Gilchrist8217;s six which also went under ground

John put the ball in a box of socks, then dug a hole and buried it inside an ice-cream container as Gilchrist appealed for its return.

John said he wanted to collect a genuine Test ball because 8216;there is a lot of fraud in memorabilia8217;.

8220;The only way I was ever going to get something I knew was legit was that situation like that,8221; he was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.

John said public pressure contributed to him giving the ball up.

8220;I started to think, 8216;How am I going to get any enjoyment out of this ball with all the turmoil I8217;ve been through? It would be like if the fans couldn8217;t see the Ashes.8221;

John was also unsure if he was breaking the law by keeping CA8217;s ball and dug it up on Tuesday.

8220;I thought it would be a bit rough 8212; more than rough, a tragedy 8212; for the ball to be on someone8217;s mantelpiece. That8217;s when I realised the ball was bigger than one person, bigger than Gilchrist. It was the public8217;s ball.8221;

Gilchrist hit the ball out of Hobart8217;s Bellerive Oval last month to become the first Test player to hit 100 sixes.

He did not ask for anything but Cricket Australia is considering how to thank him. CA will display the ball, with a note on its adventures, in cricket museums.