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Gilchrist named captain for 3rd Test
Dec 12, 2000, 9:45 Hrs (IST)

Melbourne: Wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist was on Tuesday appointed Australian captain for the third cricket Test against the West Indies in Adelaide starting on Friday.

Gilchrist was promoted by the Australian Cricket Board to take over from the injured Steve Waugh with batsman Ricky Ponting assuming Gilchrist's vice-captaincy role.

"There are several other guys that could have done the captaincy job and do it very well so we will utilise that experience," said Gilchrist, who becomes Australia's 41st Test captain.

"I'm very lucky and very fortunate to join an elite group of gentlemen who have captained Australia."

The wicket-keeper batsman said he would make no significant tactical departure from Waugh's methods as Australia's 12-Test record-breaking winning streak demonstrated there was no need for any change.

Australian Cricket Board chairman Dennis Rogers said "nothing more should be read" into the appointment other than it being a stop-gap solution until Waugh resumes the captaincy in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting Boxing Day.

And Gilchrist said his long-term captaincy prospects should not be decided on how he performs in Adelaide. "Whether it's one game or two games, who knows but things like this you need time to work out how someone performs in a position," he said.

Gilchrist was informed on Monday night that he had got the job but celebrations were muted. "If sitting in a hotel room having a chicken burger and a coke is celebrating, that's about as good as it got."

Copyright AFP 2000