Adam Gilchrist copped a sting in the tail from one of his worst one-day cricket performances when reported for dissent on Monday.

A battle-weary Gilchrist was also given a two-match rest by Australia's selectors in the aftermath of Sunday night's five-wicket loss to South Africa.

The wicketkeeper-batsman fell first ball of the day, dropped a catch, let through four byes at a vital time and also clashed with umpire Aleem Dar over a contentious run out appeal.

His exchange with Dar, when he demanded the 26th over appeal against SA opener Boeta Dippenaar be referred to the third umpire, earned a report for a level one offence.

The vice-captain will become the third Australian to front an ICC match referee in the past fortnight when he attends a hearing before Jeff Crowe on January 25.

Glenn McGrath (obscene language) and Brett Lee (dissent) both breached the ICC code of conduct this month while ICC match referee Chris Broad acknowledged the world champions as the team which applied most pressure on umpires.

Gilchrist has been replaced by NSW captain Brad Haddin for matches against SA in Melbourne on Friday and Sri Lanka in Sydney on Sunday.

But he won't be in danger of missing any more games as a level one (1.3) offence carries a possible fine and/or reprimand as punishment.

The selectors are hopeful a week at home with his family will help him refresh and rediscover his batting form.

With three months of constant international cricket ahead, Gilchrist gets the break selectors tried to give him last month before Cricket Australia stepped in and ordered he take part in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series in New Zealand.

Haddin will leave NSW's Pura Cup clash against Victoria, which started on Monday in Lismore, to join the national squad in Melbourne.

Gilchrist has endured his leanest home season with the bat, having compiled only 24 runs in his past five one-day innings, including the three-match series in NZ.

Previous rest periods have worked as he smashed 75 in his comeback match in the 2003-04 tri-series and 47 on his return last summer.

"We've been very mindful of the heavy workload that Adam has and this rest period has been programmed into his schedule since before the VB Series began," chief selector Trevor Hohns said.

"We've done this in the past and we find it gives players a well earned opportunity to freshen up.

Former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy said resting Gilchrist could rejuvenate the star opening bat before the end of the tri-series and coming tours to South Africa and Bangladesh.

"With a World Cup on the way (in 2007) it's probably a year where they can nurse him a bit and that could regenerate his performance," Healy said.

"It might help him get his form going and then they have a good off-season, which will let him rest and clear the decks."

Although Gilchrist had been struggling with the bat, Healy said he had never seen the West Australian keep so well as this summer.

South African all-rounder Shaun Pollock expected Gilchrist to bounce back to be at his best come the World Cup in the Caribbean.

Pollock said opposing sides would be happy to see the destructive opener moved down the order.

"He's going through a bit of a rough patch but he's still a match-winner up front," Pollock said.

"It wasn't that long ago that game in Melbourne against the World XI that he got that (103, in October) and if he plays like that it's almost (like) he's won the game in the first 20 overs for Australia."

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