The Terminator from Australia

SHUT YOUR eyes for a moment and try to picture him galloping on a horse, a mean smile crossing his lips, a cold stare speaking more than mere words, leaving behind a trail of dust and destruction.

He must have been the quickest draw in the Wild West.

Strike 1, 2, 3. It was over in a flash. Three scalps in three shots. With the name of his old enemy written on the second bullet.

Yes, Glenn David McGrath loves nothing more than shooting down batsmen with unerring accuracy. And Brian Charles Lara was a marked man.

It has been one of the most fascinating rivalries in contemporary cricket, McGrath v Lara. The ace poacher versus the moody genius.

The West Indian has had his victories, it is the Aussie who is calling the shots now. Yes, McGrath is running hot these days.

It was fitting that the fiery New South Welshman reached his 300th Test wicket with Lara's dismissal in Perth, and celebrated the occasion by achieving a hat-trick off the next delivery. A dream within a dream.

Just the kind of moment that makes Test match cricket so fascinating. For years McGrath has borne the mantle of being the pace bowling spearhead manfully and now it was celebration time.

What makes McGrath tick? It is a combination of several factors. A fluent action marked by lovely body balance at the point of delivery, a probing off-stump line, an ability to chip away relentlessly at the batsmen often cramping them for space, an in- born sense of aggression, and above all...the heart of a champion. McGrath's performance on the tour of the West Indies in 1999, when he sent down over 63 overs on a flat St. John's pitch to script Australia's series levelling win, is proof of his unflinching commitment.

If Steve Waugh's Australians have broken Clive Lloyd's West Indians' record for the most number of successive Test wins, McGrath has played a huge role in his nation's triumphant run. He has been the sword arm, the terminator.

Indeed, the Aussie is a handful for his adversaries. He hits the seam more often than not, moves the ball both ways, can make the ball climb from just short of a good length, is quick enough to make the batsmen hurry their strokes and is on the job all the time.

You can count on him to produce a breath-taking spell at the fag end of a long, tiring day. In short, McGrath is a captain's dream.

Yes, there have been instances when he has allowed his emotions to get the better of him following the negation of confident appeals, but then he is extremely intense about his cricket.

McGrath is the fast bowler for the big stage like so many of Australia's great speed merchants of yore. Men like Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller, Alan Davidson, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson and Craig McDermott.

What shines through in his career so far is his rather remarkable consistency. He reached his 100 Test wickets in 22 Tests, 200 arrived in 45 and now 300 in 64.

Appropriately, he joined Lillee as only the second Aussie paceman to reach the 300-Test-wicket barrier at the pacy WACA, made famous by the exploits of `Dennis the Menace'.

McGrath's cheapest ten-wicket haul in Test history at the Gabba had meant he needed just two to reach the milestone that separates the great bowlers from the good, and the manner he achieved his goal had a touch of drama in it.

He does relish his role as Australia's strike bowler and the challenges that go with it. There is certain pride in the manner he approaches his job, a certain ruthlessness in the way he demolishes the confidence of a batsman.

It was a role thrust on him during the tour of the West Indies in 1995. Craig McDermott had to fly back home from the Caribbean following a freak injury and McGrath became the No. 1 paceman.

He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and the Aussies had discovered a new pace bowling star. Australia regained the Frank Worrell Trophy after what seemed an eternity and McGrath was well on his way.

Along the way came his memorable duels with Lara. McGrath `worked' on the little maestro, angling the ball away from the southpaw, from the leg and middle stump, and the Trinidadian often fell to the ploy, getting caught in the `cordon'. There were also times when Lara put the Aussie attack, McGrath not excluded, to the sword.

McGrath has been involved in some wonderful battles with the Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar too and the honours have been shared.

Looking back, it was under the canny Mark Taylor that the six- foot-five-inch McGrath blossomed as a fast bowler, striking a fearsome combination with leg-spinner Shane Warne in the process.

Times without number, McGrath would blow away the top-order in his opening burst and then Warne would cast his spell on the batsmen. A classic pace-spin partnership.

Over the years, McGrath has been the constant factor in the Aussie pace attack, the one definite threat...Paul Reiffel, Damien Fleming, Michael Kasprowicz, Brendon Julian have all been his partners.

The coming of the super quick Brett Lee has taken some load off McGrath making him even more dangerous. A destructive pair, they are without doubt and the shrewd Steve Waugh is getting the best out of the mean duo.

What will be McGrath's final tally? Given his strike rate and fitness levels at 30, it could well be over 500 when he drifts away into sunset.

S. DINAKAR

Chennai

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