Record Book – McGrath’s six-fer, Ajit Agarkar and the Old Wanderers

             GLENN MCGRATH 6/50

  After winning the 2005 Ashes 2-1, England came to Brisbane for first test of the 2006/07 Ashes with lots of confidence under Andrew Flintoff.  All confidence got nullified after Australia declared 602/9 and Glenn McGrath ripped through the England line-up claiming 6/50 and dismissing them for 157. McGrath started off getting both openers – Andrew Strauss & Alistair Cook caught and came  back to get Kevin Pietersen and Geraint Jones leg-before. Steve Harmison was caught behind to hand him his 5-wicket haul and Ashley Giles became his 6th victim of the innings. McGrath finished his last-series with 21 scalps as Australia won 5-0.

AJIT AGARKAR

  Ajit Agarkar was one of the key in India’s ODI bowling unit till 2007 before falling out of form and never found a place again. He picked up 288 wickets from 191 matches including a 6/42 at the MCG against the hosts Australia in the 2004 VB Series. He had a good debut year picking up 58 wickets from 30 matches in 1998. He added another 5-wicket haul in 2005 with 5/44 against visiting Sri Lanka. In Test cricket, he picked up 58 wickets and he enjoyed touring Australia in Tests too picking up 6/41 in Adelaide in 2003. He also has a prestigious Lord’s Test century to his name – 109* in 2002. 

THE OLD WANDERERS

  The Old Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg was the key place where cricket was held in South Africa from 1886 to 1932 – a period that saw a huge change in cricket – from 5 balls per over to 6 and then 8. This venue wasn’t used in the era of 500+ scores, but there were few thrilling moments – innings that saw the hosts bowled under 100 – 99 in 1899 when there were chasing 132 and 91 against same opposition in 1906 but still managed to win the match. The stadium had to give way for a railway expansion project that saw cricket shifted to a rugby ground in the city.