Glen Donald McGrath was born on 9 February 1970 at Dubbo in New South Wales, Australia. A right arm fast medium bowler and tail-end batsman, he is considered to be one of the finest pace bowlers to have emerged from Australia in the last century.
McGrath made his test debut against New Zealand at Perth in 1993-4 and his one-day international debut against South Africa at Melbourne in the World Series of 1993-4. He was nominated Wisden cricketer of the Year in 1998 and was awarded the Allan Border Medal in 2000.
Having played 106 tests, McGrath has claimed 481 wickets at an average of 21.43 and has best figures of 8-24. He has scored only 556 runs and has taken 33 catches. In 199 ODIs, he has taken 298 wickets at 22.59 apiece, with best bowling figures of 7-15.
McGrath is one test match bowler who has made the bowling 'corridor' his own. With a smooth run-in, and an action that takes little away from his tall and wiry physique, he bowls a perfect line 'outside off-stump' and length. His little away swingers, interspersed with the big, late inswingers, added to his accuracy, are capable of driving top class batsmen to despair. A very intelligent bowler of the bouncer, he intimidates batsmen with his mind, rather than his body. McGrath has had open battles with classy batsmen like Atherton and Lara, and has emerged on top most of the times. A batsman who is thought to be a 'rabbit', he has worked hard in the nets in recent times to be able to stay at the wicket to play decent innings. As a bowler, however, he is a match-winner any day.