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Shivnarine Chanderpaul
On his team’s performance
I must say well done to the young guys who went out and played this game. Probably no one would have expected them to come out and play the sort of cricket they played. In the first innings we were doing well and had them on the ropes but let them off the hook. We just didn’t have the killer instinct to take the game awayfrom them. We relaxed a bit and let them back into the game.On the forthcoming second Test
We have a few days now to go and prepare and practice against those balls swing back [from Chaminda Vaas]. Murali and Vaas are two world class bowlers and you would expect them to do well. We just have to look at ways to go about playing them.Bennett KingOn the team’s overall performance
I am disappointed that we didn’t come away with a win there. We played very well initially and set up what should have been a positive result for us. But it is very hard to win a cricket match when five of your top six score 11 runs. They are certainly better players than that.On the threat posed by Chaminda VaasIt was quite dark and the ball swung around during that period probably more than at any other time of the match. But these guys have played against left-armers that swing the ball back in the Cariibeaan and at this level I would expect them to be good at it. We knew it was coming and we practiced it, but when they went out they moved too early.On the performance of the bowlersThe bowlers did enough to make them uncomfortable for long periods of time on what was a very flat track. We got through their top order pretty well, although we let them off the hook when their No 9 and 10 got runs. I was disappointed because we didn’t have the petrol in the tank to execute our plans. Then, again, in the secondinnings, we got to a position where we ran out of gas again.Marvan Atapattu
On playing a weakened West Indies team
They had a nothing to lose going in as there was only one side expected to win. People might have expected us to just run through but that does not always happen in cricket. Actually, to have a win after playing for four innings was more pleasing than just playing one innings and getting them out twice. Their batters are findingit a bit tougher than their bowlers. They have a good attack and in the first innings were very disciplined, bowling a good length and line which got us in a bit of bother.On Jayawardene and Samaraweera’s winning stand
We were 49 for 3 and under pressure, but both of them batted brilliantly and took responsibility for winning the game. We want to have all our batting going a bit better in the next game.On the thinking behind the inclusion of Gayan Wijekoon
We wanted to groom a youngster as an allrounder, especially with this new rule coming up in one-day internationals, and we wanted to have a seamer in the No 7 or No 8 slot that can bat a bit..On Murali’s performance
He was a bit worried I would say after the first innings. After bowling 30 overs he rarely ends up getting just one wicket. But he bowled a better line in the second innings and the pitch was a deteriorating a bit which helped his cause. He is back to being the normal Muralitharan.

Australia’s back-to-form fast bowler Glenn McGrath has said that he will be targeting Sanath Jayasuriya’s wicket when Sri Lanka begin their chase for 312 on the third day of the first Test at the Marrara Oval tomorrow.McGrath roared back with 5 for 37 to knock Sri Lanka over for a paltry 97, and he is looking forward to repeating that performance in the second innings.”Their top three is probably their key – Atapattu, Jayasuriya and Sangakkara,” said McGrath. “We will be trying to make early inroads in there. Jayasuriya is always a big key to their batting line-up. He is probably the guy I’d target before the series. I want to get on top of him and knock him over a few times. If I can do that we could be well on our way to winning the series.”McGrath said he didn’t think the pitch would improve or change that much from its present condition overnight, and that it would be a big ask for Sri Lanka to score 312 – over 100 more than Australia managed in either innings – on it.”I think there will still be something on it with the new ball if you keep bowling in the right areas,” he explained. “It is still hard to score runs. It is a little bit slow and the ball is not coming off it. It’s hard work for the batsmen out in the middle with the new and the old ball. To win this match Sri Lanka’s got to bat very well.”Turning to Australia’s bowling, McGrath said: “We bowled pretty much to our plans on a wicket that is giving a little bit of assistance to the bowlers. We put enough pressure on them, put balls in the right area, and held our catches to knock ’em over for 97. It would be nice to do something similar in the second innings.”And he went on: “It is good to see a pitch being of some assistance