Not playing McGain a blunder, says Warne
March 1st, 2009 - 5:33 pm ICT by IANSSydney, March 1 (IANS) Spin wizard Shane Warne said Australia should have taken a specialist spinner in Bryce McGain for the Test series in South Africa.
Australia has no specialist spinner for the ongoing opening encounter at the Wanderers Stadium and is relying on the part-time off-spin of Marcus North and vice-captain Michael Clarke to help the pace attack.
Warne said McGain would have hurt the Proteas in Johannesburg.
“Bryce McGain is clearly the best spinner in Australia,” Warne was quoted as saying in Herald Sun.
“I was disappointed that he was not picked for the first Test. The South Africans don’t play wristies well.
“I would stick with one (spinner) and that would be Bryce McGain.”
Warne said spinners will be vital in the Ashes series and the selectors had missed a golden opportunity to blood McGain before the first Test against England in July.
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- Omitting McGain from first Test was a huge blunder, says Warne - Feb 28, 2009
- Jenner feels McGain has ruined chances of an Ashes call-up - Mar 24, 2009
- All pace attack recipe for disaster says Aussie leg-spinner McGain - Oct 14, 2009
- McGain hopes to make it to Ashes squad - May 18, 2009
- Australian spinners fail to get confidence vote from colleagues - Dec 23, 2009
- McGain in line to replace McDonald for second Test against Proteas - Mar 03, 2009
- MacGill endorses North for Ashes spinner''s job - Mar 25, 2009
- Aussies aim for team balance, may hand over spin-bowling to Katich, Clarke - Sep 25, 2010
- 36-year-old McGain to debut for Oz, replaces sick Marcus North for Cape Town Test - Mar 19, 2009
- Warnes guru Jenner calls for McGains inclusion in Cape Town Test - Mar 17, 2009
- Spinners McGain, Hauritz could play Cape Town Test: Hussey - Mar 18, 2009
- Axed Krejza has no intention of falling of Oz spin cycle radar - Feb 12, 2010
- Ponting wants Ashes specialist spinner - Mar 23, 2009
Tags: africa australia, blunder, bryce, captain michael, first test, golden opportunity, herald sun, johannesburg, michael clarke, pace attack, proteas, selectors, shane warne, south africans, spinner, sydney march, test series, time off, vice captain, wanderers stadium