McGrath bounces back into action

Glenn McGrath's cheeky spark has returned. Perhaps it never left, but for the first half of the year there wasn't much to smile about. In January his wife Jane was diagnosed with her third bout of cancer and McGrath immediately withdrew from team to family. Questions over his playing future as he approached 36 were suddenly even more trivial to a man who usually creates more fear than he feels.

With Jane's recovery and subsequent permission - "when she wants me out of the house then things are pretty good and she's wanted me out for a while" - he began an unfamilar type of comeback. He maintains his body is far from creaking and there is nothing physical to recover from, but by the start of the Ashes in November he will not have appeared in a Test for 11 months. It is a long gap at a crucial stage of his career as he craves the 58 wickets to earn his ultimate target of 600.

Up to six days of fitness training a week was followed by stints in the SCG's indoor nets and he insisted he was bowling faster than ever, which is a popular line from a bowler who always seems undermined by the speed guns. Today McGrath completed his first outdoor session in front of a large cast of onlookers in Brisbane as he builds to a hopeful promotion for the Champions Trophy in India in October.

However, Allan Border, an Australia selector, has suggested McGrath would be better prepared for the Ashes if he played in a couple of first-class games for New South Wales instead of a one-day tournament. "I need to sit down with the selectors and John Buchanan," he said. "My choice would be to have a good hit-out in India. When we've gone to India leading into a summer in the past, I've done well after that. For fast bowlers, India is still the ultimate and it's a great place to prepare. That would be my first choice."

McGrath has always had pulling power, but rarely have so many people watched an Australian cricketer's pre-season workout in July. As McGrath started from a 12-step short run the Centre of Excellence coaches Jamie Siddons, Dene Hills and Troy Cooley were ready to deconstruct and encourage. Richard McInnes, the team's performance analyst, filmed McGrath's action from a variety of angles for later interpretation via a laptop perched on a wheelie bin, and Brian McFadyen, who is part of the Academy staff, and Matthew Mott, an assistant with New South Wales, also popped in during the hour-long exercise.

The session went smoothly. An early edge off Michael Clarke, McGrath's highly qualified personal net batsman at Allan Border Field until Friday, brought a cheer from the bowler and his action appeared unsullied by the break. There were occasional "oohs" from Clarke when the ball jagged and banter between batsmen, bowler and his long-time Test team-mate Michael Kasprowicz. "He's as keen as ever," Clarke said. "He enjoys getting me out and it's a good challenge for me. I think he's as good as ever."

Half-way through the practice Clarke asked McGrath if he wanted a break. "No, I'm right," he replied firmly, and then refused to end the session on a poor delivery, saying "one more" twice before being satisfied. The public return of his bouncy personality also showed his comfort and confidence. During a group interview he had Clarke giggling at a small prank and was able to mix light answers with serious ones.

"I'm a bit worried I'm bowling quicker than ever and the body might not be used to that," he said before boasting of his ability to knock over Clarke. The upbeat mood is fuelled by the improving health of his wife and the resumption of his professional duties. "Everything is heading in the right direction," he said, "so it's time to focus on cricket again."