da dobrowin： SYDNEY – Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has been ruled out of thesecond tri-series final against England at the MCG on Saturday.
Will Swanton23-Jan-2003SYDNEY – Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has been ruled out of thesecond tri-series final against England at the MCG on Saturday.Team physiotherapist Errol Alcott tonight decided McGrath, struggling toovercome a lower back strain, should not travel to Melbourne tomorrowwith the rest of Australia’s buoyant one-day side.Allrounder Shane Watson and batsman Jimmy Maher joined McGrath andfellow speedster Jason Gillespie on the sideline for tonight’s firstfinal, won in a canter by Australia by ten wickets.Watson was ruled out with the same ailment as McGrath, while Mahersuccumbed to a hamstring strain suffered during the warm-up forTuesday’s clash with Sri Lanka at the MCG.Both will be considered for the second and most likely last final of theseries.Gillespie is bowling in the nets again after damaging elbow ligaments ina fall during the fifth Ashes Test, but he’s not yet ready for action.Alcott is taking a softly-softly approach to Australia’s walkingwounded, gladly leaving them out of the finals because the far moreimportant World Cup is starting next month.The only good injury news for Australia today was the return of legspinner Shane Warne from the dislocated shoulder he suffered on December15.Warne made his comeback just one day after announcing his one-dayretirement, effective after the World Cup, taking 1-28 from tenpromising overs.