Glenn McGrath paints grim picture for future of ODI cricket

QUEENSLAND: Legendary Australia fast-bowler Glenn McGrath is pessimistic about the future of ODI cricket.

The former pacer’s comments came after a near-empty Melbourne Cricket Ground during Australia and England ODI on Tuesday.

"It was so disappointing to see crowds like that, ODIs are really under the pump at the moment," he told the PA news agency from his Queensland home.

"Melbourne is classed as the sporting capital of Australia, if not the world, they absolutely love their sport. So for them to turn out in the numbers they did speaks volumes about where we're at,” he added.

The 52-year-old believes that ODI cricket faces stiff competition from T20 and Test matches.

"The powers that be really have to watch that they don't put games on just for the sake of it, games that don't count for anything. The international schedule is tough enough. I think they have to respect every series and every game, it has to mean something,” he said.

"We've got to protect the game. T20 cricket is always growing, it's fast, quick and exciting and Test cricket really is the ultimate. I think those two formats will stand the test of time.

"I do hope ODI cricket carries on, I've got a lot of great memories of it and I would still put the ODI World Cup as more important than the T20. But the format is under the pump and we need to look at how we keep people coming to these games."

McGrath played 124 Tests and 250 ODIs over the course of his illustrious career while picking up over 900 wickets. He also bagged five wickets in two T20Is.