Gilchrist impressed by Oz talent

Gilchrist impressed by Oz talent

Despite all the talk of a crisis in Australian cricket after Australia's loss to India, Adam Gilchrist is not concerned.

Gilchrist spoke glowingly about the depth in Australian cricket after skippering the All Stars to an upset 64-run victory over Australia in the All Star Twenty20 Match at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday.

"It's a tough way to gauge it, but I was very impressed, I don't think this is where you mark players too harshly or get too excited, but I think we're well stocked with talent around the country," said the 37-year-old former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman, who is widely regarded as one of the most exhilarating cricketers of recent times.

"There's any number of guys who have got the skills and the desire there and I guess at the moment there's great opportunity there.

"There are a few positional changes coming and going and the schedule coming up is just extraordinary, so there's going to be great opportunities for so many players in all positions I suspect."

Gilchrist was quick to heap praise on experienced All Stars duo Michael Dighton and man of the match Brad Hodge who tore apart the under-strength Australian attack, with scores of 65 not out and 34, respectively.

"If you can take a little window like this ... Hodgey just reminded everyone again and a guy like Dighton, who not many have seen, plays like that," he added.

"I was really impressed with the endeavour that everyone showed tonight, hard call for the guys coming back from India, but great for them to support it."

Australia, who rested a handful of stars and were missing others through injury, looked flat at times but Gilchrist tipped a full strength XI would bounce back in the first Test against New Zealand, which begins on Thursday.

"I don't think whether the Australian team won or lost tonight is going to affect things too much, I think we all knew the context of this match," he added.

"They've now got time to have a couple of quiet days, get that full squad back together and I expect them to be really firing come Thursday."

The match signalled the return of all-rounder Andrew Symonds and Gilchrist saw plenty to like in Symonds' quick-fire knock of 45.

"He started to play some really nice strokes there, he hit the field a little bit a few times early on, but then started to really free himself up and made some nice contact, so he'll be better for that run," said Gilchrist.

Shaun Tait also made a long-awaited return to the national side after walking away from the game early this year.

Tait described being back in the Australian squad as 'brilliant' and suggested he was refocusing himself to perform in the one-day and Twenty20 arena.

"I suppose if you look at my results, traditionally I've probably done better in the shorter forms of the game," Tait said.

"But I'm 25-years-old, I don't want to rule out having another crack at obviously four-day cricket, which hasn't gone that well this year.

"At the moment I probably have been focusing on the shorter format of the game more and the way cricket's headed in the future it's probably not a bad way to be."


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