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Geoff Boycott has not been approached to take up a coaching role with England’s leading batsmen, according to the ECB. Some English newspapers reported on Thursday that Boycott was being lined up for a part-time coaching position and would specifically be working with Andrew Flintoff, who has struggled with the bat for Lancashire.Although the ECB has had “informal conversations” with Boycott a spokesman said the intention was not for him to work with the senior players. He is more likely to be called on to offer batting advice to age-group teams like the England Under-19s.”We use people like Nasser Hussain already to go to the National Performance Centre in Loughborough to talk to the age-group teams and the England Lions,” the ECB spokesman told . “That is what we envisage other former players doing.”The ECB said any mentoring Boycott would undertake would be in an unofficial capacity and no extra coaches had been added to the current set-up under Peter Moores.

Concerns over the future of Northamptonshire are likely to deepen as the extent of the club’s debts become clear.ESPNcricinfo understands that Northants owe local councils over £2m and that, despite strong talk of new business plans, the year-end financial figures will show that turnover has dropped and losses grown.Northants declared a loss of £305,636 last year but, despite cutting the cricket budget by around £300,000 this year, that loss is expected to rise to somewhere approaching £500,000. Alarmingly, despite having invested in improved facilities, the club’s turnover – £3.7m last year – is expected to have dropped by around £200,000. Membership, meanwhile, has dropped well below 2,000 and appears oddly passive.It was announced in recent weeks that Northampton Borough Council had lent the club £100,000 with a further £150,000 to be made available as required. But it has now emerged that the club borrowed £2m from the city council (there were two separate loans of £1m each) for ground redevelopment work a couple of years ago, with the loan to be repaid by the ECB out of proceeds from the next round of broadcast rights expected at the end of 2019.It is understood that all counties can expect an additional grant of up to £2m from the ECB for investment into facilities at this time.Should the club go out of business before then, the council could expect to recoup no more than £700,000 under the terms of the agreement, meaning that £1.3m of public money is in jeopardy. They therefore have a keen interest in ensuring the club survives until the end of the decade, at least.The ECB has been offering advice to the club for some time. There has been a reluctance to loan more money – the club had requested up to £500,000 – however, until there is greater confidence in the club’s plans and management structure.While officials at the club continue to deny it, insiders maintain that the chief executive, Ray Payne, conducts the role in a part-time capacity and is a relatively rare visitor to the ground. Typically, that has meant he has been at the ground for a day or two each week.The club have also taken loans from directors – thought to be worth around £550,000 – and received grants from supporters. It is understood some players have accepted new deals on reduced salaries and that at least two players have been told their contracts cannot be confirmed until it becomes clear whether the ECB will lend more money. With the level of debt approaching £3m, the ECB have a difficult decision to make.Professional sport in Northampton is in a parlous state. The council this week has also announced an independent enquiry, to be conducted by KPMG, into the management of a £10.25m loan to the town’s football club and they are working with Northamptonshire Police to ascertain how the money has been spent. They have also loaned the rugby club over £5m. News that a further £1.3m of public money is at risk is likely to be acutely politically embarrassing.In August, ESPNcricinfo revealed that the club had approached the ECB for extra funding and had considered a ground move. The club originally denied the story and told the ECB there was a covenant on the ground that forbade development. They later admitted that they had approached the ECB for funding, had “briefly” explored the possibility of a ground move and admitted that the covenant had been lifted several years ago.They maintain it is not relevant that the chairman, vice-chairman and other board members have a background in land or property development. ESPNcricinfo understands that more than £10,000 was spent on drawing up plans for the move.The scale of the losses this year is especially disappointing given that the club should have benefited from several one-off events. They hosted a three-day game against Australia – which had been budgeted to bring in around £100,000 – they raised around £30,000 from the transfer of David Willey to Yorkshire (Willey was released from his contract a year early; Yorkshire paid a fee), they gained 25% of the gate for the T20 quarter-final at Hove and prize money of almost £50,000 for reaching the competition’s final. They also had the new conferencing facilities to sell that had been improved at a cost of around £400,000.Northants’ struggles do not come at a good time. While the ECB has found what amounts to emergency funding for several counties in recent years, there is currently a debate about ways in which to cut the domestic schedule. The other first-class counties appear well disposed to help, but there are those in prominent positions within the ECB who feel that losing a couple of counties would be no bad thing.

