New Delhi. Glenn McGrath is counted among the best fast bowlers of Australia (Australia Cricket Team) of all time. His excellent record bears testimony to this. The tall bowler took 563 wickets in 124 Tests at an average of 21.64 and 381 wickets in 250 ODIs at an average of 22.02. McGrath’s action as a fast bowler is considered ideal and even today many fast bowlers try to emulate it.
McGrath, 53, set many records in an international career spanning nearly 15 years, but one record stands out. This is the record for the last over of his career in all three formats of international cricket (Test, ODI and T20). However, he missed out on the last ball of his career in all three formats during this period. McGrath, popularly known as ‘Pigeon’ among his teammates, took last-ball wickets in Tests and T20Is but lost the last-ball wicket in ODIs by a ‘margin of one ball’.
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The last Test was played in January 2007
McGrath played his last Test against England in Sydney in January 2007 and had James Anderson caught by Michael Hussey in the last ball of his last over. Australia won this match by 10 wickets. He played the last T20I of his career against England on 13 June 2005 at Southampton and had Paul Collingwood caught by Ricky Ponting in the last ball of his last over. In this last T20I of McGrath, the England team managed to win by 100 runs.
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The last ODI match was played against Sri Lanka
McGrath played his last ODI on 28 April 2007 against Sri Lanka at Bridgetown (during the ICC World Cup), in which he dismissed Russell Arnold on the fifth ball of his last over. McGrath’s last ball in an ODI international was bowled by Chaminda. Vass played safely and the fast bowler did not take a wicket on the last ball. Australia won the match by 53 runs (D/L method).
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Tags: Australia Cricket Team, Glenn McGrath
First published: December 29, 2023, 08:41 IST