Adam Gilchrist was frustrated to have giving his wicket away as his final match for Australia at the MCG ended in defeat against Sri Lanka.
Aussie wicketkeeper bows out with a loss at the MCG.
Adam Gilchrist was frustrated to have giving his wicket away as his final match for Australia at the MCG ended in defeat against Sri Lanka.
Gilchrist did sign off in style as he hit a blistering 83 from 50 balls in Melbourne in his final game for Australia at the venue, but he was caught in the deep as he tried to smash his way to a century.
The Commonwealth Bank Series match was a dead rubber but Australia were still not happy to lose by 13 runs to Sri Lanka.
After Gilchrist got out the Australian batting line-up collapsed, and the wicketkeeper batsman was not happy that he failed to hang around to steer Australia to victory.
Gilchrist's knock was enough to net him the Man of the Match award, but he was still left frustrated with the manner of his final dismissal at the MCG.
Frustrated
"It's a bit frustrating," he told
Sky Sports after the match. "I feel a bit silly to be honest.
"It's been a wicket that has caused problems for batsmen all summer.
"I should've (seen it through). I got a bit carried away. When you get out like that you go off thinking no big deal."
Although he bows out with a loss, Gilchrist will take plenty of happy memories of the MCG with him as he nears the end of his international career.
"I'm very proud of the times I have had here for Australia and WA," he said.
"The crowd tonight were fantastic. It's just a shame I have to leave with a loss and a shame that I was in control of it."
Gilchrist now has just the series finals left in Australia colours, and he hopes that a shock defeat will help to sharpen them up for the battles against India.
Sharp
"Hopefully this will sharpen us up," he said. "Perhaps it was a little reminder.
"It never feels good to lose but we should be sharp in the finals."
Skipper Ricky Ponting only made one himself as the middle order flopped dramatically after a fine opening stand of 107 between Gilchrist and James Hopes.
Ponting hopes that such an unusual collapse will be a one-off for the powerful Australian line-up heading into the India finals.
"A couple of us got done off the surface," said Ponting.
"Gilly played well at the top but on these sorts of wickets chasing runs you can't afford to lose groups of wickets.
"We've got that performance out of the way now. I'd rather that performance came now than in the finals."
