then he became reliable body wise, he was like a warrior in a war film, held together with bandages, but still seemed to get the job done.
After the pace left, the accuracy took over, his line and length was fuller and straighter than McGrath.
I still think if they kept a record of how many catches were dropped per bowler per match he’d be high up on that list.
The amount of times he would get an opening batsmen dropped at slip, only for McGrath to clean up at the other end was extraordinary.
For a while there he was Australia’s best bowler.
To be Australia’s best bowler at any time is pretty good, but to do so when Warne & McGrath are in the side is pretty damn special.
Then Dizzy went a little Ian Baker Finch, he seemed to completely lose is ability to move the ball, bowl a good length and miss placed a yard of pace.
This ended with him sitting out the 2005 ashes.
It would have been an ugly way to go, but the selectors picked him as a batsman and let him smack the kittens around for a test double ton.
Then he was shipped back to South Australia.
His file was stamped, in case of emergency. That emergency being if Brett lee and Stuart Clark died, or got caught in kiddie porn ring.
It didn’t happen.
So now at the age of 32 (I didn’t check it but it seems right) Dizzy has decided to get some superannuation in the ICL.
According to the very well paid Cricket Australia Administracrats, this means he can no longer ply his trade at radelaide Oval.
This is a shame, because the man still gives
Dizzy you will be remembered, as a gun opening bowler, as a brick wall, and as one hell of a mulletteer.
Enjoy the coinage.
One of my absolute favs Dizzy was. And for some of the reasons you mentioned. He was just a kid when he came over for the ’96 WC, hair, guitar, and all…oh yes, he could bowl at some pace too in addition. He had me all interested…that 60′s look an d serious cricket…it was a new one.Of course Dizzy didn’t fade away like the flower kids…wonderful cricketer…liked his. Good luck Jason.And he probably will be the only player to end a career after a double 100 other than injuries…but that’s just another interesting sidenot in this interesting player’s good career.
Haha! Very graphic, very novel – which makes it a graphic novel! (re: twins, hot daughter) For me, he was the rockstar who could also play a mean backup. ICL’s struck gold. Be fantastic in ads, Bollywood. This guys life is gonna jumpstart again.
I once asked Mike Atherton why he always got out to Glenn McGrath. He said that he did it deliberately so that Gillespie couldn’t get his wicket.Apparently Gillespie had once stolen a cheese sandwich off Athers’ plate during the lunch interval of a Lord’s Test match. Atherton was unable to ever forgive Gillespie for this.Gillespie’s cheese sandwich kleptomania grew and grew and even his team mates were regular victims. Eventually, they all decided that the only way to address this matter was to punish Gillespie by dropping one catch per cheese sandwich stolen.If you listen carefully to old footage, whenever a catch is dropped off Gillespie, you’ll hear Mark Waugh shouting, “That’ll learn you!”
I first saw him during the 96 WC running onto the field with some water bottles and dressing a pony tail – he was a replacement for an injured bowler, dont remember who.My favorite moment was when he rode the bat as a horse – I think it was after his maiden 50.”…but the selectors picked him as a batsman and let him smack the kittens around for a test double ton”Uncle J – he wasn’t picked as a batsman was he? He was sent as a night watchman when he got the 200 but was playing the match as a bowler surely.
I think the injured bowler was Damien Fleming…another guitar wielder.
Q, Some say nightwatchman, I say batsman, who are you going believe me or them.B&B, Your theory has some merit, because people who have the munchies from other pursuits often steal food.
Now I can’t doubt you Uncle J, can I.I just checked out the scorecard for that match and saw that Australia played with 5 batsmen, Gilchrist, and 5 bowlers (Lee, Gillespie, Warne, McGill, Cullen) – it was Dan Cullen’s debut match.Uncle J I think I would agree with you on this one – Gillespie was played as the 6th batsman :-)
Brilliant, as always!I’m gonna miss him touring The England in his Caravan.Here’s to Dizzy, may he be rich beyond his wildest dreams.May he watch all the heavy rock, he so desperately loves!