Australia cricket great Glenn McGrath has been removed as a commentator by ABC, the host broadcaster, due to his association with a betting company. Known as one of the finest fast bowlers in history, McGrath has been a familiar figure during recent Ashes events.
Having claimed 563 wickets in 124 Test matches for Australia, the 55-year-old was a dominant force against England in the Ashes series, winning six of them with his team. Despite his absence as a pundit on ABC, he is set to be present at the upcoming first Test in Perth.
While McGrath will continue his commentary role with the BBC Test Match Special, ABC decided not to utilize him as a commentator following his connection with a betting agency. This decision was made just before the commencement of the series.
In a statement to the Guardian, ABC mentioned the mutual parting of ways with McGrath for the Ashes series. The broadcaster expressed eagerness to collaborate with him in the future and highlighted their existing commentary team’s excitement for the first test in Perth, led by Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas.
The move to drop McGrath from ABC’s commentary team was influenced by his upcoming partnership with the betting giant Bet365. Notably, a similar action was taken in the past when Mitchell Johnson, another former Australian fast bowler, faced a similar situation.
McGrath will maintain a significant presence in the BBC’s Ashes coverage, contributing to live radio commentary and highlight shows alongside renowned personalities like Jonathan Agnew, Michael Vaughan, Simon Mann, Phil Tufnell, Alex Hartley, and Jim Maxwell.
In a typical fashion, McGrath has boldly predicted a 5-0 victory for the home side in the Ashes series. England, having not won an Ashes series since 2015 and struggling in Australian conditions, faces a formidable challenge against the strong Australian lineup.