An indignant Glenn McGrath says Australia doesn’t need an all-rounder to ease the workload on his 36-year-old body in Thursday’s Ashes Test opener against England at the Gabba.
There have been suggestions that the selection of all-rounder Shane Watson, now in doubt with a hamstring injury, was made to reduce the bowling burden on McGrath and 37-year-old leg-spinner Shane Warne.
McGrath has not played a first-class match since early January and his preparation has been limited to two overseas one-day tournaments followed by a modified three-day match against England a week ago, in which he bowled just 18 overs in two days.
But McGrath insists Australia are capable of replicating their success with just four bowlers led by him and Warne, who have taken a total of 1 227 Test wickets between them.
”If you look at the last 10 years, we haven’t required that,” McGrath was reported in Tuesday’s press.
”Four bowlers have been perfect. To me, that’s probably the way I prefer to work. Having someone like Warney in the team, we’ve got away with that and bowled well.
”If you need that fifth bowler to bowl quite a few overs, it probably means our form is not where it should be.
”If they’re doing that [selecting Watson] just because of the age we are, then I think that’s ridiculous.
”I know a lot of people who are fitter at 40 and 45 from what they were at 20 or 25.
”I don’t think fitness or amount of overs we have to bowl is an issue. If it is an issue, we shouldn’t be in the team in the first place.”
McGrath said his comments were in no way a slight on Watson, but rather a response to queries regarding his age.
Watson remains an outside chance to play in the first Test, with 25-year-old Michael Clarke on standby should Watson fail to prove his fitness.
McGrath, who spent eight months out of cricket to tend to his wife, Jane, who was diagnosed with secondary cancer, said she was making a strong recovery and would fly to Brisbane Tuesday for the Test.
”If I had any doubts about how things were [going] at home, I wouldn’t be here now,” he said.
”So when I go out on the field, [it’s as] simple as that. I won’t be thinking about anything but what’s going on out there. I try to deal with what is, than what ifs. And then if something happens you deal with it then.
McGrath, who wants to play in next year’s World Cup, turns 37 in February. Only one significant Australian fast bowler, Ray Lindwall, played beyond that age. He was 38.
”It’s been like that for the last three or four years. It’s nothing new, this sort of hype at the start of a season,” McGrath said.
”When I walk away from the game, I don’t want to have any more regrets.
”At the moment, I’m not ready to go. It’s not about the money.
”I’d like to think I’d know the right time to go. To me the team comes before the individual and, if I’m affecting the team’s performance, I shouldn’t be there.” — Sapa-AFP