for the bowlers. I think wickets around the world are getting good to bat on. When a side scores 400 runs in a day nobody says the wickets are not good for the bowlers. I don’t think many bowlers would be disappointed bowling on that kind of pitch.”McGrath said that he never doubted that he would regain fitness, and was confident that he could make a comeback from his ankle injury – although he admitted that at one point during the four-day warm-up game that preceded this Test he had seriously thought of retiring after he bowled disappointingly in the first innings. He said that it was his team-mate Justin Langer who got him thinking, when he told him that you don’t think of retirement until you hit rock-bottom.McGrath said that his comeback performance was inspired by the fact that he was only a few wickets away from passing fast bowlers Sir Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev’s individual records. “To get those five wickets and go past two legends of the game is a pretty big bonus to get my confidence back for the match,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for more.”Kumar Sangakkara Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper/batsman
Kumar Sangakkara had a good day behind the stumps at Darwin, taking four catches and pulling off a run-out in the Australian second innings of 201. But he admitted that it was a big challenge for Sri Lanka to chase 312 and win the Test.”When you look at the totals the two teams have got on this track it’s not been high. It’s going to be a challenge and most of the guys are looking forward to it,” he said. “They all want to do well. Basically we want to do what we do best. See the new ball off and then play your own game. Be positive and play to win. The pitch is very hard to read. It is better to go and see what it does and play accordingly. It is drier than it was yesterday. The pacies have got a little bit more bounce, but the movement’s been the same. It is up to us now to get the total.”Turning to his persona;l performance, Sangakkara said: “It’s always nice to take some catches. I felt good. It was one of my best days, taking four catches in an innings. It’s always good to have a chat with Ian Healy. who is an all-time great wicketkeeper. Ian spoke to me in Zimbabwe and in Morocco. He told me to keep it very simple and very basic. I have taken the best out of what he has told me.”

Stephen Fleming claimed to be surprised by Sri Lanka’s negative approach during the final Test in Kandy, believing that they did "not want to win." Sri Lanka were set a stiff 191 target in 38 overs after bowling out New Zealand for 183, but settled for a draw after the early loss of Sanath Jayasuriya."It was a pretty poor end to the Test match to be honest," said Fleming. "We didn’t have the ability to push on this morning and they didn’t seem to want to win the Test."Last night we showed the urgency required to get a base after a pretty slow day and we tried to do that again today," he added. "But the key is that when you push harder you expose yourself and in the end we weren’t skilful enough against a world-class bowler."Fleming had wanted to set a target of 260 in 65 overs when the day began but he said would have been happy to set 230 in 60 overs if necessary. "They gave up after losing the first wicket and that was very surprising … we were looking forward to a good scrap. They had nothing to lose and I can’t understand why they were not willing to push on further. We were certainly not going to bowl them out in 38 overs."Hashan Tillakaratne, in his first series as captain, denied that his side had been negative, arguing that it would have been dangerous to chase the total after the loss of Jayasuriya. "We wanted to go after the total but our playmaker was Sanath [Jayasuriya]," he said. "We were minus one of our best batsman [Marvan Atapattu] and they had two good spinners on a turning track – it was not easy out there."We did make mistakes in the field, though," he admitted. "We should have dismissed New Zealand for about 150 and with hindsight I should have brought back Chaminda Vaas earlier."Muttiah Muralitharan, who took his 450th Test wicket and a five-wicket haul for a world-record 37th time, was delighted to have starred in front of his home supporters. Murali claimed 5 for 49 in the second innings and 9 for 139 in the match."To reach 450 wickets here, in Kandy where I grew up, is very special for me," said Muralitharan afterwards. "I am happy but there is a long way to go as I want to play until 2007 and get to 600."Muralitharan, who was forced to toil hard for his 14 wickets in the series, admitted that New Zealand’s defensive strategy against him had been successful. "In a negative way they [the New Zealand batsmen] played me well … they never tried to attack though. It’s not easy to get wickets now in Test cricket … people have worked me out like they do any world-class bowler."

