| Dave Gilbert, the flat-footed fast bowler with a long run from New South
Wales, never lived up to the promise he showed as a youngster on the
Young Australia tour to Zimbabwe in 1985-86. There he had an impressive
unofficial Test against the full national side in Harare, taking 7-43
and 6-75. He dismissed Graeme Hick twice, once for 7 and then for 154.
Others sharing the new ball on that trip included Bruce Reid, Mike
Whitney, and Mark Waugh, but Gilbert could not match their deeds in full
Test matches. In England in 1985 he did not play until the Oval Test
when he came up against Gooch, in a mood for 196, and Gower, set on 157,
and England scoring 400 in a day. His figures were 1-96, his only
victim Richard Ellison. Against New Zealand in Brisbane in 1985-86 he
took 2-102, with one wicket in each innings at Sydney, and 3-48 in the
second innings at Perth. Against India in Melbourne he took 2-81. He
toured to New Zealand in the same season, playing in one Test, and went
to India in 1986-87, taking 1-44 in the Test at New Delhi. Gilbert
played for New South Wales from 1983-84 to 1987-8, the moved to Tasmania
for the rest of his career. He played for Gloucestershire in the
English County Championship in 1991, dismissing Desmond Haynes after he
had scored a century for West Indies in a one-day match in Bristol, and
taking seven wickets against the Sri Lankans. In the late 1990s he was a
coach and administrator with Surrey and Sussex, becoming Chief
Executive of the seaside club. (Bob Harragan) |