Who will be harder to replace - McGrath or Warne

[Matt79]

I'd say Warne - we have several good prospects with the new ball coming through (eg Johnson, Tait), but, if you assume MacGill will not play much longer either, a spinner who can attack or defend like Warne will be a harder commodity.

 

[Dasa]

Warne will be harder to replace because the backup spin options, apart from MacGill who won't last that much longer, aren't very close to international standard yet. However, I think the absence of McGrath will hurt Australia more.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Warne. Everything about him is something that so difficult to coach, and with the backup spin options......

 

[GIMH]

I'd say Warne, because it seems you don't have many spin prospects coming through, whereas Clark can step into McGrath's shoes for the next few years.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Warne pretty easily.

McGrath's still a fine bowler but he's not really been his usual unstoppable self in the last year or so. He's merely a very good and reliable bowler right now rather than someone who is going to carry the attack on his own. He's been a good foil to Clark and Warne all series though, and if he sticks around I'm sure he'll remain useful.

Warne has been hugely important to Australia throughout the last 18 months though, and pretty much single handedly won the Adelaide test. You can see from the number of overs he has bowled how much Australia still rely on him. MacGill is a fine bowler but he's not as close to Warne right now as a few other seamers are to McGrath. There's no doubt about who the bigger loss is.

 

[chaminda_00]

Add in Warne slip catching, its not even close.

 

[adharcric]

Definitely Warne. Lee, Clark, Johnson and Tait looks a lot better than MacGill and ... Cullen?

 

[PhoenixFire]

Definitely Warne. Lee, Clark, Johnson and Tait looks a lot better than MacGill and ... Cullen?

Colin Miller

 

[oz_fan]

Both all-time greats, it will be difficult to replace the both of them and you won't find bowlers of their quality for a long time, if ever. Australia were lucky to have both greats in their team at the same time. However I think it will be much harder to replace Warne. Australia have a fair few pace bowlers coming through (Tait, Johnson, etc) along with Clark who has already proved himself at test level. MacGill will only be around for about 2 years and I'm not sure that any of Australia's spinners at state level (Cullen, Casson, etc) will be test match performers.

 

[pasag]

Warne easily, McGrath has almost been replaced by Clark anyways. The best part about Warne was that regardless of how bad we were doing in a match, there was always hope that Warne would come on, work his magic and take a bag. Don't think we will see that again for a long time.

 

[chaminda_00]

Definitely Warne. Lee, Clark, Johnson and Tait looks a lot better than MacGill and ... Cullen?

I would say Tait is on par with MacGill, borh are very inconsistant and ball too many four balls.

 

[Dravid]

Warne, McGrath has a lot of back up, when Warne only really has MacGill

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I would say Tait is on par with MacGill, borh are very inconsistant and ball too many four balls.

Except MacGill has 200 test wickets.

When it comes down to it, he's in the top five spinners in the world, and he's a pretty good replacement. It's the guys after MacGill that are cause for concern.

No question about who the bigger loss is, though.

 

[Ikki]

Warne, he simply can't be replaced. Macgill will fit in nice and do a good job in my opinion, but it is a shame that he isn't young enough to carry it further. I think, though, that even if Macgill were much younger he, nor any player really, would bring the intangibile qualities that Warne does. McGrath also has a good protege in Clark and Australia is blessed with some good talent in pace-bowling.

 

[adharcric]

Colin Miller

Coming from someone whose national side often has Ashley Giles as the frontline spinner ...

 

[Laurrz]

i think McGrath is harder to replace than what people think.. he has lead our attack for so long and he barely ever gets hit out of an attack and creates so much pressure for opposing batsmen... i hate to say it but i have seen Clark hit around at times... a very good replacement though

 

[PhoenixFire]

Coming from someone whose national side often has Ashley Giles as the frontline spinner ...

Ashley Giles > Colin Miller

 

[adharcric]

I would say Tait is on par with MacGill, borh are very inconsistant and ball too many four balls.

The difference is that Tait is the #4 option in the pace department and MacGill is the #1 option in the spin department.

 

[PhoenixFire]

i think McGrath is harder to replace than what people think.. he has lead our attack for so long and he barely ever gets hit out of an attack and creates so much pressure for opposing batsmen... i hate to say it but i have seen Clark hit around at times... a very good replacement though

He's been hit out of the attack a few times this series by Pietersen.

 

[adharcric]

Ashley Giles > Colin Miller

That still doesn't give you any right to talk trash about another nation's spinner. Ever.