Aaron Redmond, the latest player to earn a call-up into New Zealand’s ever-changing top order, is hoping to make his tour of England more successful than his father did 35 years ago. Redmond was named in the 16-man Test squad and could become the eighth person to follow his father into New Zealand Test cricket if he makes his debut in the three-game series.Rodney Redmond played one Test and was highly successful, scoring 107 and 56 against Pakistan in Auckland in 1972-73. However, he then struggled to adjust to new contact lenses on the visit to England later that year and managed only 483 runs at 28.41 and had to settle for being remembered as a one-Test wonder.The younger Redmond learnt of his call-up at his father’s house in Perth and he said it was a special moment for the family. “A big smile came over his face and he chucked out his hand to congratulate me and opened up a bottle of red wine to celebrate,” Redmond told the Otago Daily Times.Redmond was en-route from New Zealand to England, where he was planning to play league cricket for Wigan, when the phone-call came from the chairman of selectors Richard Hadlee. “It is something you always dream about, but it has definitely come as a surprise,” Redmond said. “My initial goals were hopefully to get the opportunity later down the track.”But to get the call [on Saturday] and be told it has come a little bit earlier, it just wasn’t in my wildest dreams. It’s one thing getting the chance – now I’ve got to make the most of the opportunity.”Redmond’s elevation came after a solid State Championship season during which he made 447 runs at 40.63 for Otago. However, he said it was “bitter-sweet” that his promotion came at the expense of his domestic team-mate Craig Cumming, who was left out of the squad after being one of four openers used by New Zealand in the past six months.”I’m great friends with Craig and he has played some awesome cricket this year and is a great player,” Redmond said. “I’m sure it won’t stop him. You have your good and bad times in cricket and I know he’ll bounce back.”

Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, has predicted there will be no changes to the batting and fast-bowling line-ups for the first Test against West Indies unless there are injuries. Australia’s 15-man squad starts its pre-tour camp in Brisbane on Monday and the incumbents, who were part of the 2-1 victory over India, will be boosted by Nielsen’s faith.”The success Lee, Clark and Johnson had as a fast-bowling group last summer means if they are fit and well they’ll be leading the attack,” Nielsen said in the Sunday Mail. “The batting group has been quite stable – Hayden, Jaques, Ponting, Hussey, Clarke and Symonds had successful summers – so the guys that featured in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will have the first opportunity to represent Australia in the West Indies.”There are only two vacancies and Brad Haddin will become the country’s 400th Test player when he takes the gloves from Adam Gilchrist for the first Test in Jamaica on May 22. Stuart MacGill, who has recovered from wrist and knee injuries, is the leading candidate to replace the retired Brad Hogg while Beau Casson is also in the squad. “Traditionally, we like the balance of a spinner,” Nielsen said. “So unless it will be a raging greentop, I’d say we’ll play a spinner.”Ashley Noffke and Doug Bollinger were the two form bowlers during the first-class season, but Mitchell Johnson has the inside running to add to his six Tests. Noffke will start the tour, his second to the West Indies, as the first-choice back-up option.”He’s in the squad so that shows how close he is, but to be honest I wouldn’t expect him to be in the first team unless there is injury,” Nielsen said. “Ashley was rewarded with some one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket last year and he’s jumped up another level again. It’s really pleasing for us to know that if we have an injury, a guy like Noffke can step in and do the job.”

