The Great Glenn McGrath

[Blistering Barnacle]

A bowler I think is vastly underrated on Pak Passion. Probably in world cricket actually, because he wasn't a really flashy sort of player.

Glenn McGrath had a test average of 21.6 and an ODI average of 22.

563 test wickets and 381 ODI wickets. Those 381 ODI wickets came at a s/r of 34. Not bad.

Surely he is the best pacer our generation has seen thus far, much as I admire Wasim, Waqar, Donald, Ambrose, etc.

You got to admire his batting averages too, though. 7.3 and 3.8 in tests and ODIs respectively.

3.8!!

Hilarious.

Good thing he was such an amazing bowler.

Amongst pace bowlers, he and Pollock tortured Pakistan. I used to hate watching him bowl against Pak.

[Zaz]

The best pace bowler in the world from the late 90s to the mid 00s

He was always at the batsman with his unnervingly accurate line, length and bounce and he set massively high standards for himself

One of my favourite all time bowlers

[Markhor]

Outstanding bowler. Loved watching him in full swing tearing through the England batting lineup at Lords in 2005 -

[Anfield]

Vastly Underrated? I have yet to find a single sane cricket follower who underrates McGrath... McGrath is very highly rated and rightly so. You hear more about Wasim Waqar here more because:
a) They are Pakistanis so obviously more hype on PP
b)McGrath was a bit boring. He was amazing but very methodical.

[Blistering Barnacle]

A few things I recall about McGrath (aside from his numerous performances):

1. His debut as a lanky raw bowler, a kid in the side still to master his trade.

2. Watching his excellent out fielding during an odi in Nz. I was seated right near the boundary and McGrath was fielding a 100 or so meters away to my left. The batsman went for a slog and McGrath easily sprinted the 100 odd meters to the right to complete a fantastic catch.

3. McGrath complaining to himself while walking back to his bowling crease after getting smacked by a batsman

4. Razzaq smashing McGrath for 5 consecutive fours in Aus

5. Sarwan and mcgraths infamous exchange

[freelance_cricketer]

Arguably the greatest fast bowler ever. It's between him and Wasim Akram for me.

[Blistering Barnacle]

Originally Posted by Anfield Vastly Underrated? I have yet to find a single sane cricket follower who underrates McGrath... McGrath is very highly rated and rightly so. You hear more about Wasim Waqar here more because: a) They are Pakistanis so obviously more hype on PP b)McGrath was a bit boring. He was amazing but very methodical.

Yea I do think he is under rated on pp, and also his name doesn't come up quite as often in world cricket as you'd expect for the most successful pacer in history.

Personally I did not find him boring. I expected him to take a wicket almost every ball against pak so was always on the edge of my seat. Against other nations I just anticipated the inevitable nick to the slips

[freelance_cricketer]

McGrath looks like a Lannister Cersei's twin brother.

[kingusama92]

A bowler that made many batsmen look foolish over the years.

There is nothing more enjoyable than seeing a batsman being worked over. He would meticulously plan out his over and essentially out smart the batsmen into getting out.

Just pure class. I don't think there are many that underrate him!

[Zaz]

If there was a weakness in a batsmans technique, you can bet mcgrath would chew him up and spit him out!

[reliant.robin]

Originally Posted by freelance_cricketer McGrath looks like a Lannister Cersei's twin brother.

Heck, half the Aussie team looks like the Lannisters

[Amjid Javed]

Mcgrath was always rated as a fast bowler. He had the ability to work out a batsmens weakness and then he also had the ability to expose it top class performer and definatley an all time great.

[Express Pace]

Great bowler, gets plenty of respect on here.

[freelance_cricketer]

Originally Posted by reliant.robin Heck, half the Aussie team looks like the Lannisters

And Targaryens

[Robert]

I never thought I'd see an Aussie quick better than Lillee, but IMO 'Hawaii' was.

Maybe even better than Lindwall in the 'fifties.

[Pete Rose]

sigh.....I know it is a tribute post and a well deserved one,
but for all the reasons above, I miss Asif.

