McGrath 'fresher, keener, and looking forward to playing'

Glenn McGrath: came through his first test unscathed © Getty Images

Glenn McGrath has hit back at critics who have been keen to write him off as a player, claiming that he was fitter and stronger than ever after his enforced seven-month lay-off after an ankle operation.

He returned yesterday in New South Wales's 2nd XI match against Victoria at the MCG, taking 2 for 26 in 14.2 overs in front of 23 people. It was a stark contrast to Shane Warne's much-publicised second-team comeback a fortnight ago.

"I've been training harder than I ever have off the field, in the gym, on fitness so my strength and fitness has been a lot higher than in the past," McGrath told the Sydney Morning Herald. "I can only see positives out of this, and I think this or what I've had done over the last seven months will actually lengthen my career if anything."

Several former players - most recently Merv Hughes - have been quoted as saying that McGrath was as good as finished as a result of the injury. But McGrath himself was keen to dismiss such thoughts. "You see bad press saying, 'He's finished', and they haven't really spoken to me or seen what I'm doing," he said. "I think it's a bit early to be making a decision like that.

He also rubbished articles claiming that he had made several aborted attempts in recent weeks to play, insisting that last weekend's grade comeback was his first serious attempt to take to the field. "They basically just made it up," he explained. "There's a lot of people out there reading it, and it's so far from the truth it's not funny."

McGrath maintained that while some injuries are career-threatening, his was not. "I don't look at it as an injury," he said. "I've had the spurs which caused all the problems removed. And the way the ankle feels, at the moment, it's as good as it's felt for years. It's not going to be a recurring injury. It's been totally fixed and each bowl I have it'll get better and stronger."

McGrath's aim is to make the Australian squad for the tour of Zimbabwe in May, and he was not too upset about missing out on the Sri Lanka series. "I look at the positive side of things and it means I could get a lot stronger, a lot fitter and finish the season off with NSW and hopefully be right for the Zimbabwe tour. So that's my goal at the moment."

And what of suggestions that at 34 he had lost some of his enthusiasm? McGrath smiled. "I think if anything, I'm fresher, keener, and looking forward to playing."