If we are to move from our ‘A’ status to Black Caps as the result of this tour, runs and plenty of them are required by the batsmen, and bowling results from the bowlers.So far we have managed to make the semi-finals, after a close first-up game with Mumbai.The pressure is on us now for what has been an interesting tournament.Taking off from New Zealand we took a step down from the usual business class and it was economy class for the guys as we headed for our mid-evening arrival in Chennai from Singapore.Most of us managed a decent amount of sleep with the aid of some videos and sleeping pills. It always amazes me how much your feet swell when flying. My shoes feel two sizes too small when I go to put them back on again!The next day was a rest day as we waited for the other members to join us from England. They arrived at midday and we ended up having a light workout at the gym and a swim in the pool.We couldn’t practice this day as there was a bit of political turmoil resulting in a riot and a few deaths. But it was safe in the hotel which is absolutely magnificent. It is set out away from the centre of the city, which is fine by us, as we don’t plan on venturing out much as we have plenty of cricket ahead of us.The next three days were spent training and acclimatising. The days are very hot and humid, and the practices went well as the team slowly got used to the conditions. We trained on the first day at 10am and then earlier to become accustomed with actual playing hours which begin at 9:30am, meaning departure from the hotel was around 7:30am.Our first game was against Mumbai, who had a young team, with a few experienced players such as current Indian seamer Ajit Agarkar.Fortunately, I won the toss and we batted. Although we had a bad start as Richie (Mark Richardson) was run out in the first over. However, Matt Horne and myself rectified the situation with a healthy second wicket partnership, which saw Matt score 111 and myself 47. We ended up with 329 and I was a little nervous before we finally bowled Mumbai out for 319. A close call first up and we were glad to get through to the quarter-finals.We had a quiz night in between games for which the team has been divided into four groups of four. It is important to have regular social outings to keep everyone active on tour and take our minds away from cricket.After winning the toss for the second game we again batted first. It is so critical to bat first as you get to dictate the pace of the game, and have the opportunity to bat the opposition out of the game. We play well this game and score 474/8 declared. Hamish Marshall and myself score fine hundreds to set up the win.For me batting almost a full day in the heat and facing a fair amount of spin bowling and shining through with a hundred was very rewarding.As a team we decided that if you are a batsman and score in between 0-20, then that’s just bad luck, and you never got started.But, if you score between 21-99 then you are part of the problem as you have made a start and should go on to make a significant contribution to the team, which is 100-plus.As this is a NZ ‘A’ team, we are all trying to force our way into the Black Caps, and we know the only way to do this is by scoring heavily and making big hundreds. Nothing less will do.

David Warner’s image makeover has been rewarded with his appointment as Steven Smith’s lieutenant, after the Cricket Australia board approved the recommendations of the selectors for the leadership team to succeed the retiring captain Michael Clarke.Smith had always been in line to be named as captain following his strong displays as stand-in for the injured Clarke during the home summer, but Warner has needed to do considerable work on his attitude on and off the field in recent times to grow into a role that will be pivotal in support.As the chairman of selectors Rod Marsh acknowledged, the 28-year-old Warner has come a long way since he was suspended on the previous Ashes tour for throwing a punch at Joe Root in a Birmingham bar. Alongside Smith, he has been Australia’s most prolific batsman in recent times, and has also this year toned down his self-appointed role as the team’s on-field “attack dog”, something he discussed with ESPNcricinfo in the West Indies.”We have reached a point in time where we’ve had to look at our leadership positions again with an eye to the future,” Marsh said. “David has matured and developed into an important senior figure in the Australian team. He has come a long way.”He had valuable experience captaining the Sunrisers in the IPL earlier this year and we are confident he will provide strong support to Steve as his deputy. We believe that he will respond well to the added responsibility of leadership.”Other contenders for the role included Mitchell Johnson, who had been appointed vice-captain of the limited-overs team in the past, but the selectors were always likely to settle on Smith and Warner after the latter’s recent work to mature as a cricketer. He will still have some work ahead of him to prove that progress to the rest of the world, who know him as much for his abrasive manner as his explosive batting.Smith has emerged as Australia’s leader over the past 18 months, first becoming an