Dizzy's tips for batting in Bangladesh

There is perhaps no Australia batsman in history more qualified to pass on some tips on how to bat in Bangladesh than former fast bowler Jason Gillespie.

Not Ricky Ponting, Australia’s most prolific run-scorer.

Not Adam Gilchrist, the game-changing wicketkeeper-batsman who was named as the best player of the 21st century by Steve Waugh and this website.

Quick Single: Top 100 Test players of the 21st century

And not Matthew Hayden, one of Australia’s most dominant opening batsman with 30 Test centuries.

Nope, it’s Gillespie, who concluded his terrific Test career with a remarkable innings of 201 not out against the Tigers in Chittagong 11 years ago.

Image Id: 8E989A47F19C49BFA2D21E6A0762A1F9 Image Caption: Keep it simple, says Dizzy // Getty

Walking out to bat at No.3 as nightwatchman late on day one after Australia bowled Bangladesh out for 197, Gillespie survived until stumps and was still at the crease three days later.

Along the way rain disrupted play, batting partners came and went and records tumbled as the South Australian put the hosts to the sword – with albeit a relatively blunt blade – to register a maiden Test double-century and the highest score by a nightwatchman in an innings that lasted nine and a half hours.

From that moment on, well, in the immediate short-term at least, Gillespie’s signature was appended with ‘201’ regardless of whether it was scribbled on a piece of memorabilia or an item of unused equipment that belonged to an unsuspecting teammate.

The knock also earned Gillespie membership into the club of batsmen with a Test double ton, a privilege he happily pointed out to those willow wielders who had fallen short of 200 and failed to qualify.

So it’s with humility, grace and tongue firmly in cheek that Gillespie has kindly offered the 13 Australian players heading to Bangladesh in August for two Tests the secrets to his shocking success.

"What a batting masterclass," Gillespie told cricket.com.au this week when asked if he recalled his famous maiden Test hundred.

"They (Australia’s batsmen) really should just get on YouTube and type in ‘best innings in Test cricket’ and ‘201 not out’ will come up, that’s the first one.

"They should watch that – the highlights take just over an hour – absorb everything and learn as much as they can about the art of batsmanship in Bangladesh.

"It is one real tough place to bat."

Unable to keep a straight face or contain his laughter any longer, Gillespie explained his thought process during the 425-ball knock.

As it turns out, there wasn’t much to it.

"I had a very simple plan as a lower-order player," he said. "I just made sure that I kept my front pad out of the way, hit the ball back down where it came from with a nice straight bat and if it was off the stumps I’d look to score and hit the ball where there were no fielders.

"My idea of batting was to keep it as simple as I could."

Image Id: 1C9826E9B4B141E0A584D6F7E05948DB Image Caption: 182 for Hussey, 201no for Gillespie // Getty

Australia’s 2006 tour of Bangladesh is the country’s only visit for five-day cricket, meaning no players in the crop that’s arriving on August 18 have played a Test in the Asian nation.

But that unfamiliarity won’t hamper Steve Smith’s charges, says Gillespie, who points to Australia’s recent success against India’s ace spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – in the Border-Gavaskar series.

"They played well in India against fantastic bowling attacks," Gillespie said.

"With all due respect to Bangladesh I don’t think they quite have the quality of bowlers that India had. That doesn’t mean it’s any less challenging.

"The conditions are different but I’m sure if they prep well (they’ll have success).

"If they prepare like they prepared for India and have a clear plan, that’s all you need to do.

"Wherever you play, it doesn’t matter where around the world, as long as you’ve got a clear plan how you’re going about your game and have belief in that and the conviction to follow through with that then you give yourself a really good chance of being successful.

"It’ll be a great experience for those lads, they’ll absolutely thrive."

If the Australians are looking for a game plan to follow and believe, Gillespie’s is both simple and successful.