The accuracy of McGrath

Glenn McGrath is probably the most accurate fast bowler in the world I have seen- almost monotonously so! Today, he got past 500 test wickets in absolute style- at the Mecca of cricket, Lord's, against the oldest Aussie foes at the beginning of the latest rivalry for the prestigious Ashes.

There are few things to learn from him-
a) Stick to the simple things but do them very well. He doesnt either cut or swing the ball prodigiously, but he pitches it just right- all the time!
b) Create a niche, become the very best in it and dont bother about the rest- He has done precious little about his batting skills and given the Supersub rule on one-dayers now, we may never see him bat again and I dont think anyone's complaining.
I loved watching him in Sydney and Melbourne last year. His smooth action, his uncanny accuracy and his athleticism were a delight to watch. I am reproducing a report here from Cricinfo about the first day at Lords that clearly points out why this guy is a such a genius.

"A day which began magnificently for the hosts turned pear-shaped by the end entirely due to the efforts of one outstanding individual. Before this Test, Glenn McGrath's Lord's stats read: 17 wickets in two matches at 12.76. One day into his third game at this venue, and the numbers look even better - 22 wickets at an incredible 10.82. McGrath has already won the Man-of-the-Match award in his first two Tests here, and if today's performance is any indication, he's well on his way to a hat-trick.
As always, McGrath's control over line and length was impeccable. The pitch, with its inconsistent bounce, was tailor-made for him, and McGrath exploited it to the hilt, homing in just around off stump, nipping it either way, and allowing the vagaries of the track to do the rest.
A look at McGrath's pitch map tells the story - 71 out 78 balls pitched on a good length, that's a mind-boggling 91%. Fifteen of his deliveries pitched on or outside leg stump, but 14 of those were to left-handers from over the wicket, which meant that the angle of delivery would have forced the batsmen to play at them. Against right-handers, McGrath's control was stunning - 52 good-length balls out of 58, with one ball which drifted further on side than off stump. "