integral member of the team in all formats and then showing his captaincy ability when Clarke was unavailable against India. He has also captained New South Wales to the 2014 Sheffield Shield and the Sydney Sixers to the 2012 Big Bash League title.”We have had a clear succession plan in place for the captaincy with Steve Smith gaining valuable experience leading the Australian Test Team while Michael Clarke was recovering from injury last season,” Marsh said. “When Michael made his decision to retire last week it was a very straightforward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor.”He has big shoes to fill but everything about him suggests he is the right man for the job. At 26, he is a fine young man with extraordinary talent, excellent leadership qualities and a terrific temperament. He is highly regarded by the selectors and we congratulate him on being appointed to the role on an ongoing basis. He should be incredibly proud.”The CA chairman Wally Edwards said the nine directors had concurred with the selectors’ recommendations after some discussion at their August board meeting in Melbourne. “We have all seen Steve Smith’s clear leadership potential and believe he can perform an excellent job for Australian cricket over many years,” he said.”We supported the recommendation to appoint David Warner as vice-captain, noting his role as a leading batsmen, his development and emergence as a leader within the team. We congratulate both men on their appointments.”Smith and Warner will lead Australia in the limited-overs matches that follow Clarke’s farewell Test at the Oval, before they travel to Bangladesh for their first overseas assignment together.

ScorecardJake Carder pulls during his 58•Cricket Australia

Cricket Australia XI’s top order all chipped in with handy knocks, helping the team secure the lead against West Indians on the second day of the tour match in Brisbane.West Indians, who began the day precariously placed at 154 for 6, were led by Carlos Brathwaite’s patient 47, but received little by way of support from the other players, as the team eventually folded for 243. Medium-pacer Simon Milenko was the pick of the hosts’ bowlers, collecting 5 for 76, while James Bazley and Cameron Boyce shared two scalps apiece.CA XI began their reply positively, as the openers Jordan Silk and Jake Carder shared a 68-run partnership. Carder was the more aggressive foil of the two, stroking 58 off 77 balls, but both batsmen fell in quick succession of each other. The hosts, though, did not lose any momentum, as Nick Stevens (46) and Josh Inglis (44) kept the runs flowing by stringing together an 86-run partnership. Once again, CA XI lost two quick wickets, but once again, the visitors failed to make the most of their breakthroughs, as Jimmy Peirson and Matthew Short put up an unbroken stand of 52 to grab the lead. CA XI were 4 for 245 when stumps were called, leading by two runs.

Andy Bichel has continued his outstanding county season with a six-wicket haul against Justin Langer’s Somerset side. Bichel, 36, was one of several old hands who starred in another rain-affected round of first-class matches, claiming 6 for 63 to give Essex the edge in their draw at Taunton.It was his best bowling performance in three matches this year for Essex, where he had already found form with the bat by striking centuries in each of his first two games. Bichel’s victims included Langer for 24 and Cameron White for 1 as Somerset were bundled out for 153. White also recorded his finest bowling figures this season, taking 4 for 28 in Essex’s first innings of 282.Spectators at Chester-le-Street could have been forgiven for thinking the Durham-Hampshire clash was a veterans’ benefit match. Hampshire had Shane Warne, 37, and Shaun Udal, 38, spinning in tandem while the danger bowlers for Durham were Ottis Gibson, 38, and Paul Wiseman, 37.Gibson was unquestionably the hero, becoming the 79th bowler in first-class cricket to take all ten wickets in an innings. He collected 10 for 47 to reduce Hampshire to 115 in the first innings and Warne could only manage 2 for 56 in reply as Durham set the visitors a near-impossible 359 for victory. Wiseman chipped away at Hampshire and took 5 for 65 but Warne had some impact with the bat, scoring 50 to help his side escape with a draw at 9 for 262.There was another draw at Headingley, and it was another old-timer who outshone his younger friends. Darren Gough, 36, led Yorkshire with 6 for 50 as Surrey were dismissed for 229. Gough’s team-mate Jason Gillespie – a spring-chicken at 32 – took 1 for 52. Earlier, Matthew Nicholson had grabbed 4 for 85 in Yorkshire’s 307.Travis Birt finally scored his first half-century of the year for Derbyshire in their draw with Glamorgan at Derby. Birt, who now averages 22.90 from seven matches, made a brisk 70 from 75 balls in the second innings as the home side chased 276 from no more than 46 overs.Robert Croft made the chase impossible when he rattled through the top order and finished with 6 for 44 but Derbyshire clung on and reached 9 for 195. Derbyshire’s Australian-dominated top order had been entertaining in the first innings, when Michael Dighton made 43 from 40 deliveries and Simon Katich posted 42 from 45.

