Glenn McGrath joins Sportsmail
Aussie legend Glenn McGrath joins Sportsmail and doesn’t disappoint with his prediction...
Glenn McGrath chuckles when asked to make one of his famous predictions for the biggest test series of them all.
‘I guess I’ve dug a hole for myself now, haven’t I?’ replied the man known for his total backing of australia ahead of any ashes.
‘If I don’t come out and say 5-0 people say to me, “Oh are you not so confident this time? Do you think it will only be 4-1 or 4-0?”
‘But I’m still sure australia will do well. Whether it will be 5-0, I don’t know, but I’m always happy to predict it. I did it last time here and the way Mitchell Johnson bowled was incredible, so it was nice to see the team back me up and make my prediction right.’
So, come on Glenn, are you saying australia will repeat their 5- 0 thrashing of alastair Cook’s england from four years ago? ‘Well, it would be rude not to, wouldn’t it?’ said McGrath, smiling. ‘If our bowlers stay on the park and bowl well there could be a good chance of that again. But it’s up to the batsmen. Bowlers will win matches as long as the batsmen score enough runs.
‘ that’s coming from a bowler…’
not just any old bowler, of course. McGrath was a master of his art in the finest of all australia sides and a man who is still the highest fastbowling wicket-taker in test history, even though it is 10 years since he bowed out in Sydney at the end of another 5-0 thrashing of england. he predicted that one, too.
‘I’ve got amazing memories and there were a lot of individual highlights, but the team achievements are still the most special ones,’ said McGrath. ‘to play in an era of australian cricket that was so strong was amazing. It made my job a little bit easier having Shane Warne at the other end and you look at the slip cordon and the keeper and it was not a bad team to bowl with! ‘I’ve been retired more than 10 years now so I have to pinch myself that I still played. ‘ the memories and stats are there and I loved every minute, but from the moment I retired I have not missed it for one second. I went at the right time. I still love watching, though, especially when australia are doing well.’ thank heavens Joe root will not have to face the great McGrath at one end, probing away with unerring accuracy and skill and not afraid to have a word or two with Pommie batsmen, and the great Warne at the other. It is a far more relaxed McGrath now than the bowler whose aggression and belief helped him take so many england wickets as he contemplates what, we can only hope, will be a much closer series this time.
‘a lot depends on our bowlers,’ said McGrath. ‘If Mitchell Starc is swinging that new ball, he’s the most dangerous bowler in world cricket. But he has to be swinging the new ball. he will still get reverse with the old one and be dangerous, but if he’s swinging that new ball at 93mph, he’s a wicket-taker and can n destroy teams.
‘Josh hazlewood will be back on the park soon — they need him playing well — and if Pat Cummins is bowling g at 90mph, then, with th nathan lyon too, it’s’s a quality attack.’
But there are positive words for england, too. ‘they have still got the experience of alastair Cook while root is a top batsman,’ said McGrath. ‘ then there’s Jimmy anderson and Stuart Broad. they’re the guys you need to fire. I think Broad will bowl well and, while Jimmy is a quality bowler, he’s never really achieved what he could have done here in australia, so I’m intrigued how he goes. Moeen ali has been doing great things and we will see what happens with Ben Stokes. they’re a good team and Brisbane will be key. It will set the tone.’ there will, of course, be no Stokes at the Gabba as he remains in limbo awaiting the verdict of avon and Somerset Police and an eCB disciplinary commission on his Bristol fracas. ‘Seeing it from a distance it’s hard to judge but it’s disappointing,’ is the McGrath verdict on the errant england vice- captain ‘I don’t know Ben personally but talking to Steve Smith and other guys, they get on well with him. ‘ But being vicecaptain, you do have to set the standards on and off the field and what happened there was not good. ‘We’re just waiting to see what happens in the UK. the great shame of it is that he has the world at his feet. he’s such a good player. he’s two players in one, so it’s a big blow to england. ‘If he did come out here, it would be interesting to see how the fans warm to him, but there’s a lot to happen first. It could be a distraction and I think if he does come, Stuart Broad will be pretty disappointed because he’s the guy who cops it here! they might leave him alone this time! But there’s a fair bit to happen before we know whether Ben can come out.
‘Of course, it’s a blow to the series. You want to play against the best players. For australia to win, you want the opposition to be at full strength. that’s the way it has always been.’
MOre than a decade on from the end of a career that brought McGrath 563 test wickets, he is still achieving special things. this time it is in the battle against the disease that claimed his first wife Jane.
the McGrath Foundation is an extraordinary force for good against cancer here in australia and as we speak earlier this week, a fit-looking McGrath is preparing, at 47, to run his first marathon in new York tomorrow alongside his second wife Sara to raise more funds.
Glenn and Sara have a two-yearold daughter, Madison, and he has two teenage children — James and holly — from his first marriage. ‘the support has been amazing,’
he said. ‘I’m so proud. We have 118 nurses across Australia and they’ve supported 56,000 families, so that blows me away. ‘It’s still growing in a tough environment but for the foundation to make a positive difference in people’s lives is something I’m very proud of. This marathon is something my wife was keen to do. We run together. We keep each other going. There will be no records broken but we’re just looking to complete it. There are six others running in New York for the Foundation, so for all this to happen is pretty amazing.’ McGrath’s work is recognised on the third day of each Sydney Test, when the SCG is transformed in his honour. ‘ Pink day at the Sydney Test is a special occasion,’ he said. ‘To think this will be our 10th is incredible. ‘I’m busy during the Test, but on day three I always take five to 10 minutes just to look around and take it all in. To see everybody involved in the Test supporting us, not to mention big burly blokes coming to the cricket in pink, is quite amazing. ‘Last time England were here the Barmy Army support was fantastic and to see them and the whole crowd in pink tells me something pretty special has happened.’
After New York, this special man will head home for the Ashes.
‘Of course Twenty20 has made a huge impact but when I speak to players Test cricket is still what they want to play and to represent their country and play in the Ashes is as good as it gets,’ said McGrath. ‘As long as players coming through still want the Baggy Green, then it will be all right. I’m sure that’s the same for England players.’
THEN, finally, there was a more balanced prediction from a man who will bring his expert analysis to Sportsmail throughout the Ashes. ‘It will be a fascinating series and I don’t think there’s a real stand- out winner,’ said McGrath. ‘ Both teams have got issues. I don’t think the Australians have settled on their team.
‘The No 6 position and the keeper are up in the air at the moment, so we’ll see what happens. It’s still special. It’s still the ultimate.’
It sounds like McGrath is expecting a closer series than he is letting on…