McGrath calls for more consistency

Published: 3:55AM Thursday December 10, 2009 Source: AAP

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  • McGrath calls for more consistency (Source: Getty Images)
    Glenn McGrath celebrates with some old chums - Source: Getty Images

Fast bowling great Glenn McGrath has called for greater consistency from Australia's pacemen before next week's final Test against the West Indies in Perth.

Australia's youthful attack has run hot and cold this year, ruthlessly rolling opposition sides at times but also struggling on numerous occasions to finish off the tail.

"Consistency is the key, to keep putting those performances on the board game after game rather than have a good one and then a bad one," McGrath said at a launch for Wii Cricket in Sydney on Wednesday.

"That is something hopefully the boys can rectify. "I think we definitely have got the players, but in saying that too I think it is a great time to be a young guy performing well in Australia because there seems to be a lot of opportunities."

McGrath, who claimed more Test wickets than any other fast bowler in the game's history, said it took time for pacemen to really feel comfortable at international level.

McGrath made his Test debut in November 1993 against New Zealand at the WACA before coming of age 18 months later in Australia's breakthrough series win in the Caribbean in 1995.

"It takes a while to cement your place in the team and to make a name for yourself and that is what the boys are going through right now," he said.

"Who knows? Maybe in another four, five, ten years they may be thought of in a very similar way to (Shane) Warne and (Adam) Gilchrist and the guys that have just retired.

"It is still early doors, I think they have shown enough to everyone that they are good enough to perform at this level.

Australia on Wednesday named an unchanged 12-man squad for the WACA clash starting Wednesday, giving quick Peter Siddle extra time to prove his fitness following a hamstring complaint in this week's draw in Adelaide.

If forced to call up a replacement for Siddle, McGrath wasn't sure if selectors would look to the recent past in 34-year-old Stuart Clark.

"Mitchell Johnson is coming off a five-for and I thought Dougy Bollinger did a great job in this Test match (in Adelaide), he has been bowling exceptionally well at the moment," he said.

"I wonder if they are looking for a bit more experience at the moment or a young guy to come in. "It will be interesting to see how they go."

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