30 years since Glenn McGrath's Test debut

JTithers

Nov 12

November 12, 1993:

Glenn Donald McGrath, born in Dubbo and hailing from a farm in Narromine, having only made Sheffield Shield debut for New South Wales the year prior and having played a grand total of 8 First Class matches, was selected as Australia's 358th Test cricketer, debuting in the 1st Test against New Zealand at the WACA.... and his profile photo was one for the highlight reel.

Fair to say player profile photos have come a long way since Glenn McGrath made his Test debut! 😂 pic.twitter.com/h9ZYj75Xmi

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 3, 2019

As would become a running gag for another 123 Test matches, McGrath was dismissed for a Golden Duck in the 1st Innings (The first of an Australian record 35 ducks in his career), but Pigeon claimed his first Test wicket in his 5th over, dismissing Mark Greatbatch caught behind by Ian Healy on 18, and would finish the innings with meagre figures of 2/92 thanks to the late LBW dismissal of Danny Morrison for a duck.

McGrath later claimed fellow Test debutant Blair Pocock caught behind in the 2nd Innings as the match finished in a draw, finishing with match figures of 3/142, a far cry from the incoming 14 years of insanely consistent line and length pace bowling which saw him finish with 563 Test wickets (At the time the Test record for a fast bowler) and a bowling average of 21.64.

In addition, New Zealand later gave us the hilarious moment of allowing McGrath to score a Test half-century with the bat:

And over the years the WACA would become the site for two of McGrath's greatest achievements with a red ball:

His Test hat-trick against the West Indies in 2000, which included claiming Brian Lara as his 300th Test wicket.

And his 8-24 against Pakistan in 2004, still the best bowling figures by an Australian fast bowler (Arthur Mailey in 1921 still has the outright record with 9-121).