McGrath unfit for Essex game

Glenn McGrath, the Australian fast bowler, has not fully recovered from an elbow injury and will miss Australia's final warm-up game against Essex starting on September 3. However, Australia remain confident that McGrath will be fit in time for the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval beginning on September 8.

Errol Alcott, the Australia physio, said that there was improvement in McGrath's condition. "Glenn had a good half an hour bowling in the nets this morning and it was a good step in his rehabilitation process," Alcott was qouted as saying by AFP.

The elbow injury sidelined McGrath for the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, a match that England eventually won by three wickets to take an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series. He had also sustained an ankle injury that made him miss the second Test at Edgbaston which England won by two runs to level the series at 1-1.