29 Facts About Stuart MacGill

Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill was born on 25 February 1971 and is an Australian former cricketer who played 44 Test matches and three One Day Internationals for the Australian national cricket team.

Stuart MacGill is a right-arm leg spin bowler, who has been credited with having the best strike rate of any modern leg-spin bowler, but he did not have a regular place in the Australian Test team due to the dominance of Shane Warne in the position of sole spinner.

Stuart MacGill was brought back in 2007 after the retirement of Warne, as spinner for the first Test against the Sri Lankan cricket team.

Stuart MacGill announced his retirement from international cricket during the second Test of Australia's 2008 tour of the West Indies.

In 2021, Stuart MacGill was the victim of an alleged kidnapping in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne.

Stuart MacGill managed just one game, against New South Wales at the SCG but did not take a wicket and did not play again for over two years.

Stuart MacGill finished the season with 16 wickets at 37.00.

Stuart MacGill spent the English summer playing club cricket for Heathcoat CC in Tiverton, Devon, and played a game for Somerset against the touring Pakistan A side.

Stuart MacGill kept his spot in the side when they returned home for an Ashes series, again finishing as Australia's most successful bowler with 27 wickets at 17.70.

Stuart MacGill's tally included his then career best innings figures of 7 for 50, made in the 5th Test at Sydney.

Stuart MacGill took a total of 12 wickets in that match and had done enough to convince the selectors to use two spinners for their tour of the West Indies.

Stuart MacGill played his next Test in January 2002 against South Africa, taking 7 wickets.

Sri Lanka toured Australia in 2004 and despite Warne returning to the side Stuart MacGill kept his spot.

Stuart MacGill struggled throughout the Test series and took just 5 wickets at 46.40.

Stuart MacGill lost his spot in the side and over the next year and a half played just two Tests, both on the spin friendly SCG wicket.

Stuart MacGill was called up as part of Australia's 2005 Ashes squad but was not used throughout the series.

Stuart MacGill took 5 wickets at Hobart and just 2 in Adelaide.

Stuart MacGill played again in the Tests that followed, against South Africa, and won a place in Australia's squad for their inaugural tour of Bangladesh.

Stuart MacGill is the quickest spinner to 150 Test wickets in terms of deliveries, when he reached 150 wickets by 8312 deliveries.

Stuart MacGill played 3 ODIs taking 6 wickets in three games at an economy of 3.50.

Stuart MacGill announced that he would retire after the 2nd Test against the West Indies, due to recurring injuries to his knee and nerves in the arm leading to the fingers.

Stuart MacGill was a key member of the side's Premiership triumph against the Perch Scorchers at the WACA, despite being one of the least-fancied sides.

Stuart MacGill married 1989 Logie winning actress and journalist Rachel Friend, in 2000.

Stuart MacGill is noted for his fondness for wine, holding a degree in viticulture, and books, once reading 17 novels during a tour of Pakistan.

In 2015, Stuart MacGill sued Cricket Australia for A$2.6 million for not making injury payments following his retirement in 2008.

Stuart MacGill was the victim of an alleged kidnapping in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne on 14 April 2021.

Stuart MacGill was allegedly dragged into a car at around 8pm local time and driven to a property in Bringelly in Sydney's west where he was assaulted by four men, who were arrested over the incident a month later.

In September 2023, Stuart MacGill was charged with taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of cocaine.

In March 2025, a jury found Stuart MacGill found guilty of the charge of knowingly taking part in the supply of a prohibited drug and not guilty of the charge of knowingly taking part in the supply of a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.