McGrath confirms his place among the all-time greats

Australian pace bowler finishes career in fifth spot in all-time Test and ODI LG ICC Player Rankings for bowlers; Player of the Tournament also finishes as leading wicket-taker in history of the ICC CWC and in 2007 event

Australia's Glenn McGrath, who announced he is retiring from the game following Saturday's ICC Cricket World Cup final success against Sri Lanka, finishes his career in fifth place in the all-time LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers.

McGrath, who was named as Player of the Tournament after taking 26 wickets, is one of only five players to have ever reached 900 rating points, the mark of a true great.

The New South Wales bowler reached his highest rating of 903 points during the seven-match ODI series against South Africa in March 2002.

The only players ahead of him in the all-time list are fast bowlers Joel Garner of the West Indies, New Zealand's Richard Hadlee and South Africa's Shaun Pollock, along with Sri Lanka spin-wizard Muttiah Muralidaran.

McGrath's haul of wickets in the tournament that ended with Australia's record-breaking third successive triumph in the event, is the biggest haul in a single ICC Cricket World Cup.

And the player, who played in all those successes (1999 and 2003, and this latest victory in the Caribbean), as well as the 1996 tournament, where Australia lost in the final to Sri Lanka, has ended his career with more ICC CWC wickets than any other player.

McGrath finished with 71 wickets from 39 matches spread over the four events, well clear of his nearest rival Wasim Akram of Pakistan, who captured 55 wickets in 38 matches.

In 250 ODIs, McGrath has taken 381 wickets at an average of just over 22 runs each.

The 37 year-old also finishes his career in fifth spot in the all-time LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, achieving his highest rating of 914 rating points during the Ashes series against England in 2001.

In that all-time list for Test bowlers, England's fast-medium genius Sydney Barnes, who played for England for 13 years from 1901, tops the table.

Barnes only played 27 Tests during his career but in that time he captured 189 wickets at an average of 16.43 and achieved the highest rating of any bowler in history when he reached 932 points in February 1914.

Barnes' predecessor in the England team George Lohmann is in second spot while Pakistan legend Imran Khan is in third position while Muralidaran lies fourth.

In 124 Tests, McGrath took 563 wickets at 21.64, with only his former team-mate Shane Warne (708) and Muralidaran (674) ahead of him in the success stakes.

All-time LG ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers

All-time LG ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers

ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 leading wicket-takers

ICC Cricket World Cup all-time leading wicket-takers

It is also interesting to look at the players who have achieved the highest ratings since the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992

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