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| December 10, 2001 | Monday | Ramazan 24, 1422 |
MacGill back in favour
MELBOURNE, Dec 9: Australia named forgotten leg-spinner Stuart MacGill in a squad of 12 Sunday for the first Test against South Africa in Adelaide which begins Friday.
The 30-year-old said he was surprised to learn he had replaced fast bowler Andrew Bichel who was 12th man in all three Tests in the series against New Zealand which finished in a 0-0 draw Tuesday.
MacGill, who boasts an impressive Test record of 75 wickets from 16 matches at an average of 25.02, has not played a Test alongside fellow leg-break bowler Shane Warne for two years.
Warne, 32, one of Wisden’s five cricketers of the 20th century, has taken 413 wickets in 95 matches and is fifth on the list of all-time wicket-takers in Test cricket, one wicket behind Pakistan’s Wasim Akram.
Warne missed Australia’s 5-0 series victory at home against West Indies in 2000-1 because of a finger injury and MacGill grabbed his opportunity, taking 16 wickets in four matches at an average of 31.31.
MacGill returned to the background as Warne replaced him in the side and struggled (10 wickets at 50.50) in Australia’s 2-1 series defeat in India.
Warne then dominated England’s batsmen in the 4-1 Ashes series victory this year by taking 31 wickets at 18.70.
Warne took six wickets in the recent series against New Zealand.
MacGill played down the flattering statistic which showed he had taken 24 wickets to Warne’s seven in the five Tests they had played together.
“I wouldn’t say that I have outbowled him, he’s the best spinner of all time,” he said.
Squad: Steve Waugh (captain), Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill.—Reuters
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