My all-time favourite cricketer

Gary Gilmore is widely known (not same spelling) for being executed by Utah. But Gary Gilmour, the Australian, was a simply wonderful all-rounder. At Newlands, when he was playing for International Wanderers in 1975, I saw him hit five sixes in an over - with his right hand, as he had torn his left shoulder, in compiling 80 not out. He gave the Wanderers such a lead they thrashed South Africa, bowling them out for 69.

http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/35/35940.html

For a while, he was the game's most profound allrounder. He never smiled, he never showed any emotion, that I can recall.

And what a bowler. A legend up there with all the greats. Burned briefly, but brilliantly.


(His figures still defy belief. Twelve overs, six maidens, 6-14. When Wisden last year compiled a list of the 100 greatest one-day bowling performances, based on 10 sets of statistical gobbledegook, Gilmour's 6-14 was No. 1.)

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/22/1047749987314.html

June 18, 1975

Gary Gilmour
6 for 14 v Australia, semi-final, 1975

England went into their World Cup semi-final against Australia wary of the threat posed by Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson after the pummelling they had received the winter before. As it was, they were blown away by Gary Gilmour, a 23-year-old swing bowler playing in only the third of his five ODIs. Gilmour was a late inclusion in the side, but low cloud, a stiff breeze, and a grassy Headingley pitch were ideal for him.

Opening the attack with Lillee, he took 6 for 14 in 12 unchanged overs from the Football Stand end - after nine overs he had 6 for 10 - reducing England to 36 for 6. Greg Chappell had intended bowling him from the Kirkstall Lane End, but Lillee wanted to come downhill, so the junior bowler was switched. Five of the batsmen perished to inswingers, Frank Hayes padding up to one he thought was leaving him but which zipped back so far it might well have been missing leg.

The only one to fall to the awayswinger was Tony Greig, spectacularly caught one-handed by Rodney Marsh leaping wide to his right. England were skittled for 93, but the game wasn't over. The sideways movement and uneven bounce which had scuppered England did much the same for Australia, and when Gilmour strode to the middle his side were 39 for 6.

With Doug Walters at the other end, he threw the bat to good effect, surviving one chance to Greig in the slips with the score on 78, as Australia won by four wickets. Judging the Man of the Match was not a hard decision. Three days later, he took 5 for 48 in the final against West Indies... but that was to be in a losing cause.