McGrath eyes a third way

Glenn McGrath, fresh from the rare indignity of being overlooked as Australia's opening bowler, says he is prepared to reinvent himself as a wily old first-change operator.

One of the most brutally effective fast men in history, McGrath was relegated behind Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz for new-ball duties in Australia's eight-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in Harare on Saturday. It was the third time in his past six matches that he has come on first-change; before that, he had opened Australia's bowling in his previous 87 one-day internationals dating back to the 1999 World Cup.

Now aged 34, he is willing to embrace a new, subtler role in Australia's attack. "I think Allan Donald did it through the latter part of his career - came on first change, really tied it up, put the pressure on and took wickets," said McGrath.

"And it worked very well. Whatever's best for the team, I'm happy to do."

McGrath's preference, however, is to carry on as normal. "I still like opening with the new ball. I'll have to improve my form to get back there."

His form in Zimbabwe was merely acceptable, neither dispiriting nor particularly encouraging, for someone returning from two lots of ankle surgery. In three matches he took one wicket and went for 3.35 runs an over; Gillespie (seven and 3.21) and Kasprowicz (five and 2.62) finished with substantially more earth-shattering figures against substantially less-than-challenging opponents.

On form and available evidence, McGrath would seem likely to bowl first-change in his next scheduled Test outing too - a fate which last befell him in the first innings of a Test way back in April 1995 at Kingston. In his most recent five-day appearances, against Bangladesh a year ago, McGrath looked flat and entirely without zip. He was not a patch on the hitherto unsung Michael Kasprowicz, who bowled with fire, bounce and zest during Australia's 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka.

"After such a long break you need overs under the belt," said McGrath. "I bowled 50 on tour, including the practice match, and felt I was just starting to get it back. Another 50 would be handy."

Asked what pluses came out of the Zimbabwe tour, Australia's captain Ricky Ponting replied: "Good question." At a pinch he nominated the performances of Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Michael Clarke, whose unbeaten 105 from 102 balls on Saturday was his maiden one-day hundred.

Five members of Australia's squad will return home at various times throughout today. The rest are bound for the English county scene, where the calibre of opposition should prove more formidable than that which they have encountered over the past drab, morally dubious, utterly forgettable week.