ADELAIDE - Test paceman Jason Gillespie has declared himself fully fit
and ready to prove it against an international-strength New South Wales
batting line-up tomorrow.
Gillespie missed Australia's past two Test matches against Pakistan with
a calf strain, the most recent of a long line of injuries to interrupt
his international career.
But today he dismissed doubts about his readiness for Australia's Ashes
campaign, saying he had been bowling well in practice sessions and was
ready to go flat-out for South Australia against the Blues in the ING
Cup match at Adelaide Oval.
"I'm fit, I've declared myself fit, so I'll be playing and playing as
hard as I can," Gillespie said.
He described tomorrow's one-dayer as an ideal first step in his build-up
to the opening Ashes Test, starting on Thursday at the Gabba.
"Ten overs in a game situation will be good, and then leading into the
Test there'll be obviously quite a few training sessions that I can get
through and then just build up some momentum leading into the Test
match," he said.
"I think that's plenty of preparation, and it is good tomorrow to have a
hit-out and play a game for the Redbacks.
"You always like to know that you're feeling good and 100 per cent and
having a bowl tomorrow will just reinforce that."
Gillespie said he relished the rare opportunity to bowl to present and
former Australian team-mates.
The NSW batting line-up includes Steve and Mark Waugh, Michael Bevan and
Simon Katich, as well as the nation's most highly rated young batsman
Michael Clarke.
"It's good fun, because you know the guys pretty well and you play a lot
with them," he said.
"To play against them is a bit of a novelty, it doesn't happen that
often, and you really want to try and do well against them so the
enthusiasm's there, it's just a big challenge and you just really want
to do well."
Gillespie predicted Mark Waugh's performance would be unaffected by his
recent axing from the Test side and subsequent international retirement.
"Mark will just do what he normally does, go out there and play cricket
and have fun," Gillespie said.
"I'm sure he's looking forward to this game, he always looks forward to
playing for NSW, and I think tomorrow will be no different."
But while fellow Australian Test bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne
have publicly stated England will struggle to win a Test in the
five-match Ashes series, Gillespie was unwilling to add any predictions
of his own.
"I just worry about the things you can control and do the things that
are within your control," he said.
"I just go out there and bowl and do the best I can, if you do the right
things and stick to your gameplan then things will look after
themselves."