Glenn McGrath v England, 5-53 – ten great bowling performances

Glenn McGrath’s ended up with better figures on any number of occasions, but this was particularly memorable for us.

In the first Test of the 2005 Ashes series he reduced England to 21-5, taking all five wickets to fall. Australia had been showing signs of weakness all summer. They lost a one-day international to Bangladesh, they lost the Twenty20 match against England by a mile. They lost a couple of other one-dayers and Alastair Cook flayed them alive in a warm-up game. Then Steve Harmison bowled them out for 190 and we were a bit worried that victory wouldn’t be so satisfying against this aged, crumbling relic of a side.

Then Glenn McGrath waltzed in, same as usual, and tore England apart, same as usual. Basically, it set up the entire series. Every piece of theatre needs a sense of triumph against the odds and a villain too, so thank you Glenn McGrath.

It took us a long, long time to accept that Glenn McGrath was all that good because he’s not particularly quick and in our book fast bowling’s just that. He is 'that good' though. He’s one of the greatest bowlers to have ever played the game.

10 Great Bowling Performances