Daren Ganga will lead Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) in the Stanford 20/20 Tournament, which has a grand prize of US$1 million at stake. Ganga will have the services of West Indies team-mate, wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who almost inspired the West Indies to an unlikely victory in the fourth Test against India in Jamaica earlier this month.Discarded West Indies pacer Mervyn Dillon will also get an opportunity to shine for his country as he will be leading the T&T bowling attack, which also features allrounder Rayad Emrit and spinner Ken Hazel.The squad has a good balance of youth and experience, including newcomer Sean Siloch, who was vice-captain of the Presentation College Secondary Schools Cricket League championship team of 2000, which also featured opener Tishan Maraj. Siloch has also played a big part in the success of top National Cricket League club FCB Clarke Road United.The T&T team will also be strengthened with the return of former West Indies one-day specialist batsman Ricardo Powell, who is set to make his comeback after injury. West Indies Under-19 batsman and vice-captain William Perkins will be seeking to establish himself as a solid bat in the middle order after his exploits at the U-19 World Cup earlier this year.Kieron Pollard, another U-19 player, will get the chance to impress with his consistent batting and handy right-arm spin bowling. Pollard will be in action along with his team-mate, Mario Belcon, both members of the triumphant Trinidad and Tobago squad who captured the Under-19 Challenge last year. Other members of the national team include Shazam Babwah, Samuel Badree and Nicholas Ramjas, the offspinner.Trinidad and Tobago open their campaign against the Cayman Islands on July 25 in Antigua.Squad: Daren Ganga (capt), Sean Siloch, Ricardo Powell, Samuel Badree, Nicholas Ramjas, Mervyn Dillon, Denesh Ramdin (wk), William Perkins, Shazam Babwah, Kieron Pollard, Rayad Emrit, Ken Hazel, Mario Belcon
Manager – Omar Khan Coach – David WilliamsCricinfo adds:
Ricardo Powell and Rayad Emritt took T&T to a seven-wicket win over St Lucia in the second of two practice matches at the Beausejoir Stadium. Powell, who recently announced his return from injury and a self-imposed break from the game, made 48 and Emrit an unbeaten 54 as T&T chased down 116 for the loss of just three wickets in 13.5 overs. The two added 87 for the second wicket to get their side off to a perfect start ahead of the Stanford 20/20 tournament.

Over the past 12 months, Adam Gilchrist’s batting had subsided to such an extent that the only table he topped was the one for the most ducks – five. After scoring a cavalier century against a Zimbabwe team taken apart by the rampaging Matthew Hayden, nine subsequent Tests – starting with the draw against India at the Gabba last December – produced just 412 runs at 27.46, with only two thrilling innings in Sri Lanka, 144 and 80, revealing the true depth of his talent.When he came to India in 2001, Gilchrist was about to embark on a hot streak that would result in his name being mentioned alongside the most destructive batsmen to have ever played the game. And though Harbhajan Singh worked him over in the final two Tests of that gripping series, Gilchrist’s thrill-a-minute century at the Wankhede Stadium had helped Australia romp to victory inside three days.That was a truly exceptional innings. After Sachin Tendulkar’s one-man show had taken India to 176, Australia collapsed to 5 for 99 once Harbhajan had warmed his fingers. But Hayden, on the comeback trail and with everything to prove, and Gilchrist wrested the game from India’s grasp with a scintillating 197-run partnership, with Gilchrist’s effort a force-ten gale of sweeps, cuts and lofted drives that left opponents and fans open-mouthed.His century today may have come at a cracking pace, but had nothing of the devil-may-care approach that characterised that 84-ball evisceration. This was cool, considered, and utterly effective. The sweep, a shot that touring batsmen can sometimes be unduly obsessed with, wasn’t unveiled till he had made 87, and there were very few risky darts behind square.Instead, he cut and drove with tremendous fluency, clearing mid-on and mid-off with nonchalant flicks whenever he felt the need to puncture the bowlers’ confidence even further. And far from being weighed down by the cares of captaincy, Gilchrist appeared to thrive, shepherding a slightly jittery Michael Clarke past a memorable hundred on debut.But while the new order may have lit up the Australian batting – Gilchrist being the exception – it was the old guard to the fore as India’s best batsmen were decimated before stumps. Glenn McGrath has played only two Tests in the last 14 months, and after England’s batsmen had treated him with some disdain in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final, there had been a few ignorant voices pronouncing his demise.