Former India batsman VVS Laxman believes the ODI side is one batsman short for their upcoming limited-overs tour of Australia. India’s ODI squad to Australia has only five specialist batsmen after the selectors dropped Suresh Raina, following a poor series against South Africa.Laxman, who was at a promotional event in Delhi, said the decision was harsh on Raina, but would make the batsman hungrier for success in the future, should he make the cut.”I think we are one batsman short. I still feel it was harsh on Suresh Raina. He did really well in the World Cup. He had a tough series against South Africa. Coming at No. 6, when the asking rate is 8 or 10 and with the change in the new rules, the conditions against South Africa were not ideal to play the big shots straightaway,” Laxman said at a Star Sports event to promote India’s limited-overs tour of Australia.”It’s always a pressure situation whenever he walks out to bat. This is also good for him. Raina is probably a very important member if India has to win the T20 World Cup. This will hurt him, but also make him hungrier.”Laxman also urged India’s pacers to refrain from bowling short-pitched deliveries at the Australia batsmen in the series. He brought up India’s World Cup 2015 semi-final against Australia in March this year as an example of why a short-ball strategy would hurt India. Led by Steven Smith’s 105, Australia rattled up 328 for 7 in the semi-final after opting to bat, and India could only muster 233 in reply.”You can bowl short to other teams, which are not used to playing in Australian conditions,” Laxman said. “But if you bowl short to the Australians they will cut and pull you. That is what happened during the semi-final.”Warner is most dangerous batsman in the line-up and you cannot bowl defensive lines to him. There is a formula to get him out and I am sure Ishant Sharma knows that because when he was in (Hyderabad) Sunrisers, we realised what shots he likes to play and what he doesn’t. It is important to make him play the cover drive, and once you do that you always have a chance to dismiss him early on. But don’t bowl short deliveries to him, because he will cut and pull.”Kapil Dev, who was also at the event, said that India would need to focus on getting early wickets in the first 15 overs, even if it came at the cost of a few runs. It was the only way, he said, India could keep Australia from making a strong comeback.”In Australia or even South Africa, the ball does something even after 35 overs. There is bounce and nip for a fast bowler,” Dev said. “I think that is the best part. After 35 overs, I hit the deck and the wicketkeeper holds it up very nicely. So if the batsman loses concentration you can get a wicket.”Somebody who can bowl close to 140 kph will be a success in Australia. At the same time, if you want to do well in Australia, it’s important for you to pick up wickets. Get three wickets in the first 15 overs, even if you have conceded 90 runs. Because then you still have a chance to make a comeback. But if you don’t take wickets and give away 45 runs, they can always make a comeback. Don’t concentrate on bowling maidens overs, think about getting wickets only.”Stating that the top four batsmen in the line-up would have to absorb most of the responsibility, Laxman stressed on the importance of playing with an angled bat in Australian conditions. He said that batters could not play with a straight bat off the back foot.”In Australia, you cannot afford to play on the back foot with a straight bat. The bat face has to be pointing down. Otherwise, it will straight away go to the slip owing to the extra bounce and pace,” Laxman said. “It’s important to play with an angled bat. Also the general mistake that a young batsman tends to make is that he will get out to the back of the length delivery. But then, it is the fuller delivery, which gets the batsman out. The challenge is not to lose wickets early on. There will be a lot of responsibility on the top four.”

9.5
Anil Kumble
With twenty wickets in four Tests, 179 gritty runs, and a calm demeanour that helped India wade through a crisis, Kumble was India’s most vital member. Beginning with a five-wicket haul on the opening day in Melbourne, he led the attack manfully and fittingly notched up his 600th wicket in Perth, a Test he termed was his “best win”. He batted with gumption, shepherding the tail in crucial moments, and led with a statesman-like authority, guiding along a side through a turbulent phase.9
Sachin Tendulkar
Statistically he enjoyed his finest tour to Australia, averaging in excess of 70 with two hundreds and two fifties. He adapted brilliantly: attacking in Melbourne, accumulating in Sydney, and innovating in Perth, before rounding off with a complete innings in Adelaide, on Don Bradman’s homeground. He was accorded rousing ovations each time he walked out and showed that, at 34, was still India’s most consistent batsman.8.5
RP Singh
Leading the attack in Zaheer Khan’s absence, RP Singh rose to the challenge. Swinging the ball at a lively pace, he troubled the Australians with his awkward angles. He expertly used the old ball and didn’t flag in searing conditions. He tore through the top order on the first day in Sydney and mopped up the lower order within no time in Perth. He missed the final part of the Adelaide Test, a blow that was a big setback to India’s series-levelling prospects.8
Ishant Sharma
Undoubtedly the find of the tour, Ishant was feted by Steve Waugh as the “next best thing” in Indian cricket. Despite going wicket-less in Sydney, he did enough to suggest immense potential and his double-strike against Ricky Ponting in Perth played a big part in the victory. He moved the ball both ways and, displayed a great ability to lift himself when the conditions were most demanding.8
VVS Laxman
Opened up the Sydney Test with an awe-inspiring hundred before producing a guarded, eventually match-winning, half-century in Perth. He showed his ability to change his game according to the situation and proved, once again, that he reserved his best for Australia. He was an important member of the slip cordon and did a fine job when standing close-in for the spinners too.7.5
Virender Sehwag
Made an impact in all the four opportunities he was given, none more so than the polished 151 in Adelaide, a match-saving effort. Even when he didn’t go on to a big one he made confident starts to set a good platform, allowing the middle order to prosper. He made some good contributions with his offspin, including two vital wickets on the final day in Perth.7
Irfan Pathan
A fairytale comeback at Perth ended in a Man-of-the-Match award in one of the most memorable Indian wins in recent times. He did well with the bat but it was particularly heartening to see him generate alarming swing with the ball. He struggled on the flat deck in Adelaide but snapped up his 100th wicket in the same venue where he picked up his first, a good four years ago.

