Adam Gilchrist reveals fastest spell of bowling he kept wickets to during Australia career

Adam Gilchrist has kept wickets against some of the best bowlers in the world and faced some more as a bastman. However, the wicketkeeper, considered one of the best wicket-keepers in cricket history, has singled out a spell from Shaun Tait as the fastest he has ever witnessed from behind the stumps.

Gilchrist believes Tait's spell in a one-off T20I match against New Zealand at the WACA in 2007 was the sharpest he has ever kept to.

Tait had undergone surgery on his troublesome right elbow only months prior before that match, which had ruled him out of the inaugural World T20 earlier that year.

"Tait bowling at the WACA down-breeze. Evening.T20. Knowing he's only got four overs max to bowl. That was probably the fastest spell of bowling that I've kept to," cricket.com.au quoted Gilchrist as saying.

"Keeping to Tait that day reminded me of the joy of keeping. Standing so far back and just the fun. Wondering what's coming, where it's going. Diving around and having a laugh while you're doing it," Gilchrist added.

However, Tait's efforts in his T20I debut match against the Black Caps were overshadowed by a suggestion from the then New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori that "questions are always asked" about the legality of bowling actions that generate extreme pace.

Tait, who was outraged by the suggestion, described the talk over his bowling action "a disgrace" and decided to undergo International Cricket Council (ICC) test.

While he returned to Australia's Test team in January that summer, he sidelined himself for rest of the season shortly after, citing emotional and physical exhaustion.

(With Agency Inputs)