McGrath answered the snipers with relish, deceiving Aakash Chopra with one that darted back, and then getting rid of Rahul Dravid with a peach that eased between pad and tentative bat. Yuvraj’s statuesque waft completed a perfect afternoon’s work, and McGrath’s amazing figures on Indian soil – 19 wickets at 18.26 before this Test – might look even better come the end of the series.Shane Warne proved a point too. VVS Laxman had batted quite beautifully for his 31, flicking and driving Warne with the same panache that had precipitated the turnaround in Kolkata three years ago. But Warne toiled away manfully on a pitch that was only taking slow turn, and got the most prized wicket – Laxman has 965 in his last six Tests against Australia dating back to that Eden Gardens epic – with a ripping legbreak that was as good as anything Mike Gatting or Jacques Kallis were flummoxed by.But the two stalwarts of the old firm were both outshone by another – Michael Kasprowicz, whose story epitomises the virtues of perseverance. Virender Sehwag’s wicket might have been a bit of a gift, but the delivery that seamed away and lifted to take the edge of Sourav Ganguly’s bat was one of many corkers that he bowled in mid-afternoon. Never the speed gun’s favourite, Kasprowicz has been a sterling performer in subcontinental conditions because of his ability to swing and reverse-swing the ball while cutting it both ways off the seam.Such bowlers with a penchant for hard yakka, as Aussies like to call it, are rarely valued in this part of the world – where there is an increasing tendency to value hype and image over substance – but how India could have done with a Kasprowicz out there as Gilchrist and Clarke pushed them ever closer to the precipice.

It may be deep in the heart of football season, but Australia has a home Test cricket series less than a month away. And all is not well.Glenn McGrath has been a champion for so long that we’ve been taking him for granted. Wind him up and watch those ungainly limbs somehow coalesce to deliver 5 1/2 ounces of red leather in exactly the spot batsmen don’t like. Time after time. Never missing a beat; a chronometer among fast bowlers.For a decade McGrath has been Australia’s pre-eminent new-ball specialist, and by most reckonings one of the greatest bowlers of all time. The figures don’t lie. In 95 Tests he has taken 430 wickets – second only to Shane Warne (517) among Australians, and sixth on the all-time list. With five more wickets he will have only Muttiah Muralitharan, Courtney Walsh and Warne ahead of him.McGrath’s signature delivery is the one that lands at an awkward length in the so-called “corridor of uncertainty” just outside the line of off-stump. He’s not all that quick, but he’s relentless, and it is reflected in not only the number of wickets he has taken, but in the strike rate (52.0) and average (21.71), which are exceptional. Time, however, is the master of all cricketers. Especially fast bowlers.McGrath is 34. He has now delivered that bit of leather 32,314 times in Tests and one-dayers. The sheer physical work has taken its toll, particularly on his ankles. Previously renowned for being injury-proof, McGrath had surgery twice last year, and has missed Australia’s past nine Test matches.The growths on his ankle bone were obviously restricting him before he opted for the scalpel. In the five preceding Tests, McGrath’s returns were ordinary – 10 wickets at an average of more than 36. The last two of those matches were against Test bunnies Bangladesh. And compared to Jason Gillespie and Stuart MacGill, he struggled. Plainly, McGrath is no longer the bowler he was.The question is, can he regain his old form? He had hoped to use Australia’s recent tour to strife-torn Zimbabwe as the springboard back to the top. But the Tests were cancelled, and the tour was reduced to three meaningless one-day internationals and practice matches against third rate sides.McGrath flew home this week with a sum total of 37 African overs under his belt and a threadbare return of 2-110. He declared