Gilchrist, Ponting named as captain and vice-captain
Adam Gilchrist has been appointed Australian captain with Ricky Ponting as his deputy in the wake of the calf injury suffered by Stephen Waugh at Trent Bridge last Saturday.
The Directors of the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) made the appointments via a telephone hook-up on Tuesday.
ACB Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said; "The Board of Directors accepted the recommendations of the selection panel and confirmed the interim appointments of Adam and Ricky and we wish them all the best for their tenure in those positions."
The duo will assume their new roles for the first time in the latest match on the Travelex Australian Tour of the UK 2001, when the touring side takes on Sussex in a three-day fixture at Hove starting on Wednesday 8 August.
Gilchrist, 29, who was named Waugh's vice-captain for the tour, has already led Australia in Test cricket. The left-hander captained the side to victory in the third Test of the recent Ansett Australia series against the West Indies in Adelaide when Waugh was absent with a buttock muscle injury.
Gilchrist also led Australia during the Carlton Series against Zimbabwe and the West Indies that followed when Waugh rested a groin injury.
Adam Gilchrist said; "I am thrilled to be given the opportunity again, although it has come in disappointing circumstances because we have lost a quality leader and player in Stephen Waugh."
"The series might be won but Stephen's absence gives us an even greater challenge to continue our winning ways without him, something we will all be striving to achieve."
After making his Test debut against Pakistan in November 1999, Gilchrist assumed the vice-captaincy of the Australian side for Super Challenge 2000 against South Africa in August 2000 in succession to Shane Warne.
Waugh's absences last summer allowed Ponting to stand in as vice-captain for Gilchrist when the West Australian wicketkeeper-batsman took over the senior role.
Ponting also acted as vice-captain to Waugh in six matches in the Carlton & United Series against India and Pakistan in 1999-2000 when Warne injured a side muscle. The Tasmanian right-hander captained the Australian side for the first time earlier on the current Travelex tour when he led it in a four-day match against Somerset last month when both Waugh and Gilchrist rested.
Ricky Ponting said; "It is very pleasing to once again accept the honour of the Australian vice-captaincy."
"I have worked with Gilly before, both in last summer's Ansett Australia Test in Adelaide and in the Carlton Series that followed and I enjoyed the extra responsibility that came with it.
"I'm looking forward to filling that role again, but at the same time we are all keen for Stephen Waugh to return to action as soon as possible."
The tour selection committee of Stephen Waugh, Adam Gilchrist and Chairman of Selectors Trevor Hohns will remain unaltered by the new appointments, helping to ensure continuity.
Australia leads the five-match Ashes series 3-0 after victories at Edgbaston, Lord's and Trent Bridge.
The fourth Test match starts at Headingley on 16 August, with the fifth and final Test starting at The Oval on 23 August.
Stephen Waugh's injury to his left calf will force him to miss the fourth Test but he is yet to be ruled out of the fifth match of the series.
© 2001 Australian Cricket Board
| Teams | Australia. |
| Players/Umpires | Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Results - Forthcoming Desktop Scoreboard |
|
|
|
||||||
| |||
|
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
|
