LONDON. June 5: With a delivery hurtling at about 85 miles per hour (138 kilometres per hour). Glenn McGrath broke the shoulder of Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin's bat in his fourth over Friday. He may as well have broken the back of India's innings, reports AP.

Azharuddin grimaced as he attempted to fend the ball which lobbed to Steve Waugh at point for an easy catch, and India were 17 for four — their hopes of progressing in the tournament all but drowned by McGrath’s fiery bowling.

The 29-year-old farm lad from New South Wales was the toast of the Australian side after scalping not only Azharuddin. but also India's cricketing demigod Sachin Tendulkar in the first over for a duck and run machine Rahul Dravid in his second. With Azharuddin’s wicket, McGrath's figures read an astounding 3.2-0-8-3.

The highest accolade for McGrath came from his opponents.

"He bowled extremely well. No two questions. Absolutely brilliant," said Anshuman Gaekwad, India's coach. Gaek-wad said the deliveries that dismissed Dravid and Tendulkar. considered by many the best batsman in the world, were virtually unplayable.

McGrath's success is a reflection of the unusual dominance of the ball over the bat at this World Cup. the pinnacle of one-day cricket made popular by its high run scoring games. Eleven bowlers have finished the preliminary round with 10 or more wickets and 10 bowlers had four or more wickets in a

match.

"It is good to see the ball dominating the bat but you still have to get the ball in the right spot." said the lanky right arm fast bowler who was clocked bowling at a maximum speed of 88 miles per hour (141 kmph).

For the match against India McGrath threw the.gauntlet on Thursday, saying he Will be; gunning for Tendulkar's wicket.

"My game plan was to get (the ball ) up there, get him coming forward and get the edge that way." McGrath said. "And that’s the way it turned out? he added, referring to Tendulkar's hypnotic nudge at the ball that was caught by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

The strike bowler for Australia’s Test team. McGrath’s success is even more, stunning considering that he was bowling first change for Australia at the beginning of the tournament because of a wavering line. But batsmen finally took notice when he took five wickets for 14 against the West Indies, crafting a six-wicket victory that helped Australia qualify for the Super Six. r

After that there was little doubt that he had regained his traditional Test position as the opening bowler.

"I prefer to bowl from the first ball, but my rhythm is back and if I was bowling first change I would be bowling as well as I am now." he said.

McGrath remained modest in his success. "I came out pretty well. There was quite a bit in the wicket for the new ball," he said.

McGrath acknowledged that he had trouble getting used to English conditions and the white ball.

"I was lacking a little bit of rhythm, a bit of form ... but I came back slowly."

"I think my patience and confidence were pretty good in the last game against the West Indies and that’s how you get wickets in one-day matches."

He said he didn't realise that his delivery had broken Azharuddin's bat until informed later. "I was just trying to get a good line and length," he