McGrath backs Gillespie and Kasprowicz to return

'It is like losing part of the family': Glen McGrath shares his grief on the omission of Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz © Getty Images

Glenn McGrath has come out in support of his fast bowling colleagues Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz, and expressed the confidence that both will make it back to international cricket. He also voiced his desire to win the Super Series by comprehensively beating the World XI in the three-match one-day series and the one-off Test.

Speaking to AAP, McGrath said: "It's tough - they've broken up the fast-bowling cartel, we will have to induct a few younger guys into it. Sometimes it is like losing part of the family - I played my whole life with Mark and Stephen [Waugh] before they finished. I've got faith on all those guys coming back." Gillespie and Kasprowicz were axed from the Test and one-day squads for this month's ICC Super Series matches after disappointing performances in the Ashes.

McGrath rubbished claims that the defeat to England marks the beginning of the decline for Australia. Pointing to the fact that the replacements also possess international experience, he said: "You look at the new guys coming in, everyone in the squad has played international cricket - they've all had a taste of it. Guys performed well at certain periods through the Ashes series and if we can put that together in a whole game, which we generally do, then we will be back before we know it. It's pretty important for us to bounce back now and play some decent cricket, get a few more wins on the board - just back to 'business as usual' for us. This is where the season starts for us now, leading into the West Indies and South African Tests."

Explaining the reason for skipping the club games and not doing any bowling since the Ashes, McGrath said: "It's probably more precautionary at the moment. I haven't done any bowling since I've been back. I will build it up here and get ready for Wednesday - that was always the plan."

McGrath admitted that his freak accident on the eve of the second Ashes Test still rankled even two months after the incident. "It would have been nice to have that half a second again, put my foot three inches one way or the other. You try not to focus on it too much, because it is pretty frustrating, but it's gone now."

McGrath also said he would not shelve his practice of giving pre-match public statements, targeting opponents or predicting the series scoreline. "If you look at every other series I've played in the last eight years, I said we'll win 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 5-0, depending on how many Tests. To me, it's no different to any other game, and I'm looking to win these one-dayers 3-0 and the Test 1-0 - sounds good, doesn't it?" When asked which specific batsman he would target, McGrath said: "It's hard to target one, isn't it? So I might have to target the whole team. A match like this, I'm not even considering that, I'm just looking forward to the challenge of bowling to the guys who are classed the best in the world. That's a true challenge for any bowler".

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