6.5
Rahul Dravid
Dravid struggled to strike the high notes through the series. Thrust into the opening slot for the first two Tests, he endured a mighty tough period. Often not able to get the ball off the square, he notched up dot ball after dot ball, never seeming like the run-machine that had come to these shores four years ago. His 93 was vital for the victory in Perth but, just when he appeared to be finding his groove, struggled again in Adelaide.6
Sourav Ganguly
Enjoyed a fine start to the tour but saw it fizzle out towards the end. He was undone by a couple of poor umpiring decisions but couldn’t match the consistency he had shown ever since his return in December last 2006. He fell to left-armers on seven of the eight occasions with Brad Hogg troubling him more often than one would have expected. His fielding didn’t inspire much confidence, a factor that went into his ouster from the one-day squad.6
MS Dhoni
It was a mixed series for Dhoni as a fine phase with the gloves coincided with an average one with the bat. His restrained knocks in Sydney and Perth were vital in the context of the match but Dhoni never really lived up to his reputation as an electrifying batsman. His wicketkeeping, though, improved with each match and displayed expert reflexes when standing up to the spinners.5
Harbhajan Singh
He ended the series as a better batsman than bowler. With two half-centuries in Sydney and Adelaide, he proved his ability as a lower-order batsman, capable of irritating the daylights out of the opposition. His bowling, though, was a disappointment. Apart from having Ricky Ponting’s number for the first two Tests, he was largely ineffective through the series. He will be forever associated with the tour, though, having been at the centre of the storm during the Sydney furore.4
Zaheer Khan
Played only one Test and had to return home with a heel injury. He contributed in Melbourne, though, hustling out batsmen on a flat pitch.2
Wasim Jaffer
Having cruised through 2007, Jaffer hit the ground with a mighty thud, managing just 49 runs in three Tests. He didn’t have an answer to Brett Lee’s pacy out-swingers and had lost his spot by the end of the series.1
Yuvraj Singh
With just 17 runs in two games and a string of poor fielding efforts, Yuvraj didn’t inspire much confidence through the series. He injured himself during practice in Perth and was side-lined for at least two weeks, putting his one-day chances in doubt as well.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo – Kevin Pietersen marshalled Quetta Gladiators’ chase of 136•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

In the second thriller of the day, Quetta Gladiators knocked off seven runs off the last over with a ball to spare to establish themselves as the early pace setters in the Pakistan Super League. Quetta top the table with three wins in three matches.Elton Chigumbura thumped a four after two short balls, the second of which was deemed a wide, from the last over bowled by Wahab Riaz. The penultimate ball was deflected for four between slip and keeper, off Anwar Ali’s pad, as Quetta broke into big celebrations, mentor Viv Richards even getting off his seat and having his hands aloft.The victory was set up by 21-year old Mohammad Nawaz, who picked up his second Man-of-the-Match award in three matches. Bowling with a newish ball, Nawaz impressed with his skiddy darts and clever arm balls. He ended a promising opening partnership when he dismissed Tamim Iqbal for 14. Two balls later, Mohammad Hafeez swept the spinner straight to Chigumbura at square leg. Nawaz would also account for Shahid Yousuf to finish with figures of 3 for 29.Umar Gul rattled Peshwar Zalmi further with a double-strike in the 12th over, removing Dawid Malan and Shahid Afridi. By then, Peshwar had slumped to 59 for 5 in 12 overs. Darren Sammy, however, clubbed four sixes and one four during his 31-ball 48 to lift his side to 135.Quetta then lost their openers Luke Wright and Ahmed Shehzad within five overs of the chase. Kevin Pietersen dropped anchor and marshalled the youngsters even as Sarfraz Ahmed threatened to run himself and Pietersen out. Pietersen’s wicket tightened the chase, but Chigumbura and Anwar Ali showed good composure to steer Quetta home in a tense finish. For Peshwar, Afridi and Wahab took two wickets each.

