Underrated Australian paceman Clint McKay is on the verge of joining elite company in one-day international cricket.
Already one of just five Australians to take an ODI hattrick, McKay is also closing in on 100 wickets – and is line to be the second fastest Australian to the target.
Despite these remarkable achievements, McKay reckons he could walk down the streets of Mumbai, with his Australian team polo shirt on, without a fuss.
“If Shane Watson or Glenn Maxwell walked to the left and I walked to the right, no one would (notice me) – that’s for sure,” McKay told AAP.
“But I’m quite happy to walk down the street in Essendon and have a coffee and no one knows or cares who you are.
“It’s brilliant. It doesn’t bother me one bit.”
Currently with 90 ODI wickets at the terrific average of 23.71 to his name, McKay could better the feats of Shane Warne and Dennis Lillee, who both required 60 games to take 100 wickets, should he take ten more in his next five games.
Brett Lee, one of Australia’s finest limited overs bowlers, took just 55 games to reach the milestone.
“It does definitely surprise me,” McKay told AAP when told of the statistics.
“To even be in the same category and being talked alongside those guys is unbelievable and probably a bit of a disservice to them.
“The careers they had for Australia over a long period of time … they’re the greats of the game.
“I just try and do my role each game. And so far so good.
“Hopefully that continues on and I am lucky enough to take 100 one day international wickets.”
McKay’s partnership with fellow quick Mitchell Johnson has an element of yin and yang about it.
“And I think that’s probably the thing that makes us successful,” he said.
“One’s left-arm, one’s right arm.
“He bowls very fast. I don’t.
“It doesn’t give the batsman an opportunity to settle and get into a rhythm with two completely different bowlers coming at you from either end.”
Teammates are effusive in their praise of McKay, and his ability to stop runs and coax batsman into playing the wrong stroke, like a boa constrictor squeezing the life out of its prey.
His methodical approach is at odds with the fireworks caused by Johnson’s 150 km/h thunderbolts – and might partly explain why he can fly under the radar with such an impressive record.
“I just try and go about my business each game and try and make sure I do the best job I can to make sure Australia keeps winning games of cricket.
“If I don’t get recognised, that’s no skin off my nose.
“I’ll just go out the next day and try and do the same job again.”
