Glenn McGrath

Glenn McGrath's path to greatness began on a farm near Narromine in New South Wales, where he honed his accuracy in long, solitary practice sessions. His Test debut in 1993 against New Zealand was quiet, but within two years he had become Australia's spearhead, forming with Shane Warne the bowling partnership that underpinned a decade of dominance.

McGrath's genius lay in relentless line and length, moving the ball just enough off the seam to threaten the top of off stump over and over again. He took 563 Test wickets, a record for a fast bowler when he retired, and signed off from one-day cricket as the leading wicket-taker at the 2007 World Cup with 26, winning the title and the player-of-the-tournament award. Nicknamed 'Pigeon' for his skinny legs, he waged famous duels with Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, and had a habit of naming his intended victims before a series.

He bowed out of Test cricket in the 5-0 Ashes sweep of 2006-07, retiring alongside Warne in Sydney. Away from the field, he and his late wife Jane founded the McGrath Foundation, which has become a major force in breast cancer care in Australia. His later years have mixed coaching, notably at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, with commentary delivered in the same frank, straightforward manner that defined his bowling.