Gillespie to miss Orange Boxing Day Test match, Brad Williams drafted in
Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been ruled out of the Orange Boxing Day Test match against South Africa at the MCG with an injury to his right shoulder.
He will be replaced in the squad by the uncapped Western Australian fast bowler Brad Williams.
Gillespie experienced soreness in his shoulder while bowling during the second innings of the first Orange Test match in Adelaide.
He responded well to initial treatment, but further examination and bowling after Jason arrived in Melbourne indicated there was still a problem and the decision was taken to pull him out of the match.
Jason Gillespie said: "I'm shattered.
"I feel I could bowl my first spell okay but I wasn't completely sure if I could come back after that.
"This is such an important Test match and I was keen not to let any of the guys down so it was the sensible decision to step down," he added.
Gillespie underwent scans on Monday afternoon that cleared the South Australian fast bowler of any significant injury.
He will remain in Melbourne during the Orange Boxing Day Test match, receiving treatment from Australian team physiotherapist Errol Alcott.
A decision on Gillespie's availability for the Orange Test match in Sydney, starting on 2 January 2002 will be taken in due course.
27 year-old Williams took 65 wickets in 23 matches for Victoria before moving to WA for the 1999-2000 season. He captured 50 first-class wickets at 23.02 in his first summer in Perth before injury limited him to three matches in 2000-01, with a return of nine victims at 24.44.
This season, in four matches, Williams has taken 17 first-class wickets at 27.24.
Brad Williams said: "I found out I'd been called up when my WA team-mate Ryan Campbell came to see me.
"He only lives up the street and no-one could get hold of me so he called by to give me the news, the best Christmas present I could ever have.
"No words can really describe this. It's just a dream come true and I almost broke into tears when I heard the news.
"I've had a few injuries but this just makes all the hard work worthwhile.
"I'm really happy with my rhythm at the moment and felt as good as I have for a long while in the ING Cup match against the Bushrangers at the MCG yesterday.
"I've spoken to Trevor Hohns and he's told me they'll decide on the final eleven once I get to Melbourne, but at the moment just being in the twelve is fantastic."
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
| Teams | Australia, South Africa. |
| Players/Umpires | Jason Gillespie, Brad Williams, Ryan Campbell, Trevor Hohns. |
| Tours | South Africa in Australia |
| Grounds | Melbourne Cricket Ground |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Results - Forthcoming Desktop Scoreboard |
|
|
|
||||||
| |||
|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
