Gilchrist 'alienated' from team By Doug Conway November 10, 2003
ADAM Gilchrist won wide praise for sportsmanship after "walking" during a big World Cup match, but there was no such joy in the Australian dressing room. His teammates were "pissed off".
Gilchrist recalled the "looks of bewilderment" when he confirmed to his colleagues he had just defied an unwritten rule of modern cricket – ruling himself out despite an umpire's not out decision against Sri Lanka in Port Elizabeth last March.
"Suddenly it hits me how widespread the effects of my decision could be," he writes in his book Walking To Victory of his bat-pad edge off Aravinda de Silva's bowling.
"Already I feel somewhat alienated from my teammates.
"They don't have to say anything more.
"It's a World Cup semifinal, for crying out loud.
"Of course they're pissed off with my sudden decision to form a closer relationship with my conscience.
"I wish someone would say something so that I could blab out some poor, nervous excuse, but no-one does.
"We watch the rest of the innings in silence."
Happily for Gilchrist, and Australia, Ricky Ponting's team fought back from a precarious position to defeat Sri Lanka and went on to beat India in the 2003 World Cup final.
Gilchrist calls his self-dismissal "one of those split-second decisions that can change the course of a game, or even a life".
The dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman had moments of doubt as he walked off, asking himself: "Is it the crowd that's crazy or is it me?
"But even during this lonely stroll against the grain, somewhere deep in the back of my mind, something is reminding me: You're doing the right thing."
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