Craig McDermott was a textbook outswing bowler with a classic side-on action who could run through any batting order on his day. In the first Test at Brisbane in November 1994, Australian pace bowler Craig McDermott destroyed England's batting lineup. He took 6 for 53 and laid the victory foundation. The ball was swinging and creating penetrating gaps after England, through pitiful batting against McDermott, was dismissed for 167 on the third day.
Stewart was caught at the wicket off a wide out-swinger in what might otherwise have been the last over of McDermott's new-ball spell; Graeme Hick soon followed, caught behind, mis-hooking; only while Atherton and Thorpe were adding 47 did England briefly promise to recover. In the 2nd innings, he also took 2 for 90 and finished the match figures 8 for 143.
McDermott was the spearhead of the Australian attack in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was powerfully built at 191 cm tall. Between 1984 and 1996 he played 71 Tests for Australia, taking 291 wickets with the best of 8 for 97 vs England at Perth in 1991. Injuries hit McDermott towards the end of his career: he missed the best part of the 1993 Ashes tour, as well as the famous victory in the Caribbean in 1994-95 and the World Cup a year later. After his playing days, McDermott returned to cricket in a coaching capacity, but not before enduring tough times off the field, as the failure of his real-estate business caused him to sell his home and declare bankruptcy.
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