[Sandeep99]

Boy,a gem of a player.. wasn't he?! Great throughout the career....what a perfect farewell for him during 2007 World Cup! Never was a liability to the team even during his fading years...

[ecstatic_freak]

Underrated? I am yet to come across a cricket fan who doesn't think highly of McGra, if anyone does, i'd seriously question his mental state.

Hes one of the greatest fast bowlers ever and he was a threat on all sort of wickets because of his simple approach to fast bowling. Many bowlers will tell you different things bout fast bowling, like how to work the seam, wrist position, seam position when delivering the ball but his approach was very simple, just try hitting the top of off-stump, it sounds very simple but its really really effective.

He was one of the biggest predator i have ever seen, always on top of the batsman and always looking to find weaknesses in a batsman's technique, i have seen some of the greatest fast bowlers who found various means to get a batsman but when it comes to destroying a batsman cause of his technique, few can match McGra and Wasim.

[cricketjoshila]

He is the greatest Fast Bowler from Australia/Much better than Lillie.I dont know why people think Lillie was better than him.

[PakPosheeda]

McGrath was a very boring bowler to watch. I dont care if he was the most effective bowler ever, he was still boring. He basically bored the batsmen out.

Warne, Lee etc. on the other hand were super exciting to watch.

[leatherface58]

McGrath was an excellent bowler with great patience. his working out of batsmen was really awesome.

although i did not really like his potty mouth on the cricket field, he was a genuine ATG.

[WalkingWiggett]

Everyone rates Pigeon except perhaps a few lulloos who think raw pace on the speed gun is the most important facet of seam bowling.

As Pidge demonstrated time and again, 130 kph is more than enough if, as the cliché goes, you put the ball in the right areas.

When a good ball strikes the top of off stump, to this day, both my dad and I like to cry out "Top of off!"

[Namak_Halaal]

The fact Australia lost the Ashes in 2005 because McGrath was injured before the 2nd Test match just goes to show how great McGrath was. (This is after Aus were 1-0 up!)

[James]

One of the greatest of all time.

[PakPosheeda]

Originally Posted by WalkingWiggett Everyone rates Pigeon except perhaps a few lulloos

How dare someone not rate a cricketer who you rate? They must be lulloos then right? Ironically you just provided the definition of lulloo logic.

[Ironcat]

Achieved what he did in an era of flat pitches and batting factories. Respect!

[freelance_cricketer]

McGrath's bowling average would have been under 20 had he played in another era.

[freelance_cricketer]

McGrath's bowling was boring?

Watching him outfoxing the best of batsmen around the world was such a great experience. McGrath bullied batsmen, he embarrassed them. Even more than Warne and Murli. As an Indian, Sachinista i know how much i feared guys like McGrath and Pollock, another so called boring pacer who is the actual under rated dude if there is any averaging between 19-22 against all test sides except Aussies.


IMO McGrath was the biggest and the most shining star in the great Aussie team of last decade.

[freelance_cricketer]

Most successful fast bowlers in Tests

[insaan]

My favourite McGrath moment: It was a test match vs West Indies and I was watching it Live. ( Always loved watching cricket in Australia, as the matches would start when it was early morning in India).

He got Sherwin Campbell out. In came Lara. McGrath was on 299 wickets. I wondered if his 300th would be the great Lara. Next ball, Lara was out, caught at slips, and McGrath couldn't have had a better wicket for his 300th.

When Jimmy Adams came, I was sure that he would complete his Hat trick, and McGrath proceeded to do what was expected.

Fortunate to have witnessed his greatness.

[freelance_cricketer]

Hew used to 'BRING IT'

Every time against anyone anywhere.

[Obeid]

Well I was always interested in his play because I was so afraid our batsman would get out anytime he came onto bowl...

[Poison]

I remember most the 8-24 at the WACA in 04 ... depressing Test

[Blistering Barnacle]

Originally Posted by freelance_cricketer As an Indian, Sachinista i know how much i feared guys like McGrath and Pollock, another so called boring pacer who is the actual under rated dude if there is any averaging between 19-22 against all test sides except Aussies.