it useful, but it was hardly encouraging. By the third match he had suffered the indignity of being relegated to change bowler behind Gillespie and the resurgent Michael Kasprowicz.McGrath himself thought that was a fair call, but said he was happy that he had improved with every outing, and was “not too far away” from full form.”The last one-dayer it was starting to feel really good,” he said. “The rhythm was coming back then and I think that with another couple of matches, the zip and everything would have come back. I’ll try to keep bowling the next couple of weeks and then hopefully I’ll be ready to go.”Fast-bowling coach Geoff Lawson is among those who are not so sure, arguing that McGrath has problems with his technique. “Technically he’s still making some errors that we don’t normally see from him,” he said. “He’s been taking a big step in, in his delivery. When he runs straight through he’s much better.”Lawson said the flaw was restricting McGrath’s ability to get his right shoulder far enough around, which robs him of both speed and accuracy.”I’ve haven’t seen him bowl so many wide balls and short balls for a long time,” Lawson said. “It’s just not there. He’s getting poor figures against people who can’t play that well, and that has to be a worry.”While it is dangerous to read too much into a tour like Zimbabwe, McGrath has been back in action for four months and still the engine is spluttering.He’s played a couple of grade matches, a Pura Cup match, a NSW Second XI match and the four games in Zimbabwe, sending down more than 130 overs.And while he says there hasn’t been much “ouch” in his ankle, neither has there been any Ooh-Aah in his bowling. “McGrath’s a very hard trainer, Lawson explained, "but when you get to that age, injuries are so much harder to come back from."Next stop for McGrath is an indoor net at the Sydney Cricket Ground, then the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. Net bowling is only part of the answer, and he knows it. So does Ricky Ponting.”It’s all about him getting his rhythm back in the middle,” Ponting said. “You can do as much bowling as you like in the nets, but it’s nowhere near as valuable as game practice is. He’s got a bit of work to do yet, but with 400-odd Test wickets to his name, I’m sure he’ll be back playing well again pretty soon.”When asked, Ponting said he expected to toss the new ball to McGrath when Australia plays Sri Lanka in Darwin on July 1. But only after an initial “maybe”. For the past 10 years there has been no maybe about it. Start of Test innings equals throw new ball to McGrath. No maybes. The skipper’s hesitation betrayed his concern.While in Zimbabwe, McGrath spoke of his ambition to reach 100 Tests, 500 wickets and to keep playing until the 2007 World Cup. It’s a tantalising thought, especially in days when cricketers are keen to extend their careers into their late 30s because they can earn sixand seven-figure sums a year.It may be all right for batsmen, but fast bowlers need to be exceptional to stand up to it. Which makes Courtney Walsh’s record all the more remarkable – he played well into his 39th year.In Zimbabwe, McGrath raised the prospect of winding back the speed, of mellowing into fast-medium in the style of Allan Donald, Dennis Lillee, and perhaps most effectively, Richard Hadlee. They substituted grunt for guile and continued to take quality wickets when age had stiffened their bones.McGrath, though, has never been an express bowler, and finds it difficult now to get much above 130kph. He is a more front-on style of bowler, and the transition might not be so easy.Gillespie, who has now assumed the mantle of Australia’s leading fast bowler, believes reports of McGrath’s demise as a new-ball bowler are premature.”He’s an opening bowler and he has been an opening bowler all his career,” Gillespie said. “No doubt, if the opportunity was there for him to have a different role he would embrace it and enjoy it. But I know he loves opening the bowling. It doesn’t bother me, he can open the bowling any time he likes.”