McGrath is rapidly driving Australia towards crown (6 June 1999)

6 June 1999

McGrath is rapidly driving Australia towards crown

The Electronic Telegraph

Australia reverted to type and aggressively brushed aside India in a display of such power and precision that it will concern the other teams who are fighting for a semi-final spot.

Gone was the tentative batting, the wayward bowling and sloppy fielding which marked their opening in the World Cup and the manner in which they demolished India confirms that Steve Waugh's team are peaking at the right time.

It was almost as though Mark Waugh was the forward scout for Australia on Friday. From the moment he charged Venkatesh Prasad and sliced a boundary high over the slips, Australia were constantly on the attack, as though this was the signal that everything was fine and this was the time to assert control.

Mark Waugh is a casual genius, playing elegantly and easily and very occasionally resorting to brute force. Adam Gilchrist is looked upon as the man to get Australia off to a fast start, but it was Waugh who raced away from his partner and it was only a typically casual dismissal which cost him the opportunity to add to his already impressive total of World Cup hundreds.

Mark Waugh is often criticised for his number of soft dismissals, but I think that it is part of his charm as a batsman. He is prepared to take risks to dominate the bowling and occasionally this leads to an unpleasant downfall but when the ploy succeeds, he makes batting so much easier for his team-mates.

This is one of the reasons why when Mark Waugh plays well Australia generally win and if in the same game Glenn McGrath bowls beautifully, the opposition do not have a prayer. The lanky fast bowler quickly turned a stiff target for India into an impossible one when he ripped through the top order, once again disposing of the opposition's star performer.

McGrath has many assets as a fast bowler, impeccable line and length being two of them, but his greatest one is the ability to produce his best against key opponents. He short-circuited the West Indies' tournament by bowling Brian Lara with a beauty at Old Trafford and he unleashed another good one to get rid of Sachin Tendulkar.

McGrath is not only a good fast bowler, he is also a smart one and he did not bother attempting to unsettle Tendulkar with short-pitched deliveries but immediately brought the class batsman forward.

Javagal Srinath, on the other hand, bowled well but pitched a shade too short with the new ball and consequently he beat the bat rather than caught the edge. Like most bowlers, McGrath depends a lot on rhythm and having found the groove he is now Australia's greatest asset and they will be hoping he avoids injury.

That is a mantle McGrath has inherited from Shane Warne, whose status is a bit of a mystery at the moment. He is bowling well and there were one or two deliveries at the Oval which rekindled memories of previous tours of England, if not quite the ball that cleaned up Mike Gatting. Then bingo, three sixes in one over and India must have had visions of a miracle victory.

It was hard to assess whether that was just the Indians continuing to play Warne well, or if batsmen now have more confidence against the blond bamboozler because they believe he cannot produce the one which will beat them in flight and fizz past the edge of the bat.

There is no doubt that since the operation on his shoulder, batsmen have generally found it easier to get to the pitch of the one he flights a little more and this has resulted in more sixes and less miscues.

We may get a better idea of Warne's progress in the match against South Africa. He has always had an edge over the Proteas in general and Daryll Cullinan in particular and if he maintains that advantage, then it is fair to assume he is not far from his best. Australia's clash with South Africa should also be a good guide to the likely progress of both teams.

Steve Waugh's captaincy was much more assertive at the Oval and his team responded and played in typically aggressive style, which in the past has unsettled the South Africans.

Australia should get past Zimbabwe at Lord's as the extra bounce there has ensured that it is a happy hunting ground for the green and golds, so that makes the clash at Headingley a crucial one.

Australia have sent out mixed signals in the last few days. The go-slow against the West Indies suggested they were not sure of winning all their matches in the Super Sixes in order to qualify for the semi-finals.

However, the convincing win over India at the Oval conveyed the message that an aggressive team are back to their best and are capable of winning the trophy.

Source :: The Electronic Telegraph