McGrath signs off in the same way he started

SYDNEY, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Australia pace bowler Glenn McGrath finished his test career the same way he started it, picking up a wicket by fooling a batsmen with a simple sleight of hand.

His final victim was tailender James Anderson, who failed to pick McGrath's slower ball and spooned a simple catch to Mike Hussey at mid-on, ending England's innings.

''I guess if you had to write the script for the perfect ending obviously to get a wicket on your last ball of test cricket is the perfect way to do it,'' McGrath told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

''Obviously seeing off stump cartwheel back 10-15 metres is probably the perfect scenario but a slower ball caught at mid-on, I guess I'll take that.'' McGrath polished off three of the final five English wickets to take three for 38 in his last test innings and finish his brilliant 124-match career with 563 test victims, a record for a fast bowler.

McGrath was not the quickest bowler the world has ever seen, but what he lacked in speed he made up with hard work and shrewd tactics.

His recipe for success was simple -- unerring accuracy, subtle movement off the seam and sharply rising bouncers that left batsmen in two minds about whether to play or leave.

Although McGrath will continue playing one-day internationals through to the World Cup in March and April, the 36-year-old said he was pleased to be quitting test cricket on a high, describing Australia's 5-0 Ashes win as one of the highlights of his career.

''The way we've played since the last Ashes has been some of the most outstanding cricket I've been involved in,'' he said.

''To realise that we haven't had the Ashes, you look back at the first test in Brisbane we were pretty pumped up and ready for that.

''We'll make the most of this over the next few days and enjoy the moment and look forward to the next few months.

''We've got the one-day series and then the World Cup so for me personally there's plenty of focus and plenty of motivation to keep going.'' REUTERS SAM VC1258