McGrath claims 100th Ashes wicket for Aussies

Glenn McGrath claimed another milestone in his distinguished cricket career by reaching 100 Ashes Test wickets after starring…

Glenn McGrath claimed another milestone in his distinguished cricket career by reaching 100 Ashes Test wickets after starring again for Australia in the first Test against England today.

McGrath claimed 4-87 as the Australians bowled out England for 325 to claim a 167-run first innings lead and a stranglehold on the match.

By stumps, the Australians were 111 for two with Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn both on 40 and a 278-run lead with two days' play remaining to gain a result.

McGrath has now taken 407 career Test wickets and was instrumental in England being virtually shut out of the Test.

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But McGrath said his new-ball bowling partner Jason Gillespie deserved a much of the credit for his wickets on Saturday.

"He's definitely up there," McGrath said when asked where Gillespie ranked among the world's bowlers.

"I think he's probably been the pick of our bowlers for quite some time without the success. I think taking wickets will be something that he'll learn how to do.

"But if he keeps going as well as he has been he'll take plenty of wickets, so it's good for the future of Australian cricket."

Gillespie had to overcome a calf problem that restricted him to just three overs on day two to claim two key wickets with successive deliveries - Nasser Hussain for 51 and Alec Stewart (0) - with the second new ball.

"I think Jason was going to bowl one way or the other today and I was hoping he'd push through it," McGrath said.

"Jason said it did feel a bit tight today but didn't get any worse so that's a good sign for him and the way he bowled today was as if he was 100 percent fit."