Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sports

TWO ALL-TIME greats of the game of cricket have decided to hang up their boots and walk off into the sunset.

Australia's Adam Gilchrist, undoubtedly the greatest wicketkeeper/batsman the game has seen, and South Africa's Shaun Pollock, the pre-eminent all-rounder of the past decade, have bowed out on their own terms and the game will be poorer for their departure.

Void to fill

After dedicating their lives to the game they loved, they now have to fill that void.

Maybe they can go on safaris or walkabouts (that sounds familiar), ride gondolas in Venice, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris or simply spend catch-up time with their wives and young families.

Whatever void they have to fill, though, will be far less than those now left in the Australian and South African teams.

Pollock, the red-haired bowling all-rounder with the tremendous cricket pedigree, spearheaded the Proteas' attack and propped up the middle order for more than a dozen years.

In 108 Tests, he made 3,781 runs at 32.31 with two centuries and claimed 421 wickets at a miserly average of 23.11.

In 303 one-day internationals (ODIs), it was 3,519 runs at 26.45 (one century) and 393 wickets with an economy rate of 3.67.

If there is to be any criticism of 'Polly' - beyond an average stint as captain of the national side - it could be that at the peak of his powers he batted too low down the batting order and did not fully exploit his talents; but that's a minor quibble.

Gilchrist, the New South Welshman who had to travel across Australia to get a first-class game, has had a career every bit as stunning as Pollock's.

'Gilly' made 5,570 runs (17 centuries) in his 96 Tests at a superb average of 47.6 and has a world record 416 dismissals behind the stumps keeping to the raw power of Brett Lee, the subtle pace of Glenn McGrath and the beguiling spin of the legendary Shane Warne.

As one of the world's best openers in the abbreviated form of the game, he has so far amassed 9,372 runs and 15 tons at 36.04 from 279 ODIs with 458 dismissals.

Gilchrist's batting

The true greatness of Gilchrist, though, was his belligerent batting which turned so many games Australia's way from the same batting spot as Pollock in Tests - number seven

His sheer brilliance sent all other Test nations in search of legitimate 'keeper/batsmen and has spawned the likes of Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, India's Mahendra Dhoni and his heir apparent in the baggy green cap, Brad Haddin.

Apart from their on-field heroics, 'Polly' and 'Gilly' also maintained dignity in a game that seems to be becoming more and more crude as more and more bucks are up for grabs.

Pollock was a full-hearted competitor, but he also had class and was universally respected by friend and foe alike, while Gilchrist was one of the dying breed of bastmen not afraid to walk, no matter what the circumstance.

Maybe, they are the last of the gentlemen cricketers and I'll probably miss them more for that than their gaudy statistics and heroic deeds. So will the game.

Later

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