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McGrath's idea to give new ball to Bracken

Melbourne: Australian pace spearhead Glenn McGrath has said it was his idea to take up the role of first change bowler in the one-dayers and aim to keep the runs down in the power play overs during the on-going Champions Trophy.

McGrath said Nathan Bracken was better suited to the new ball so he opted to bowl as first change against the West Indies and England to give more flexibility to his team's World Cup plans.

``It was my idea. I am happy with it,'' McGrath was quoted as saying by Courier Mail on Thursday.

Coach John Buchanan, however, said there were no plans to strip McGrath of the new ball for the upcoming Ashes battle. ``I can only hand that one back to the selectors, but I wouldn't have thought it would change their thinking on his role in Test cricket,'' Buchanan said.

``One-day cricket and what we're doing there is slightly different to the Test matches, because we're actually working out how to play our power plays a bit better. By utilising Glenn in that way it gives us more flexibility, but I think the Test match arena is different to that.''

The 36-year-old paceman returned from a lay-off last month, down on pace and with the modest return of four wickets in six matches at 37.25. — PTI

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