Jason Gillespie

Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie was a cult figure and key member of the Aussie team during one of the greatest eras of Australian cricket. Part of an exceptional bowling line-up that dominated opposition batsmen for more than decade, Jason represented the green and gold between 1996 and 2006 and is the first acknowledged Australian Men Test Cricketer of Indigenous descent. His father hails from the Kamilaroi people while his mother has Greek heritage.

Making his national team debut in 1996 against the West Indies, Jason went on to play 71 Tests and 97 ODIs and took 259 and 142 wickets, respectively, across the two formats of the game. Handy with the bat too, Jason holds the record for the highest ever score by a nightwatchman in a Test match, when he recorded 201 not out – on his 31st birthday! – against Bangladesh in 2006. This would also be his last outing for Australia, with injury hampering his ability to play on.

Post retirement, Jason turned his hand to coaching with highlights including Yorkshire (2012-2016), Sussex (2018-2020), the Head Coach for South Australia in 2020 and his current position as head coach of the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL.