Glenn McGrath, the finest fast bowler in the history of the game, is not only remembered for his 563 Test scalps, but also for initiating a unique tradition which bowlers continue to this day. In 2001 during the Ashes series at the Lord's, McGrath raised the cricket ball in front of the crowd after achieving five wickets in an innings for which there was no precedent. McGrath said that this action was a result of frustration. He saw batters always celebrate their half-centuries and centuries by waving their bats in the direction of the crowd. But when bowlers took five wickets or even ten in a game, there was no recognition. During an interview with Channel 7 few years back, McGrath revealed: "When they get 50, they raise the bat. When they get 100, they raise the bat. Us poor bowlers, we don’t get anything. Even if we take 10 wickets in a match, nothing." To revolutionize this, McGrath joined hands with other fast bowlers Damien Fleming, Michael Kasprowicz, and Jason Gillespie. They became known as the "bowling cartel" and had a plan. The subsequent bowler to achieve five wickets would request the ball and hold it up to the crowd, similar to a batter holding up his bat. Also Read | Karnataka Govt Cites These Now-Deleted RCB Posts in Court for Bengaluru Stampede McGrath explained: “We hatched this plan, the bowling cartel. There was me, Fleming, Kasprowicz and Gillespie. The next bowler to take five wickets in an international innings would take the ball and raise it to the crowd." It occurred shortly afterwards. When playing at Lord's in 2001, McGrath took his fifth wicket, requested the ball from the umpire, and raised it up towards the crowd. He says the batters were perplexed initially as to what was taking place. “Shortly after that we played at Lord’s in 2001. I was lucky enough to pick up my fifth wicket, I called for the ball off the umpire, raised the ball to the crowd... the batsmen had no idea what was going on.” The simple gesture began a tradition that bowlers everywhere have since adopted. When any bowler achieves five wickets in an innings, spectators expect to witness the ball salute. Glenn McGrath describes it as making him proud. "It always makes me smile when I see a bowler do it," he said. Due to McGrath and his teammates, bowlers can now have their own moment to celebrate.