Gilchrist confident of run revival

Adam Gilchrist feels a return of his blockbusting form is not far away after a disappointing streak since the Super Series. Gilchrist's lack of runs over the past two months have raised concerns over his age - he is now 34 - but his confidence was boosted with a 58-ball 44 in the second innings at Perth.

"I started to feel alright the other day in the middle," he said in the Sydney Morning Herald. "I got past 10, which was nice, I hadn't done that in a couple of months."

During the West Indies series Gilchrist batted three times for only 52 runs and he made 3, 8 and 0 on the one-day tour to New Zealand. "Your confidence does drop a little bit when you miss out a few times," he said. "I had done that in the previous two Tests and in New Zealand, so it had been a little while since I'd made any significant score.

"You've just got to keep believing. I haven't broken through with a big one yet but it certainly feels like it's going in the right direction."

Gilchrist started his 44 at the WACA with the view of building a large score, but the approaching declaration forced him into a more attacking mood. "If I'm thinking like that it means I'm thinking more naturally," he said. "Like I do when I'm playing well."

Ricky Ponting was criticised for delaying the declaration and setting South Africa 491 for victory, but Gilchrist supported his captain. "I heard the term arrogance used somewhere," he said in The Courier-Mail. "I'm really surprised by that. He's got the absolute support of the team. We had every chance to win that game and South Africa were good enough to keep us out."