NO disrespect to Guy Whittall, especially from this distance but if England can't handle him and the rest of the Zimbabwe pace attack, what chance do they have next summer against Glenn McGrath?
Another five wickets haul, including Brian Lara for the fourth time in the series, shattered West Indies hopes of a decent first innings lead. And it took McGrath within two wickets of matching Shane Warne by reaching a century in his 23rd Test.
After playing a crucial part in Australia's second Test victory on his home ground in Sydney, McGrath relished bowling on the MCG pitch exploited by Curtly Ambrose on the first day and which he rates "the best wicket in Australia for the quicks."
He may not quite have Ambrose's pace but manages to be just as hostile by hitting the pitch and bowling a relentless line. And in contrast to the ageing Ambrose, he holds his own in this marvellous Australian fielding side a nataural athlete, McGrath contributed a sharp run out and a brilliant return catch to dismiss Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, respectively.
But it is still Lara's wicket which Australia value the most highly, and McGrath did the trick again. After dropping below Chanderpaut to number four, Lara's entry was delayed for 27 overs until Warne broke a second wicket partnership of 52, beating Robert Samuels in the air for Mark Taylor to snap up a sharp slip catch.
Lara was greeted by a few boos but far more applause from the crowd (just the 32,000 for the second day) and started nervously, taking 13 balls to get off (the mark, 11 of them from Warne.
Taylor had already introduced McGrath, who greeted Lara with a bouncer from around the wicket. Four balls later, he found the thick edge of Lara's angled bat and Warne took a simple catch midway between second slip and gully.
"Brian likes to play his shots and to have to room to play them," explained McGrath. "So we like to keep him cramped up and occasionally bowl one that little bit wide".
West Indies were staring at a deficit of 107 for five, still 112 behind, until Junior Murray joined Jimmy Adams to dominate a sixth wicket stand of 90.
Murray's fourth Test half century was little more than damage limitation, which ended when McGrath took the second new ball and had him caught at fine leg from a top edged hook.
Kenny Benjamin was also out before the close, the only wicket for Paul Rieffel, who bowled 29 overs with Jason Gillespie forced out of the match, and probably the series, with a side strain suffered early in the day.
