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BRISBANE - Australia's retirement bug isn't catching Adam Gilchrist, who intends keeping the gloves for another two seasons to challenge for test cricket's wicket-keeping dismissal record.
Entering the two-test series against Sri Lanka with 381 dismissals from 90 consecutive matches, the 35-year-old is just 21 behind South African Mark Boucher's record of 402.
Boucher, 30, recently overtook Ian Healy's 395 but could be overhauled by Gilchrist with Australia facing a packed schedule over the next two years.
Gilchrist yesterday suggested he would be playing again in 2008-09, despite feeling a year ago the Ashes series might be his last in test cricket.
The batsman-keeper said the 5-0 whitewash over England, the unbeaten World Cup defence in the Caribbean and the lengthy off-season break that followed had given him extra motivation to continue.
He had no plans to follow long-time team-mates Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn quickly into retirement.
Ironically it was a question from Healy, compering a test match lunch in Brisbane yesterday, which saw Gilchrist reveal his and fellow veteran Matthew Hayden's enthusiasm for future battles.
"This time last year I was wondering whether that might be my last test [in Brisbane]," said the left-hander, who turns 36 next week.
"But I'm going along enjoying and seeing where it leads to.
"We got to that World Cup and that was a real shot in the arm with the unbelievable excitement."
Gilchrist, who starts the Gabba test tomorrow needing 15 dismissals to pass Healy's Australian record, said the three-month break after the World Cup had recharged his batteries.
"In the next three or four years any cricketer will not see that time off so they were very timely, especially in my career, and I think Matty would be the same and we spoke about it and we said let's just see how we feel.
"So I'm not sure if I'll be back here next year but the way I feel at the moment, the intention is to try and get right through.
" AAP
