Warne vs Ambrose 2003

Lore & Background

Warne was a member of the Australian team that won the 1999 Cricket World Cup and the 2003 Cricket World Cup. In the 1999 World Cup final, he took four wickets, including the crucial dismissal of Pakistan's captain. Warne is the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history with 708 wickets, and his 195 wickets in Ashes series are the most by any bowler. He also took 293 wickets in One Day Internationals. His rivalry with Curtly Ambrose was marked by intense battles, particularly during the 1995 Caribbean tour and the 2003 series, where Warne's leg-spin often challenged Ambrose's pace.

Reader's Guide

McGrath's bowling was not of express pace. Rather, he relied on unerring accuracy and subtle seam movement, which he derived from his high wrist action and lengthy follow-through. His height (195 cm), combined with a high arm action, allowed him to extract extra bounce, which often surprised batsmen. In the later years of his career he developed as a swing bowler. He deliberately (and publicly) targeted the opposition's best batsmen prior to a series in an attempt to distract them, a ploy that regularly worked.

Did You Know?

• Warne took his 700th Test wicket on 17 December 2006 against England at the MCG.
• Warne was named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century.
• He famously bowled the 'Ball of the Century' to Mike Gatting in 1993.