BRISBANE, Australia, CMC:
WEST INDIES captain Brian Lara has rated Australian Test nemesis Glenn McGrath as a high quality fast bowler, but has cast doubt on whether the Australian quick can remain a competitive force by the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.
The 35-year-old Lara, who has been dismissed by McGrath a staggering 13 times in Tests, said the ageing Australian strike bowler reminded him of two great West Indies fast bowlers he had played with.
"He's always a quality bowler," Lara said. "He's not someone who thrives on energy or who needs to get the ball up into the 80s or the 90s (mph)." He added: "He thrives on consistency. The guy's like (Curtly) Ambrose and (Courtney) Walsh; he's in a similar fashion."
EPIC DUELS
For a decade, Lara and McGrath have staged a series of epic duels with the lanky, 34-year-old Aus-tralian, frustrating the freescoring left-hander with bounce, accuracy and movement to claim his wicket more times than any other bowler in Test cricket.
Lara, who still averages 51.45 against Australia in Tests, has fallen to McGrath caught behind on seven occasions, caught in the field five times and trapped leg before wicket once in Tests.
"He's going to hit the seam and move the ball around," Lara said. "It doesn't matter if he bowls in the 70s or the 80s. You've got to be a thinking batsman to keep him out. Someone like that is always going to go well."
Lara, who has scored 10,094 in 112 Tests, at an average of 52.84, and 9,031 runs in 246 one-day internationals at 42.39, says it is doubtful whether McGrath would participate in the 2007 World Cup.
"That's for Glenn to decide if he's going to go to the Caribbean in 2007, but he'll be an ageing fast bowler coming in to bowl on really nice batting tracks in the Caribbean," Lara said yesterday.
He added: "He's been a great servant to Australian cricket and he's not just there because of his past performances."
Lara and McGrath will resume their battle when West Indies and Australia face each other late Wednesday night (Ja time) in the VB Triangular Series.
LARA
