Aussie trio to bow out in final Ashes Test

Australian cricket is set for one of its most emotional occasions tomorrow with the farewell of Test greats Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Shane Warne in the fifth Ashes Test against England at the SCG.

The trio will be looking to bow out on top as Australia, already 4-0 up in the series, chase a rare whitewash.

Langer, the courageous opening batsman, today joined bowling legends Warne and McGrath in announcing the Test in Sydney would be his last for his country.

The trio's departure will conjure memories of when Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh quit Test cricket together after the fifth Test against Pakistan in Sydney 23 years ago, leaving Australia with a sizeable hole to fill.

McGrath and Warne, with 1,263 Test wickets between them and the scourge of English batsmen for over a decade, have been match-winners in a golden era of Australian cricket, while the plucky Langer forms part of Australia's most prolific opening partnership with Matthew Hayden.

The Ashes series ended as a contest in the third Test in Perth, but Ricky Ponting's team has the chance to inflict the ignominy of a 5-0 series clean sweep, last achieved by Warwick Armstrong's 1920-21 Australians at home.

"As hard and emotional as it is to not wear the baggy green cap again I know in my heart it's the right thing to do," Langer told a press conference this morning.

"They say to go out on your own terms and when you're on top of your game, and I feel as if I'm doing that."

The Australians, driven by the loss of the urn in England in 2005 after 16 years' ownership, have put an ever-widening gap between them and Andrew Flintoff's demoralised tourists.

England sunk to a series nadir with an innings and 99-run capitulation inside three days after winning the toss in last week's fourth Melbourne Test.

"We don't want to leave this country having been turned over 5-0. We want to win a game of cricket," said England skipper Andrew Flintoff.

If there is a glimmer for England it is Australia's susceptibility in "dead-rubber" Tests.

South Africa won the third Durban Test in March 2002 after losing the first two of the series and England won in Sydney on the last Ashes tour here in January 2003 after going down in the first four Tests.

But the McGrath-Langer-Warne farewell and the quest for a whitewash will focus Australian concentration, vows Ponting, who senses "an opportunity now to create something very special for this team in Sydney."

"We've done everything in our power to make that be the way. England wouldn't be happy with their (Melbourne) performance," he said.

"When we are playing as well as we are and we're on a bit of a run then I'm sure all those little doubts turn into big doubts. We've seen that through this game."

Australia shunned the opportunity to call up spin specialist Stuart MacGill to bowl in "leggie" tandem with Warne, preferring to keep the balance of the team that flattened England in Melbourne.

But the tourists, with few options to strengthen their lineup, may turn to Middlesex off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple to team up with Monty Panesar on the spin-friendly Sydney pitch.

Flintoff has spoken of putting on a belated show for the army of English supporters who have trekked out to Australia in the vain hope of seeing their boys retain the Ashes after last year's euphoric series.

But four heavy defeats, both on the field and pyschologically, have Flintoff's tourists on the verge of leaving Australia with one of the worst touring records and recriminations centering on coach Duncan Fletcher and Flintoff, who also act as the two tour selectors.

Australia have won their last 11 Tests and a fall in their intensity looks England's only way of salvaging something out of the wreckage.

Clark ready to fill McGrath void

Australian bowler Stuart Clark says he will have massive shoes to fill once Glenn McGrath retires from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes series.

Clark's bowling style has often been likened to McGrath who will play his final Test match in the fifth Test against England at the SCG beginning next Tuesday.

Clark has been one of the stars of the Ashes series so far, taking 21 wickets in four Tests, but says team-mate McGrath will be missed.

"He's irreplaceable, I don't think anyone will ever replace him as they won't ever replace Warnie," Clark said.

"If I can do some of the job that Glenn has done over the years then I'll be more than happy with that but I don't think we're ever going to replace Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne."

McGrath is expecting that he will experience different emotions to Warne when the pair play their final Test together next week.

But McGrath said his decision to continue playing one-day cricket meant it would not be his final farewell to Australian fans.

"I've still got one more Test match to go but then I am into the one-day series so it's a bit of a strange feeling," he said.

"Whereas Warnie's finishing up here in Sydney I am continuing on for a few more one-dayers so they won't quite be the same."

Australian fast bowler McGrath announces retirement

SYDNEY: Veteran Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath said Saturday he would bow out of cricket after the 2007 World Cup tournament, following in the footsteps of teammate Shane Warne.

After a training session in Melbourne ahead of the fourth Ashes Test starting on Boxing Day, McGrath, 36, announced that the Sydney Test match next month, on his home cricket ground, would be his last five-day game.

"It's probably a perfect or fitting ending," McGrath said. "It's only been the last few days that I've really thought about it."

McGrath, the most successful fast bowler in cricket history, said he would play his last limited-overs games at the World Cup in the Caribbean, which runs from March 11 to April 28.

Having taken 555 wickets in 122 Tests since debuting against New Zealand in 1993, McGrath is third on the list of all-time wicket-takers behind only Warne (699) and Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (674).

McGrath 'still enjoying cricket'

MELBOURNE: Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has sought to dispel rumours of his impending retirement by saying he wants to carry on playing.

The world class seamer, who has 555 Test wickets to his name so far in his career, has rejected claims that he will follow team-mate Shane Warne's lead and announce his retirement as well.

McGrath, 36, has been a key part of Australia's impressive Test and one-day side over the past decade and he said he is not ready to quit yet.

"It's business as usual," he replied when asked if he would be retiring.

"I'm preparing for the next two Ashes Test matches and then it's the one-day series and I'll take it from there."

Although McGrath was widely tipped to continue playing through the upcoming 2007 World Cup, many reports suggest he may look to quit the game before this for family reasons.

McGrath's wife Jane is currently battling cancer and he is thought to want to spend more time with her. He took eight months out of the game this year for the same reason.

"I don't look that far ahead," he said. "I'm still enjoying my cricket. I love playing and I feel like I still have a lot of cricket left in me."

When asked where he thought rumours of his retirement had come from, McGrath replied: "I haven't said anything. It's funny where it all comes from. I'm just preparing for another game."

When will McGrath go?

Malcolm Conn writes in The Australian about Glenn McGrath’s last summer of international cricket.

McGrath, 36, hopes to continue playing one-day cricket to the end of the World Cup in the Caribbean next March and April. However, he is no certainty to be part of Australia's World Cup defence, with one member of Australia's hierarchy yesterday saying: "If he makes it."

However, Trevor Marshallsea writes in the Sydney Morning Herald McGrath has given up on his dream to play at the World Cup.

While his lanky, and remarkably resilient, body have allowed him to become Australia's most durable paceman - and the third-most experienced of all time with 122 Tests behind him - other forces have finally led McGrath to call time on his career. He at least has the deserved honour of leaving on his own terms.
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