Australia will win Ashes 5-0, predicts Glenn McGrath
Pace legend Glenn McGrath, who has often predicted results of Australia’s Test rubbers, on Monday forecasted yet another 5-0 cleansweep by his country against England in the upcoming Ashes series.
“I am looking forward to the Ashes. I had been predicting 5-0, but I have changed my prediction. I am now predicting 10-0 because Australia is already 5-0 up from the last tour,” was the ex-fast bowler’s tongue-in-cheek response to a query from PTI on Monday.
The 45-year-old banked his prophesy on the way Australia, the reigning ODI world champions, have been playing.
“The Australian team have been playing some exceptional cricket (while) England had their confidence knocked around from the World Cup. I want good competitive cricket with Australia winning each game,” said McGrath who is on a visit to Mumbai as brand ambassador of Australia’s Hardys Wines for Indian distributors Sula.
McGrath, who is set to do cricket commentary duties during the July-August Ashes, grudgingly conceded that England perform better in their own den.
“They do play a lot better in English conditions. They are playing New Zealand at the moment. In the first Test they came back well to win that. New Zealand are doing quite well in this Test match (at Headingley, Leeds),” he noted.
McGrath was full of praise for the Australian pace attack led by Mitchell Johnson.
“Australia has got plenty of fast bowlers which is great. The way Mitchell Johnson came back and bowled, especially in the Ashes was brilliant. He really led the team and won the Ashes for us.
“Mitchell Starc has got the height control and bowls that yorker. Ryan Harris has been a quality bowler for Aus for a long time. He has good control and builds pressure up.
“Then you have Josh Hazlewood coming in — he’s tall, hits good areas and gets good bounce. There’s enough variation between those four. Then you have James Pattinson and Pat Cummins. Lot of good healthy competition there,” he commented.
T20 has potential to make cricket global game: McGrath
Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath sees Twenty20 cricket as the gateway to open cricket’s sojourn to the shores of the US and European countries beyond the British Isles.
“Test cricket is still the ultimate to me. Initially I had a few concerns when T20 first came about. (But) I think T20 is a type of cricket that can bring a different type of person to the game that does not watch cricket and take it to places like US, Europe and has the potential to make it a
truly worldwide game,” said the 45-year-old New South Welshman during an interaction with PTI on Monday.
McGrath is still firm in his belief that Test cricket, as the scheduling of the game stands now, is in no danger.
“I think the (cricket) boards hold Test cricket in high regard and the players do. I am pretty confident (of its health) as long as we don’t start playing too much T20 and too less Test matches.”
“I am happy with where it (Test cricket) is at the moment. People are coming to enjoy, players too and there are plenty of sponsors. Hardys (Wines) is sponsoring Test cricket in England and Australia. The brand of Test cricket is still successful and quite strong,” the lanky former pacer, who is on a brief visit to the city, said.
