McGrath desperate to finish on a high

Glenn McGrath has been there and done that in his decade-and-a-half at the top, but as he embarks on the final chapter of his mighty career he has one final goal in mind. The man who bowed out in January as the leading fast bowler in Test history, with 563 scalps, is now aiming to overhaul Wasim Akram as the most successful bowler in World Cup history.

Australia begin their World Cup defence against Scotland at the picturesque Warner Park in St Kitts on Wednesday, and McGrath was in a familiarly laid-back mood as he set out his wish-list for his international swansong. "I noticed I'm No. 2 in World Cup wickets," he said during Australia's final practice session. "Wasim, who I think was one of the best bowlers of all time, is on top with 55 so it would be nice to get a couple in front by the end of the tournament."

McGrath is currently on 45, a haul spread over three tournaments since 1995-96, in which time Australia has lost just four matches out of 28 and never failed to reach the final. McGrath has yet to miss a match, although at the age of 37, and now often deprived of his beloved new ball, his record could yet come under scrutiny in the weeks ahead, especially if Australia fail to arrest their recent run of five consecutive ODI defeats.

Naturally, McGrath would not countenance such a notion, and cited Australia's five-wicket warm-up win over England at St Vincent last week as evidence that his side was returning to its best. "That was back to business as usual," he said, "so hopefully we'll continue from there. Personally, my body's going real good. I've never felt better and the mind's hanging in there as well. I've got seven weeks to play some good cricket and then I'll hang up the boots very comfortably."