McGrath warns of more misery
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Your support makes all the difference.Having dismissed England's batsmen with the ball, Glenn McGrath followed up by doing the same with his tongue last night as Australia secured a stranglehold after day two of the second Test.
After Australia had ended the second day 68 runs ahead with five wickets in hand, McGrath, whose spell of five for 12 in 74 balls destroyed England's first innings, said contemptuously of their second: "If we get a 150-run lead we may not have to bat again."
Mark Waugh, the other Australian to shine along with the sun here yesterday, was equally scathing of England's bowlers. Waugh, who scored a fluent 108 as Australia reached 255 for 5 in reply to England's 187, said: "England could have bowled better. They were a bit short and straight but you can only hit what they serve up." Andy Caddick, the best of England's labouring bowlers, reacted tetchily: "I ran in as quick as I could and banged the hell out it. We bowled in the right areas but they bowled in moist conditions."
Caddick added: "We haven't had a good day but we've got the new ball coming so hopefully we can do some damage in the morning."
McGrath did just that yesterday as England, 121 for 4 overnight, were rolled over before lunch with the middle-order crumbling again. With an average delivery speed of 81.4mph, McGrath was the slowest of the six strike bowlers employed by the sides, but he showed there was more to the art than naked speed as he drew a succession of English batsmen into error.
Having accounted for Michael Atherton, whose 37 proved England's top score, and Mark Butcher on Thursday evening he dismissed Alec Stewart and Craig White for ducks and Graham Thorpe for 20 as four wickets went down for ten runs.
"The pitch is slow but in certain areas there is a bit in it for bowlers," said McGrath. "It was not a case of running in and trying to bowl at 90 mph but of getting balls into the right area." The 6ft 6in paceman added: "Then I used my height to generate bounce."
When Caddick led England's response with the second-over dismissal of Matt Hayden for a duck, and Ricky Ponting fell to Darren Gough at 27, a full house began to dream. But with both Waughs surviving half-chances to post a century stand Australia took command.
"We will have to show some character," added Caddick.
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