Retired fast bowler Glenn McGrath to be inducted into Cricket Hall of Fame

The Associated Press / Times Colonist
December 31, 2012

FILE - In this April 29, 2007 file photo, Australia's Glenn McGrath, center, Adam Gilchrist, right, and captain Ricky Ponting show off the Cricket World Cup trophy during a photocall in Bridgetown, Barbados. McGrath will be inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame during Australia's third test against Sri Lanka in Sydney, his home ground during a first-class career that included 124 tests and three consecutive World Cup titles. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

SYDNEY - Glenn McGrath will be inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame during Australia's third test against Sri Lanka in Sydney, his home ground during a first-class career that included 124 tests and three consecutive World Cup titles.

The ICC announced Monday that McGrath, who took more test wickets (563) than any other fast bowler and holds the record for most wickets in World Cups (71), will be inducted as the 68th male player in the Hall of Fame on Jan. 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

McGrath, a tall, metronomic line and length bowler who took his test wickets at an average of 21.64 and his 381 wickets in limited-overs internationals at 22.02, retired from international cricket in April 2007 in the West Indies after helping Australia to its third successive World Cup.

He made his test debut in 1993 at Perth and his last test was at the SCG when Australia completed a 5-0 sweep of England in the 2006-07 Ashes series, his span at the top encompassing the country's dominance in the international arena.

McGrath, who promotes a cancer charity established in honour of his deceased first wife, has been working as a TV commentator during recent test matches in Australia and said he'd be honoured to receive the Hall of Fame award at a venue he describes as his "second home."