The unique Mr Gillespie

They say Dizzy Gillespie, the great jazz trumpeteer, played the trumpet in a way that was nearly impossible to recreate. At the forefront of the golden age of jazz in the 1940s and 50s, he shone among legends such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. But even within this group of mavericks, he stood out - his goatee, his beret and glasses and above all, his blowfish cheeks when playing the trumpet hinted at an eccentric among eclectics.

Jason "Dizzy" Gillespie, no jazz but all mulleted Antipodean, may yet come to occupy a similar position in this era of cricket. His hair, his sharp features and his bag of tics - the stretches during his walk back to the delivery mark - and his Aboriginal background, embellish his uniqueness. But even more than this, Gillespie and his batting embodies the craving for self-improvement that runs through the side he plays for.

Consider the evidence; in the last two series before this, Gillespie, previously perceived a handy but limited tailender, has altered the course of two matches with his batting. His rearguard with Damien Martyn in Chennai was the stuff of legend, and his fifty against New Zealand that of folklore. His reassured presence today might be overshadowed by Martyn's sublime century, but it turned a tight match, finally, in Australia's favour. And it will sit comfortably along both the aforementioned innings.

When he came in after lunch, Pakistan were buzzing, on top and sensing a sizeable lead on which to build. They had toiled hard during the morning session, keeping Martyn quiet and getting rid of Adam Gilchrist. Gillespie then began the squeeze. It wasn't that he scored at an exceptional rate for he never does. But he never looked troubled, and ball after ball he repelled; short, quick and to the body was expertly shepherded down off the top of his toes, turn and bounce was suppressed with the forward defensive, tempters outside off were left on their way, untouched. With each delivery, he dutifully chipped away at Pakistan's spirit. Martyn didn't farm the strike, there was no need and each time Gillespie pinched singles of the last ball to retain strike, he sent a message to Pakistan. When he scored his fiftieth run today, an easy drive to long-off for a single, he celebrated it, unlike against New Zealand, in a manner more in keeping with that of an established batsman; a low-key, professional salute to all parts of the ground. Job done.

After Martyn's dismissal, in a twist, he farmed the strike and added a final flourish. The fastest bowler in the world was despatched for a couple of fours, but the shot of the day, the most damning affirmation of the tourniquet he had become, was his six over long-on off Mohammad Sami.

That he hit it off Sami added a fitting note to the context of this match. There are few cricketers, from Pakistan in any case, who are as naturally gifted as Sami. Ostensibly, he has everything, a graceful athleticism in the field, a smooth untroubled action, frightening pace and a deep reservoir of stamina. Additionally, he possesses a natural aptitude with the bat, a greater one perhaps than Gillespie.

Yet, he has had more days like today, when he is limp, insipid and utterly ineffective than he has like the first day at Perth and even yesterday, when he was desperately unlucky for most of the day. He growled there, but he backed it with actions. Today, his glares at Martyn after having been hit literally around the park, held an emptiness. His impotence furthered the burden on a weakened attack, and for keeping the Australians within touching distance, the plaudits must go to Danish Kaneria, the gangly leggie. He is not endowed with the natural gifts of his fellow Karachiite, but in his tremendously infectious and willing attitude and Gillespie's application and determination to better himself, may lie a telling clue to Sami's frustratingly halted career.

For over two days now, Pakistan has competed manfully with Australia. The collapse after tea suggested a disappointing conclusion to a wonderfully taut and tense match, but after Gillespie's intervention, it somehow seemed predictable. Sami was at the crease at the close, but unlike Gillespie's presence, his doesn't suggest a match-turning moment.