MacGill v McGain in legspin duel

25-Feb-2013

Stuart MacGill tests out his wrist on his return to first-class cricket, New South Wales v South Australia, Pura Cup, Sydney, March 7, 2008

Stuart MacGill and Bryce McGain will go head-to-head in the Pura Cup final, which started on Saturday, as the main contenders for a spin spot on the West Indies tour in May. Malcolm Conn writes about the battle in the Australian.

MacGill, 37, and Victoria's McGain, 36 in 10 days, ply the same trade on a cricket field and are the two oldest players in the game but, for all these obvious similarities, have little in common, including their attitude to the West Indian tour.

Despite playing just his second match for New South Wales after a three-month lay-off following wrist surgery, MacGill believes he is already on the plane for what will be his third tour of the West Indies ... McGain, who has exploded on to the state scene in little more than a year following Shane Warne's retirement, says he can't afford to think beyond his next over.

In the Age Chloe Saltau also talks to McGain, who no longer plays the trumpet or works in IT, while Greg Baum interviews David Hussey.

Philip Derriman, writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, takes a look back at the 1984-85 Sheffield Shield final between New South Wales and Queensland.

Australia

Peter English is former Australasia editor of ESPNcricinfo