McGrath confirms his place among all-time greats

Australian pace bowler Glenn McGrath, who was named Player of the Tournament at the World Cup after taking 26 wickets, bids farewell to international cricket at the fifth spot in the list of all-time greats in Test and one-dayer rankings for bowlers.

McGrath is one of only five players to have ever reached 900 rating points, the mark of a true great. He reached his ranking after his team's success in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka here.

The New South Wales bowler reached his highest rating of 903 points during the seven-match one-day series against South Africa in March 2002.

The only players ahead of him in the all-time list are fast bowlers Joel Garner of the West Indies, New Zealand's Richard Hadlee and South Africa's Shaun Pollock, along with Sri Lanka spin-wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

McGrath's haul of wickets in the tournament that ended with Australia's record-breaking third successive triumph in the event, is the biggest haul in a single World Cup.

McGrath, who played in all those successes (1999 and 2003, and this latest victory in the Caribbean), as well as the 1996 tournament, where Australia lost in the final to Sri Lanka, has ended his career with more World Cup wickets than any other player. He finished with 71 wickets from 39 matches spread over the four events, well clear of his nearest rival Wasim Akram of Pakistan, who captured 55 wickets in 38 matches.

In 250 one-dayers, McGrath has taken 381 wickets at an average of just over 22 runs each. The 37 year-old also finishes his career in fifth spot in the all-time player rankings for Test bowlers, achieving his highest rating of 914 rating points during the Ashes series against England in 2001.

In that all-time list for Test bowlers, England's fast-medium genius Sydney Barnes, who played for England for 13 years from 1901, tops the table. He played only 27 Tests during his career but in that time he captured 189 wickets at an average of 16.43.

Barnes' predecessor in the England team George Lohmann is in second spot while Pakistani legend Imran Khan is in third position while Muralitharan lies fourth.

In 124 Tests, McGrath took 563 wickets at 21.64, with only his former teammate Shane Warne (708) and Muralitharan (674) ahead of him in the success stakes.

All-time ODI bowlers' rankings:

1.Joel Garner (West Indies) 9402.Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 9233.Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 9204.Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) 9135.Glenn McGrath (Australia) 9036.Ewen Chatfield (New Zealand) 8927.Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) 891 and Denis Lillee (Australia) 8919.Curtley Ambrose (West Indies) 87710.Michael Holding (West Indies) 875

All-time Test bowlers' rankings:

1.Sydney Barnes (England) 9322.George Lohmann (England) 9313.Imran Khan (Pakistan) 9224.Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) 9155.Glenn McGrath (Australia) 9146.Curtley Ambrose (West Indies) 912 and Tony Lock (England) 9128.Ian Botham (England) 9119.Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) 91010.Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 909, Waqar Younis (Pakistan) 909 and Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 909

(IANS)

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