Glenn McGrath
'A very clever bowler who never got bored'
Part four: Alec Stewart on the best bowlers he faced; this time, Glenn McGrath
Producer: Ranjit Shinde
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- Players/Officials : Glenn McGrath
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McGrath was extremely succesful, but I always found it surprsing that more batsmen did not tackle him. In ODI's people took more chances and managed to score off him, especially towards the end of the innings. The assault by Moin Khan in 99 WC is a great example. Mcgrath was smashed to all parts of the ground & kept asking the umpire "how many balls left?" VVS Laxman also played him really well , in fact most wristy batsmen who relied on timing and/or shuffled towards the off to play him though the legside were the successful ones against him in tests. VVS Laxman, Saeed Anwer and Ijaz Ahmed. The 2 pak batsmen perhaps played him better than anyone. Ijaz often made McGrath frustrated as he repeatedly shuffled and smashed him through the legside, causing McGrath to bowl a little bit wider and Ijaz responding by square cutting him for 4. The key to playing McGrath apart from what I mentioned was to attack him. Play him like a spinner and don't let him settle. Too few attacked him & got out
Well... McGrath is the best pace bowler in 90s & 2000s after Wasim. During an era where you had more flat pitches, more fielding regulations, and as a result more attacking batsmen like Lara, Sachin, he was the only bowler who troubled almost every batsmen, every time in every format. What he did in his entire tenure was bowl perfect line & length (no express pace, no hiding the ball, no hiding behind the umpire, no reverse swing)...