McGrath to bow out on a high

Many critics believed the 37-year-old seamer had chosen to carry on too long and his advancing age and diminishing pace would make him ripe for slogging during the early powerplays during this tournament.

But not for the first time in his illustrious career, McGrath has responded superbly and has claimed 25 wickets already in the tournament - breaking the previous record for one World Cup of 23 set by Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas in South Africa four years ago.

It has been a typical response from one of the all-time great seamers in cricket history, who will finally end his career following Saturday's World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Kensington Oval.

"I probably would have finished my career before this if it hadn't been a World Cup, but the fact it's such an important tournament and so big as a player to be involved in it made me want to finish here," said McGrath.

"I've got a lot of memories about Barbados as well. This is where I took my first five-for in international cricket and to me the perfect way to finish would be to take another five-for and to win."

But as he prepares to put on the green and gold uniform of Australia for the last time, McGrath insists there is no emotion or nerves building up in him prior to his final ever match at this level.

"The way things are going at the moment, this just feels like business as usual, another day at the office," he claimed.

"The fact that it is going to be my last game, I'm not sure when or if that will hit me. It might hit me when Australia play again or maybe after the game, but at the moment I feel the same as I have before every other game I've played.

"I'm looking forward to retirement, there's no doubt about that but I still love playing. I've probably felt more relaxed than I ever have on this tour and enjoyed it and maybe that's the reason I've been playing well."