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McGrath ranks every Test bowler

Australia fast bowling legend runs the rule over each bowler in Australia-Pakistan series

Mitchell Starc – 7.5/10

Matches: 3 | Wickets: 14 | Average: 34.07 | SR: 62.2 | BB: 4-36

It took Starc a little while to get into the season. The first few Tests against South Africa he looked a little underdone and I don’t think he really hit his straps. Occasionally when the ball was reversing he looked better. With the new ball, when he can bring the ball back into the right-hander that’s when he’s at his most dangerous. We’ve seen him bowl better with the new ball so he’s been a little bit off there. At times he bowled well with reasonable pace but wasn’t quite been at his best but hopefully he can keep improving because Australia will need him to fire in the subcontinent. If he can swing the new ball as well as reverse the old one he becomes such a dangerous bowler. He’s not quite there but he’s not too far away.

Starc's brute of a ball removes Shafiq

Best wicket: Asad Shafiq, Brisbane, second innings.

When the game was nearly getting away from the Aussies, Starc made something out of nothing to conjure up a brutish bouncer and remove Shafiq. Starc’s a natural wicket-taker. Even on flat tracks he can make things happen.

Josh Hazlewood – 9/10

Matches: 3 | Wickets: 15 | Average: 19.60 | SR: 58.9 | BB: 4-55

He just keeps getting better and better. He’s had an incredible summer. Like Starc, I thought he was a little underdone heading into the South Africa series and that first Test, but as the summer’s gone on he’s bowled incredibly well. He claimed vital wickets and a lot of those were top-order wickets. That’s what you want your opening bowler to do; bowl good areas, keep it tight, build pressure and get it through at reasonable pace with good bounce. The wickets this summer haven’t been quick and bouncy but he’s been impressive without much help from the conditions. You can see Hazlewood is learning each game and puts that into practice.

Hazlewood rocks Pakistan with double strike

Best wicket: Younis Khan, first innings, Brisbane

Younis Khan, first ball, he was going to be one of Pakistan’s key batsmen and to get him early was vital. Hazlewood got a lot of wickets in similar fashion this series, getting just enough movement and bounce to take the edge.

Jackson Bird – 7.5/10

Matches: 2 | Wickets: 10 | Average: 29.20 | SR: 54.0 | BB: 3-23

Bird did his job. As the third seamer coming in, he bowled good areas and in Melbourne he got a bit of nip. In Adelaide against the Proteas he looked a little nervous but then come the Pakistan series he looked good and did his job.

Bird's seed takes care of Younis

Best wicket: Younis Khan, first innings, Melbourne

A terrific ball that moved in off the seam and clipped the top of off stump. Bird has the ability to move the ball both ways and at the MCG he found a bit of nip which contributed to this dismissal.

Nathan Lyon – 7/10

Matches: 3 | Wickets: 11 | Average: 45.63 | SR: 74.7 | BB: 3-33

A lot of people were saying Lyon needs to take big wickets and that his place in the team was in doubt, but in the last two Tests, especially in the second innings in Melbourne, he bowled a lot better. When you’re not taking wickets your confidence can drop a bit but if he keeps thinking he’s bowling well and continues to put the ball in the right area the wickets will come. He took vital wickets in the Boxing Day Test and at the SCG and he’ll be a lot more confident heading over to the subcontinent. There was talk that he may not make the tour but now I think he’s locked his name in.

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