Gilchrist

An All Star?

Perhaps Fantasy Bob should have put a first class stamp on the letter. However the enormous sum that he was required to spend to send the letter standard/second/slow class dented his pocket money by a significant amount.  He was already in danger of not having funds to secure his supply of empire biscuits for the week.   He did not feel he could safely risk a further outlay in the Post Office.  Not for the first time, FB has got his priorities wrong. For Adam Gilchrist has just announced to the world that he has played his last game of cricket. Gilchrist has been skippering the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL and they were defeated by the Dehli Daredevils at the weekend so ending their interest in the tournament.

'I would say I've played my last game of cricket just there. There isn't that fire burning in my belly quite like it used to. I have to think about it but I just feel I won't be playing,' he said after the match.

FB's letter to Gilchrist, powered as it was around the world by a mere second class stamp seems to have been too late. In his letter FB reminded Gilchrist that he is one of the legends of the game (a fact with which he may well be familiar). FB told him that, outside himself,  he was perhaps the most exciting cricketer of his era with a Test average of 47.60 and a Test strike rate of 81.95. He described his philosophy of batting as 'Just hit the ball' which he did hard and often.  If only FB could.

FB reminded him, as if he needed reminding, of how he stole the World Cup Final in 2007, smashing 149 off 104 balls. He also reminded him of his 57 ball century in the Ashes of 2006-7, the second fastest of all time. He also reminded him how he walked when given not out in the World Cup semi Final in 2003 and finally how he skippered Australia to their first series win in India in 2004-5.

All this FB has put before the great man. He then has asked the question as to whether he could turn out for Carlton's All Star Fourth XI this season. He confessed to Gilchrist that the All Star tag might be a bit of an overstatement, for the celebrity status of many of the players is open to doubt. Several of FB's world wide readership have been in touch with FB saying not only do they not find the names his so-called All Stars in the annals of Wisden, they do not seem to feature in Hello magazine. Do they adopt aliases when they turn out with FB?  FB can but hang his head in shame. He has tried hard to interest Hello magazine. He has even offered them a photo session with him and Mrs FB in matching sarongs and hairstyles, but this celebrity couple seem to be trailing Posh and Becks and Prince William and Mrs Prince William. FB shares his readers' mystification at these editorial decisions.

However to return to the subject.    FB agonised over the text. He was unsure as to whether to tell him that it was unlikely he would get to keep since the team has an 11 year old keeping the gloves warm. FB felt he had to come clean on that - after all Gilchrist is a man who walks. He would expect honesty.

FB was looking forward to getting confirmation, but obviously, to judge from Gilchrist's statement, he has yet to receive the letter.  FB is confident that when the letter actually arrives Gilchrist may well find the fire in his belly again.

In the meantime, FB says thanks to Adam Gilchrist for a great career that contributed so much to his own enjoyment of the game.