Australia vs. New Zealand, 26-30 March 2005, 3rd Test at Auckland

[Paoli]

NZ are 89 for 2.

[acker]

Kiwis 5 for 199 stumps day 1

Hamish Marshall 76 runs

[Rachael]

Look at McGrath's figures!

Bowling                      O      M      R      W
McGrath                     24     17     20      1
Gillespie                   20      7     50      2
Kasprowicz                  23      6     57      1 (1nb)
Warne                       19      4     50      1 (1nb)
Ponting                      4      1     10      0

[Maranello]

Not exactly past his best, is he Rachael!

Excellent figures by an excellent bowler.

[cantplaycantalk]

With a lot of the great bowlers the figures are good at the end of the careers. They learn craft and guile to go along with the inherent skill. Most of them choose to retire more because their bodies are telling them enough is enough than because they are getting clattered about the place. I will cite you Ambrose and Walsh just recently. (And god knows the West Indies could have done with a couple more years from them.)
The sight of Walsh getting Thorpe all ends up with a slow, high full toss that fooled him into thinking he was getting a beamer on a couple of occasions in his final tour is One that makes the point on craft and guile.
The question will be how long will he carry on for before the messages from his body get too loud to ignore.
(Take it from me when you wake up the morning after a game and your joints and muscles are screeming at you NO MORE, PLEASE GOD NO MORE. Then sticking your fingers in your ears and going lalalala I can't hear you doesn't work )

[AussieCricketLover]

Oooh Ahhhh has no reason to retire, he has said this himself, his body is holding up well since the 12 month lay off after his ankle surgery and he believes that he is bowling better than he ever has in his entire life. (his figures since the surgery have suggested the same) In actual fact, he has found an extra yard or two of pace, and if your a follower of McGrath as I am you would know that he has gone from mid to high 120kmh mark to the mid to high 130kmh mark.

You poms had better watch out, Warne is bowling brilliantly McGrath is better than ever, and we have guys like Kasprowicz and Dizzy Gillespie knockin em over like ten pins, Brett Lee cant even get a look in.
And to think, you people rate your chances for the ashes lol.

5-0 Australias way

[cantplaycantalk]

I am not suggesting it is going to happen before the summers ashes, it won't!
He is however coming towards the end of his career. 36 years old, if he makes it to 38 he will be doing extremely well,and he would be 38 in 2007, warne would be 37, Kasper35, Gillespie is the only one who would still be in his prime at 33ish

As a bowler he has always used guile rather than pace so he may well have a longer twilight than most, but he is now at an age where he is one injury away from the microphone
This is probably also the case with Warne, unless he self destructs first, (do you think the selectors would send him a text to tell him he's dropped? )

[Junior_Flem]

Thought this thread was about Aus v NZ????????? LOL

NZ in trouble at 2/11.......... Fleming to face McGrath first thing on their collapso day... day 4...... hmmmmmmmmm

[AussieCricketLover]

Originally Posted by cantplaycantalk

I am not suggesting it is going to happen before the summers ashes, it won't!
He is however coming towards the end of his career. 36 years old, if he makes it to 38 he will be doing extremely well,and he would be 38 in 2007, warne would be 37, Kasper35, Gillespie is the only one who would still be in his prime at 33ish

As a bowler he has always used guile rather than pace so he may well have a longer twilight than most, but he is now at an age where he is one injury away from the microphone
This is probably also the case with Warne, unless he self destructs first, (do you think the selectors would send him a text to tell him he's dropped? )

lol perhaps, I reckon Big Mac will go on till he's forty. (heres hopin)

[AussieCricketLover]

Originally Posted by Junior_Flem

Thought this thread was about Aus v NZ????????? LOL

NZ in trouble at 2/11.......... Fleming to face McGrath first thing on their collapso day... day 4...... hmmmmmmmmm

Flem as a batsman lol