Glenn McGrath: Cricket Legend
Glenn Donald McGrath AM (born: February 9, 1970) is a former professional cricketer, best known for setting a record for most wickets taken during the Cricket World Cup. He is considered to be one of the sport’s greatest bowlers. McGrath led Australia to world cricket from the 90s until the 21st century.
A country boy from New South Wales, he started practicing cricket at a young age by continuously bowling against a 44-gallon drum at their family farm’s machinery yard. His Test debut was against New Zealand in 1993, played for the New South Wales from 1992-2008, Worcestershire (2000), Middlesex (2004) and Delhi Daredevils (2008). He announced his retirement from Test cricket on 23 December 2006.
Post his cricket career, McGrath has served as the Chairman of the Board and as an ambassador for the McGrath Foundation, a breast cancer support and education charity he founded with his deceased first wife.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Glenn McGrath is part of the “500 club”, having taken 563 Test wickets and one of the two fastest bowlers of cricket. He holds the record for dismissing the most batsmen for ducks in test cricket (104). He was awarded the Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1998, Wisden Australia Cricketer of the Year in 1999, 2005 and 2006, Allan Border Medal in 2000, Test Player of the Year in 2000, One-Day International and Player of the Year in 2001. On January 26, 2008, Australia Day, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia for his “service to cricket as a player” and with his wife for their “service to the community through the establishment of the McGrath Foundation”. In 2011, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the ICC Hall of Fame in 2012.
Why Was He So Good?
Glenn McGrath was always a thinking player. He had the capability to direct the ball accurately yet subtly by changing its pitch and fight, even at good pace, made him one of the hardest to face and he dared all the great batsmen during his era.
What You May Not Know
- He was part of the Australian athletes that was inducted into the Australian Institute of Sport “Best of the Best” list in 2001.
- Doug Walters spotted him playing cricket one day and saw his potential that he decided that he should move to Sydney to train professionally.
- After Glenn McGrath’s retirement, he continued to hold the record for the most runs scored as a number eleven batsman (603) but was later surpassed by Muttiah Muralitharan.
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