Well looks like I was wrong about him being underrated.

But you bring up a good point about Pollock. He was an awesome bowler and a handy batsman too.

[khalil1986]

An all time great and don't think he is under rated at all. Stunning bowler and one of the best ever IMO.

[cricketindiafan]

Don't think any other bowler has dominated the best batsmen of his era as much as Mcgrath did, Sachin, Lara, Dravid, Kallis, Inzi, Chanders...

A true legend of the game.

[Justcrazy]

Macgrath has never been under rated. He was a very good bowler .........very tough to hit but basically line and length. Not in the league of or marshal.

[Bublu Bhuyan]

This guy dominated almost each and every good/great batsman of his time. Easily the best fast bowler of his time with maybe Curtley Ambrose giving him good competition.

[saeedhk]

He is a legend.

[Blistering Barnacle]

Originally Posted by Justcrazy Macgrath has never been under rated. He was a very good bowler .........very tough to hit but basically line and length. Not in the league of or marshal.

How come he's not in the league of Waqar or Marshal.

This is what i meant by McGrath being underrated in my initial post.

[Amjid Javed]

Always enjoyed watching the Duals between Lara and Mcgrath! Both always had plenty to say against each other and it was always thrilling viewing!

[DHONI183]

The best fast bowler I have seen after Curtly Ambrose!

[style_guru]

The best thing about him was that he always targeted the best batsmen in the opposition. And more then often, came out the winner.

[Luton Bad Boy]

Mohammad Asif was not a patch on Glenn McGrath

Glenn McGrath had pin-point accuracy that other bowlers wish they had

He dominated all of the opposing team's best batsmen (mentally and physically)

The entire Pakistan team was Glenn McGrath's bunny (I remember a series in Australia (2006) where we lost a match by an innings and 400-odd runs and McGrath took like 8 wickets for 20 runs)

He made a mockery of our batting line-up!!

[Jo_Don]

He's highly rated, and justifiably so. If anything I would say that Hadlee and S. Pollock are underrated. They both have similar records to McGrath, but didn't play in as many tests.

[zulfiqar]

As a Pak fan, we almost omit McGrath from comparisons with bowlers who did well against Pak as he owned every single one of our batsmen in his time (with only Anwar sometimes getting on top of his bowling). He was a league above the rest. Used to hate him whilst he played for kicking Pak team's ass so much, but loved his bowling vs England & SA. Don't think anyone underrates him at all!

[freelance_cricketer]

Originally Posted by Jo_Don He's highly rated, and justifiably so. If anything I would say that Hadlee and S. Pollock are underrated. They both have similar records to McGrath, but didn't play in as many tests.

I agree big time. Hadlee and Pollock are very very under rated bowlers and all rounders.

[Abid Z]

Originally Posted by freelance_cricketer Most successful fast bowlers in Tests

I don't think anybody has under rated him as a bowler, far from it, he gets due respect. But he is under rated in one department, his fitness which allowed him to bowl within himself and in 14 years get to 124 matches and over 500 wickets. Basically he was never injured. There are only two serious occasions that i vaguely remember, first is obviously when he most helpfully tread on a cricket ball after Lords 2005 and then got replaced by kasper etc when he didnt play the rest of the series and another time i think where he missed a series. I think part of the reason for his effectiveness was his stamina and fitness to figure in most of the series Australia played (alongside Warne) so there was always a very dependable attack.

Very similar to Courtney walsh and Ambrose in this regard, they hardly ever got injured probably coz they bowled well within themselves. McGrath absolutely didnt have to retire when he did, he was good and fit enough to carry on playing for another couple of years

[Gilly]

Originally Posted by Abid Z McGrath absolutely didnt have to retire when he did, he was good and fit enough to carry on playing for another couple of years

McGrath was suffering from a debilitating heel injury when he retired. His last couple of matches were played in intense pain.