Glenn McGrath

Glenn Donald McGrath was born on February 9, 1970, in Dubbo, a country town in New South Wales, Australia. Growing up on a farm, he was a late bloomer in cricket, not taking up the sport seriously until his mid-teens. He was spotted by former Australian fast bowler Doug Walters at a country cricket carnival and invited to train with the New South Wales state squad. Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, McGrath used his height to extract consistent bounce and movement off the pitch. He made his Test debut against New Zealand in 1993 and quickly established himself as one of the most accurate fast bowlers in world cricket.

McGrath's bowling was defined by relentless accuracy rather than express pace. He consistently hit the ideal length on or just outside off stump, forcing batsmen to play at deliveries and producing a steady stream of edges to the slip cordon. His ability to exploit the slightest movement in any conditions made him lethal everywhere in the world. He took 563 Test wickets at an average of 21.64 -- the most by any fast bowler in history at the time of his retirement. His best figures of 8/24 came against Pakistan in Perth in 2004. He was equally devastating in ODIs, taking 381 wickets at 22.02, and was a three-time consecutive World Cup winner with Australia (1999, 2003, 2007), being named Player of the Tournament in 2007.

McGrath retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup triumph, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest bowlers to ever play the game. His famous rivalry with Brian Lara, his pre-series predictions of how many wickets he would take, and his "line and length" mastery became iconic elements of Australian cricket's golden era. Off the field, he established the McGrath Foundation after his first wife Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer. The foundation has raised millions of dollars for breast cancer support and awareness, with the annual Pink Test at the SCG becoming one of Australian sport's most recognisable charity events. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and remains a beloved figure in Australian cricket.