McGrath's bittersweet memories of 2005
In an interview with the Guardian, Glenn McGrath reflects on his own Ashes experiences and Australia's prospects for the series
03-Jul-2013
Third on the list of leading wicket-takers in the Ashes, Glenn McGrath knows a few things about winning matches for his side. In an interview with Donald McRae of the Guardian, the former fast bowler, who dismissed Mike Atherton a record 19 times in the Ashes, rubbishes Ian Botham's prediction of a 10-0 England sweep, and remembers the impact of the 2005 series.
"The thing that stands out for me was walking down the street and people coming up to me saying they'd never watched cricket before and suddenly they couldn't miss a ball. I remember Old Trafford on the last day when so many people couldn't get in. That atmosphere, and especially the cricket, made it the best series I ever played in."
Defeat was galling, but McGrath suggests, "we became a better side while England, having achieved what they wanted, fell away. We won the next Ashes, which was the last series for me and Warnie, 5-0. It was the perfect way to bow out."