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AV: You had a very consistent career. From the first hundred
you scored at Perth against England in the 1970-71 series to the last
hundred you scored, against Pakistan in 1983-84. How would you compare
different centuries? You made your highest score, 247 not out, against
New Zealand at Wellington. What would you rate as your best innings?
GC: I think the best innings that I played, considering the
conditions and the state of the game was at Lords in 1972. It was my
first Test match at Lords and Bob Massie opened his career there and
took a world record 16 wickets. It was a match dominated by the
bowlers and I made 131 in the first innings, going in when we were in
quite a bit of trouble. I feel mentally, the only mistake I made was
when I finally got out. I class that as the best innings I played.
There were other occasions when I made more runs. Like the times you
mentioned, the 247 at Wellington and some of the other double hundreds
that I made. But those were generally made on wickets that suited
batting. Whereas at Lords it was a bowler's wicket. I look at that
innings as my purest innings, physically and mentally. There were
other innings as well, not necessarily centuries that I hold in high
regard. The centenary Test against England in Melbourne, I made 41 in
a total of 120. We then bowled England out for 90 and went on take a
crucial first innings lead. I think conditions and situations play a
big part in the innings that you remember. The things that I remember
most of all are the things that we did together as a team - the tours
that we did well in. I don't really remember the innings that I played
in any great detail.
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Gear
Cricket bat
Protective gear
Shoes
Basic techniques
Grip
Stance
Backlift
Taking Guard
Defensive strokes
Front foot defence
Backfoot Defence
Drives
Off Drive
Straight Drive
On Drive
Lofted Drive
Horizontal bat shots
Square Cut
The Pull
The Hook
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