Glenn McGrath was part of a bowling attack many at the time described as Australia’s best ever, but he says the current crop may be just as good.
McGrath teamed up with Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie and others as part of a fearsome attacking unit that helped Australia dominate Test cricket for years.
Australia’s current quartet of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon have now been in combination for several years and are beginning to forge a reputation as a historically great combination.
In the wake of their performance in the first Test against India in Adelaide, where their relentless second-innings assault saw the tourists dismissed for a record-low total of 36, comparisons were made to the McGrath-era attack.
And McGrath has no problem with that, as he told the ABC Sport commentary team at the SCG on day one of the third Test.
“I’ve always been impressed with the bowling unit that Australia has had for quite some time, with Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood and Lyon,” he said.
“That’s been the backbone for quite a few years and they’re as good a bowling attack as anywhere in the world — and up there with the best of all time.”
| Bowler | Tests | Wickets | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. Warne | 145 | 708 | 25.41 |
| G. McGrath | 124 | 563 | 21.64 |
| B. Lee | 76 | 310 | 30.81 |
| J. Gillespie | 71 | 259 | 26.13 |
| P. Cummins | 33 | 153 | 21.51 |
| N. Lyon | 99 | 394 | 31.63 |
| M. Starc | 60 | 252 | 26.75 |
| J. Hazlewood | 54 | 202 | 25.86 |
‘No weak link’
The lanky former NSW quick said the foursome worked together in the same way he and Warne, Lee and Gillespie used to.
“There’s just no respite for the batsmen.
“That session in Adelaide, there was not a single bad ball, it was just incredible bowling.
“I’ve had big wraps on these guys for a long time and they’re as good as any bowling attack Australia’s had.
“They all offer something a little bit different. You’ve got Hazlewood and Cummins who are just so consistent, Starc just has that X-factor and wicket-taking ability, and Lyon’s called the GOAT because he’s the leading off-spin wicket taker for Australia, all time, so there’s just no weak link there.”
Aussie batsmen failing to get on top this series
McGrath, who joined the ABC Sport team from India, where he’s commentating on this series, is still running the Pink Test fundraising from afar for the McGrath Foundation.
The aim this year is to raise $1m for breast cancer support and education, and place Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia.
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He said the series was perfectly poised leading into the Sydney Test, with the bowlers on top.
“I thought at the start of the series the bowling would dominate and whichever team adapted better batting-wise would probably win,” McGrath said.
“You look at that first Test, Australia had that absolutely dominant session where they bowled India out for 36, which changed the way the game was going.
“And then in the second Test, India bounced back — I was a little surprised with our batsmen, they were a little bit negative, they weren’t being proactive against bowlers, they were more about defence and survival.
“On pitches that do a little bit, it’s a bit of an issue.
“So I’d like to see our batsmen come out and play without fear, and back themselves, and put it back on the Indian bowlers.
“The fact that it’s one-all means there’s a lot of excitement around it coming into the Sydney Test.”