A superbly constructed 171-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Graeme Smith and Gary Kirsten completely swung the match South Africa’s way, as they levelled the series 1-1 with a convincing six-wicket win at Wellington. Needing 152 on the final day with seven wickets in hand, Smith led the way with an unbeaten 125, but Kirsten, in his last Test innings, played an equally crucial hand, battling his way to 76 before being dismissed in the last over before lunch.The story of the day was the matchwinning stand, but the most poignant moment came off the last ball of the morning session, when Kirsten left the field for the final time in Test cricket after being trapped in front by Scott Styris. Normally not given to emotion, Kirsten passionately kissed his helmet before walking off in tears, while all the New Zealand players stood aside and applauded the effort of the man who had – one last time – helped steer his team to the brink of victory.When play began on the final day, both sides had an equal chance of victory, but Smith and Kirsten shut New Zealand out with a nerveless batting display. Smith carried on from where he had left off on the fourth evening. Pilloried for everything from lack of mental toughness to lack of tactical acumen in the last month, he hit back in style. The feature of his knock was his leg-side batting, as he repeatedly took balls from around off stump and effortlessly clipped them to midwicket, a stroke which, fittingly, brought South Africa the winning run. It would normally be termed risky cricket, but so fluent was Smith that it seldom appeared so.Kirsten, on the other hand, was far more scratchy at the start – he mistimed drives, played and missed at a few, and generally struggled with footwork and timing. Hardly the sort of person to be bothered by it all, he just knuckled down, soaked up all the pressure, knocked around the singles, and gradually got back into the groove. By the end of his innings he was in excellent form, stroking drives through cover and back past the bowler, and even executing a couple of delightful late-cuts for four.With early wickets so crucial to their chances of victory, New Zealand started proceedings with Chris Martin and Jacob Oram. However, both began by straying towards leg stump, and were picked off for easy runs by Smith, who flicked fours off both bowlers to reach his half-century in style. Martin failed to get the swing that had made him such a potent force in this series, which meant that the deliveries which were supposed to pitch on leg and move late across the left-handers now became regulation runscoring opportunities.Twenty-four came off the first seven overs, but New Zealand gradually tightened their line, as Chris Cairns and Daniel Vettori were pressed into the attack. The next nine overs produced only ten runs, but both batsmen survived that period patiently, knowing that with plenty of time in hand, the onus would be on New Zealand to force the issue. Cairns, in possibly his last home Test, bowled with plenty of fire and tried every trick in his bag, bowling from round the wicket, teasing the batsmen with wide half-volleys and then with the short stuff, but today, he came off second-best.The highlight of the session was the way Smith and Kirsten neutralised the threat of Vettori. On a pitch that – despite some rough areas outside the left-handers’ off stump – was still an excellent one for batting, both used their feet regularly against him, not to tonk boundaries but to work him with the spin just wide of mid-on for ones. And when Vettori altered his length, the batsmen were waiting on the back foot to turn it away behind square for more singles. It was risk-free cricket, and it added to the frustration for Vettori and Stephen Fleming.After working their way through a critical runless phase, Smith and Kirsten slowly turned it on: Cairns was slashed through gully for four by Kirsten, ending a sequence of 19 consecutive singles by both batsmen, while Vettori was lofted for four over mid-on.The over that completely shifted the momentum was the 55th, Vettori’s tenth and last of the match. Smith creamed an on-drive and a flick for two fours, in between chopping one past slip for two, as 12 came from the over. Vettori went into the drinks break – the second of an extended morning session – completely demoralised; Smith and Kirsten went in for the breather with victory well in sight, and the target whittled down to 73.The personal landmarks for both batsmen came immediately after play resumed – Kirsten clipped one from Oram to square leg for three to bring up his 34th Test fifty, and next ball, Smith eased a four to midwicket for his seventh century. Kirsten’s wicket was a bit of a dampener, but he had done enough to ensure that his swansong would end in a memorable victory for South Africa.

