How the WACA grew on Gilchrist
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
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John Townsend, writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, looks at Adam Gilchrist’s introduction to Perth, the city where he would make his home after moving from New South Wales.
The first time Gilchrist played at the WACA, his New South Wales team was thrashed within two days and team-mate Greg Matthews was badly bashed by a nightclub bouncer. The first time Gilchrist appeared at the ground as a Western Australia player, he was booed all the way to the middle and for much of the match by a home crowd angry that local hero Tim Zoehrer had been axed to make way for him.
However, Gilchrist says the Perth crowd helped mould him for the international scene.
"That instilled in my own mind that I had to earn some respect, not just from my team-mates but from the crowd, the members and the local community," Gilchrist said. "Fortunately, they welcomed me into that set-up after some time. It is amazing how valuable that experience was once I made the transition into the Australian team because it was a case of deja vu, but it was easier because I had that experience to fall back on."
Peter English is former Australasia editor of ESPNcricinfo