Treating the ball like grenade

8220;A cricket ball is hard and it wasn8217;t designed to hit people, but that8217;s not my worry. Once the ball leaves my hand it8217;s out of my control and if the batsman doesn8217;t like the consequenes then he shouldn8217;t be there. It8217;s the way I bowl and I know it8217;s not nice,8221; is what McGrath is reported to have told The News Of The World.

It is a moot point whether such feelings always lurk in the minds of fast bowlers or whether they just say so to remain ahead of their rivals in what they believe to be a batsman8217;s game. But McGrath8217;s sentiments are very much in line with Aussie fast bowlers like Lillee and Thommo who went on record to say they like to see a bloodied batsman8217;s face.

8220;The fact is that nice guys don8217;t win. Outthere on the square it8217;s a war zone, it8217;s them or you,8221; are further gems from McGrath as he bared his soul to a tabloid. The language of Aussie fast bowler sounds all too familiar as he goes on to say 8220;being a fast bowler is very aggressive form of cricket8221;.

McGrath may have derived inspiration from such aggressive thoughts as he dismissed two of the world8217;s best batsmen in two matches and then some more. 8220;I probably enjoy getting Sachin out more than Brian Lara these days. He8217;s a class player,8221; says McGrath.

He is the bowler who put the brakes on Lara, getting him out on so many occasion Down Under by exploiting a weakness in the square drive. He bowled Lara with an absolute beauty at Old Trafford to set up an easy victory for Australia over the West Indies and then ran amok among the Indians at the Oval which is the venue at which the Australians had not won any match for 29 years.

The lifting late outswinger that he bowled at Sachin may still be haunting the Indians. Following that were similarlethal balls at Dravid and then Azharuddin to launch Australia8217;s bid for a place in the semi-finals.

Batsman from Zimbabwe will not be pleased about McGrath having rediscovered his rhythm in the Super Six. They may also be at the receiving end of some abuse from the fast bowler on whose face a smile replaces a scowl whenever he gets a wicket.

McGrath was clocked at five mph less than Srinath on the opening day of the serious World Cup. But it is not in pace alone that McGrath8217;s effectiveness lies. His trajectory was designed to test the Indians most and he succeeded in stressing once again the point that Indian batsmen are great when the ball comes around knee high but not so hot when it kicks more.

His hate for batsmen 8212; 8220;I don8217;t feel anything for the batsmen. I don8217;t see them as people. They8217;are just a wicket, three stumps in the ground that I want to rip out 8212; may have helped McGrath that day as he bowled what was the most decisive spell so far as India and their chances of winning the Cup wereconcerned. He destroyed so many dreams.