October 03 Thursday 2002
McGrath hopes to dominate Pak batting

COLOMBO: Ageing Australian seam bowler Glenn McGrath believes Pakistan's 'weakness to be their inexperience' and hopes to dominate his opposition as early as possible in the Test cricket series. 

"They've got a lot of youngsters coming in with a lot of pressure on them," said Glenn McGrath in Colombo, where the first Test begins on Thursday. "If we can get on top of them early we might be able to keep them down for the whole series, that would be our plan." 

McGrath will have an inexperienced top-order in his sights when the two teams meet in the three-match Test series. Neither Saeed Anwar, Yousuf Youhana nor Inzamam-ul-Haq are playing in the series. Imran Nazir, Taufeeq Umar, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan are the players most likely to face up to McGrath and of these only Younis has any real experience behind his name. 

McGrath requires only 11 wickets to reach 400 in Test cricket and must be aiming to reach that landmark in the forthcoming series. The series will also provide opportunity to better his record against Pakistan, against whom McGrath has struggled in relative terms. 

Although the new-ball bowler averages 22 against all countries, against Pakistan he averages 28. In Colombo and Sharjah, where the series will be played, he will also have to contend with wickets not renowned for their pace and bounce. 

"There's no middle ground with them, that makes them quite a dangerous team, McGrath continued. "When they click and play well they're all over you and when you get on top of them you can really crush them," he concluded.