McGrath happy he has last laugh over Tendulkar, Lara

New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) The World Cup Player of the Tournament Glenn McGrath says that he has the satisfaction of ending his career holding an upper hand over this generation's two best batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Brain Lara.

''I enjoyed bowling to Sachin and hopefully getting him out or changing his gameplan or just tying him up. You tend to lift your game a bit when you are bowling to guys like that and I felt I did that,'' McGrath told CNN-IBN in an interview.

The 37-year-old, who tormented batsmen with his immaculate line and length during his 15-year long career, dismissed fears that after the retirement of star players like Shane warne and himself other teams will be able to knock out Australia off the pedestal.

''I think the other teams will learn a lot by watching the current Australian team at the moment. It's up to them to put things in place and really lift, and work out how to beat this Australian team'', he said.

McGrath who ended his career as the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history in the Caribbean carnival when he took 26 wickets at an average of just 13.73 had some words of wisdom for the new breed of players who have been included in the Aussie team.

''There are plenty of young guys coming through, but they are also going to stamp the way they play the game and get a bit of an oil or a bit of a mental edge,'' the Aussie legend said.

Speaking about the rapport that he shared with spin champion Shane Warne, 'the pigeon' said, ''I think shane and I worked very well together. Generally we were quite similar bowlers in respect that we were quite accurate and could build pressure.

Shane is a class bowlwer. He could land every ball where he wanted. I think building up pressure in that partnership got both of us wickets and it definetely got me wickets.'' Although, McGrath would not commit for the role of bowling coach of Australia in future, he, however, feels he is quite fit enough to play for another 2-3 years but he completely rejected reconsidering his retirement decision.

''It's everything that goes with it, the time away from home, the travel, the training, and everything else. So for me, I want to spend more time at home with my wife Jane and my two kids. They are growing up, James is seven, my daughter Holly is five, so they are getting older and i want to spend more time with them,'' he signed off.

UNI