LINE AND STRENGTH

GLENN MCGRATH IS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGARDED FAST-MEDIUM PACE BOWLERS IN CRICKETING HISTORY, AND WAS A LEADING CONTRIBUTOR TO AUSTRALIA'S DOMINATION OF WORLD CRICKET FROM THE MID-1990S TO 2007. HE HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR TEST WICKETS BY A FAST BOWLER. HE RETIRED FROM TEST CRICKET AFTER THE FIFTH ASHES TEST IN SYDNEY 2007, WHILST THE WORLD CUP THAT YEAR MARKED THE END OF HIS ONE-DAY CAREER. MCGRATH WAS NAMED ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND WISDEN CRICKETER OF THE YEAR ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. HE GREW UP IN MARROMINE, WHERE HIS LOCAL CAPTAIN THOUGHT SO LITTLE OF HIS BOWLING ABILITY THAT HE REFUSED TO GIVE HIM A BOWL. BUT MCGRATH'S POTENTIAL WAS SPOTTED BY DOUG WALTERS AND HE MOVED TO SYDNEY, FAMOUSLY SKINNY AND LIVING IN A CARAVAN. MCGRATH CAPPED HIS RAPID RISE IN THE NEXT AUSTRALIAN SUMMER WITH SELECTION IN THE NATIONAL SIDE AFTER PLAYING ONLY EIGHT FIRST-CLASS MATCHES. HE RELIED ON UNERRING ACCURACY IN HIS BOWLING AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE BALL SEAM OFF THE PITC