Dr Kato Sebbaale, the new chairman of the Ugandan Cricket Association, has spoken about his plans for the future after ousting William Kibuuka Musoke at a heated AGM last weekend.”My victory wasn’t a surprise because it looks like everyone was looking for a change,” Sebbaale told the New Vision newspaper. “It’s like people were suffering deeply before and they are kind of happy that there is a change and that’s a challenge because I must really show them the change.”Musoke’s time at the helm ended in bitterness – at the AGM he unsuccessfully attempted to block votes from clubs supporting Sebbaale on minor technicalities and then is believed to have been behind an advertisement in a national newspaper immediately after his removal announcing “the death of Ugandan cricket”. He was also widely accused of squandering advances made in Ugandan cricket and there is no doubt that the sport’s image has suffered in recent months.”One of my major mandate this year is to try and clean up our image because without it you lose it all,” Sebbaale admitted. “Thankfully, I have got a strong team who are very big corporate people, are in business and know how to handle people.”I have travelled with Uganda for every tournament in the last five years and it’s clear it is highly talented but the issue is moving from one level to the next,” Sebbaale said, adding that he was not going to “rock the boat”.He also explained that a high-profile national coach was a priority, although that would take time and the existing behind-the-scenes team would remain in place for the high-profile tour by the MCC which starts this week. “If the team goes professional and money allowing I want to put a squad on a payroll but they will have to be accountable for being national players.”

Adam Gilchrist, who revolutionised the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman, has retired from Tests barely 24 hours after taking the world record for dismissals. The shock news means Gilchrist will depart on a global high at the end of the fourth match against India on Monday and his last ODI appearances will come in the CB Series, which finishes in March.Over the past couple of years Gilchrist, 36, has been worn down by the grind of international touring and has been desperate to spend more time with his wife Mel and their three children. Despite his family circumstances, Gilchrist’s announcement at the end of the third day came as a surprise after he had spent much of the previous evening denying he was close to walking away.”I’ll let people know when I’m going to retire,” he said on Friday, “whether it’s tomorrow or in 12 months. At the moment I’m going to keep focussing on giving everything I’ve got to this team.”He told his team-mates in the morning he was leaving and it was an emotional time. “I’ve come to this decision after much thought and discussion with those most important to me,” Gilchrist said before boarding the team bus. “My family and I have been fortunate to have had an amazing journey full of rich experiences throughout my career.”Gilchrist played 96 Tests, the same number as Rod Marsh, and has collected 414 dismissals, currently one more than South Africa’s Mark Boucher. However, his glovework, which has diminished over the past month, will not be why he is remembered as one of Australia’s most significant players.Matthew Hayden, who has been a team-mate of Gilchrist’s for the past eight years, called it “massive news” and said he would be “deeply, deeply missed”. “He is one of the greatest to have ever played the game,” Hayden said. “He was incredibly positive and his flamboyant nature equals the greats of Viv Richards and other calypso characters over the years.”He entertained everyone globally and has done it in a statesman-like way. He changed cricketers throughout the world and is a tremendous individual.”Gilchrist brought a limited-overs approach to Tests, becoming the first man to launch 100 sixes in the format, registering the most centuries by a wicketkeeper-batsman, and scoring at a phenomenal strike-rate in the low 80s. Apart from posting almost 6000 runs, he was also responsible for the more aggressive approach to a game where three runs an over was previously considered reckless.Growing up in New South Wales, he moved to Western Australia to collect a first-class opportunity and made his Test debut to a chorus of boos after replacing Ian Healy in Brisbane. He scored 81 against Pakistan and brought up his first century in the following match in a miracle chase in Hobart. From 1999 the Australia team was never the same, winning 16 Tests in a row under Steve Waugh, a streak that was matched by Ricky Ponting’s outfit over the past three years.One of only three players to have won a trio of World Cup titles, Gilchrist was picked to open on a Waugh hunch over a bowl of ice-cream and quickly became one of the most threatening limited-overs players of all time. Others have tried to adopt his style but none has managed it for a decade, which is a tribute to the traits developed by a country boy from northern New South Wales.”I am now ready and excited to move into the next phase of my life, which will include much more time with Mel, Harrison, Annie and Archie,” Gilchrist said. He thanked his state and country associations and his team-mates for the “most enjoyable, fun career anyone could hope for”. Brad Haddin, the New South Wales wicketkeeper, has spent the past couple of years with the limited-overs team and should get his first taste of Test action if the March tour to Pakistan goes ahead.Two more wickets need to fall before Gilchrist will appear at Adelaide Oval and he will be celebrated like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer were last year. Adelaide has not been the normal place for farewells over the past decade, but Gilchrist has not been a traditional player.