Stuart MacGill

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Stuart MacGill
Australia (Aus)
Stuart MacGill
Batting style Right hand bat
Bowling type Right arm leg break
Tests ODIs
Matches 40 3
Runs scored 347 1
Batting average 10.20 1.00
100s/50s -/- -/-
Top score 43 1
Balls bowled 10211 180
Wickets 198 6
Bowling average 27.20 17.50
5 wickets in innings 12 -
10 wickets in match 2 n/a
Best bowling 8/108 4/19
Catches/stumpings 16/- 2/-

As of 27 April 2006
Source: Cricinfo.com

Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is an Australian cricketer who specialises in bowling Leg Spin. He was born on 25 February 1971, in Mount Lawley, Perth. He attended Christ Church Grammar School, where he excelled at cricket. He began his first class career playing for Western Australia and playing minor county cricket in England. His father (TMD MacGill) and grandfather (CWT MacGill) also played cricket for Western Australia. He now plays domestic cricket for New South Wales.

Stuart MacGill is widely perceived to be Australia's best leg-spinner after Shane Warne's retirement. He is best known for his huge leg-break and his useful googly. MacGill is credited with having the best strike rate of any modern leg-spin bowler, taking 198 wickets at 27.20 with a strike rate of 51.57. He is a bit of a bunny with the bat (he averages 10.20). He is frequently absent from the Australian side, due to the fact that the Australian selectors have shown themselves reluctant to playing two leg-spin bowlers in the team.

MacGill is somewhat of an oddity amongst the Australian Cricket Team. His post-victory predilection for wine puts him at odds with the rest of his (beer-inclined) teammates. MacGill has studied wine marketing and boasts an extensive wine cellar. MacGill is also a voracious reader and on one tour to Pakistan is said to have casually dismissed 24 novels. He is married to Australian TV actress and journalist Rachel Friend and lives with her in Sydney. He has the earnest distinction of being the only Australian Cricketer to declare himself unavailable to tour Zimbabwe on moral grounds.

MacGill is widely regarded as one of the most unlucky cricketers in the world, playing second fiddle to the greatest wrist spinner of all time in Shane Warne. Although MacGill does get the occasional call up for Test matches played in Sydney, because of its turning wicket, he has not been able to cement his place in the Australian Test side, mainly due to Warne's dominance on Australian spin. Brad Hogg, and more recently Dan Cullen, are generally selected ahead of him in the ODI side, although MacGill has since retired from the one-day format of the game. MacGill will unfortunately never reach the heights he is capable of because of the fractional age difference with rival Shane Warne. That is, as Warne gave up the sport, MacGill does not have long to stake his claim. Warne retired after the 2006-07 Ashes series, which potentially gives MacGill an opportunity.

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