Glenn McGrath ? looking forward to retirement

[DesiChap]

Glenn McGrath ? looking forward to retirement Special Correspondent Bridgetown: Glenn McGrath, according to best man Steve Waugh, eats the same breakfast every morning on tour: a recipe of fried egg, white toast, and salt. Writes Waugh: "He places his two fried eggs on separate pieces of white toast before making sure the yolk is perfectly positioned in the middle, before trimming the overhanging egg white edges with surgical precision. The contents are then cut into quarters after being doused with a three-second barrage of salt." Waugh's attention to detail nearly exceeds McGrath's: little wonder that both men could pare their games down to the absolutely essential to embrace immoderate success. Future plans The Australians will miss McGrath's little obsessive-compulsive routine after Saturday. His last international cricket match done, he will be chasing wild pigs on his sprawling farm when not "spending time with family, some time away from cricket." Already, his father is happy having gained a farm-hand. "Growing up on a farm, they've always seen cricket as a bit of fun," said McGrath. "The real work for them is on the farm." From a country lad who sharpened his accuracy bowling at a fuel barrel that rested against his dad's machinery shed, McGrath has come far. Among the best He is regarded as among the finest fast-bowlers in the history of the game; certainly its most successful in World Cups. "As an individual and a team, we've won everywhere," said McGrath reducing nearly 950 international wickets and 13 years at the top of a remorseless sport to a line. "I'm happy to leave with Australian fast bowling in a good state." What are his emotions leaving the game? Relief? Happiness? "Maybe a little bit of both," said McGrath. "I'm certainly looking forward to retirement, but I still enjoy playing the game. One of the reasons I've bowled so well here is I've really enjoyed it. There's been no pressure, no fear. I'm not sure when it (retirement) will hit me." The most readily apparent aspects of his bowling are the economy of action, which has preserved him in cotton-wool, the persistent accuracy, which constantly challenges the batsman's ego and tests his skill, and the discomforting lift, which after taking edge or splice ensures it carries to hand. Perhaps the most under-rated aspect is the repeatability of action: with the mechanics down pat, McGrath's cricket-intelligent mind can concentrate on out-thinking a batsman. "I can see when a batsman is coming at me, and I can change my mind last minute," he said. Such on-the-go bowling is not to be attempted by the uncertain of action. Keeping it simple This repeatability is derived from simplicity of method. "My approach has always been to keep it simple," said McGrath. "I believe the less uncomplicated your game is the less of a chance you'll go wrong. I've always believed if you can hit the deck and the top of off 99 times out of a hundred, you'll be successful. For some reason, people have walked away from me a little disappointed when I've given them that advice." Though never express, McGrath is known to have strayed past 90 mph in the late 1990s. In succeeding years his pace slowed to a point fast-medium was an exaggeration, but the effort ball was never dispensed with. His bouncer is near perfect: modulated according to the batsman, it either threatens the armpit or tempts the off-balance pull. His yorker hasn't the curl round-arms readily produce, but as Jacques Kallis found out, it's taut in both conception and execution. His success against the best batsmen of his generation ? "Brian and Sachin, probably Brian a little bit in front of Sachin when they were at their peaks" ? was some of the most dramatic cricket in the last 12 years; also proof, if any was needed, that he would have done well in any era. Role model Who did this model fast-bowler look up to? "Curtly Ambrose with his height and his ability to crank it up when needed, his bounce. Wasim (Akram) for what he could do with the ball, both old and new, and the way he powered through the crease." McGrath will be missed. Though guilty on occasion of petulance extending to unacceptable behaviour on the field, McGrath is generous, loyal, and funny off it. His mates in the Australian side say he is modest to a fault. "I don't mind saying I shed a tear at the Sydney Cricket Ground with Glenn and Shane and Justin leaving from Test cricket," said his captain Ricky Ponting. "There's no doubt I'll miss him. We've had some very good memories."

[yoda]

Re: Glenn McGrath ? looking forward to retirement What can you say? Great great bowler. Thanks for retiring.

[gs]

Re: Glenn McGrath ? looking forward to retirement I was looking forward to his retirement as much as he was!!!