LONDON - Man of the series Glenn McGrath feels inferior to Dennis Lillee despite beating the great fast bowler's benchmark of 355 wickets in the Fifth Ashes Test.

And Shane Warne, pipped by McGrath for the honour of being the highest wicket-taker in the series by 32 to 31, says he has never bowled better than on the final day at the Oval.

McGrath took 5-43 in England's second innings of 184 for a match haul of 7-110 and a total of 358 wickets from his 75-Test career.

That's three more wickets than Lillee claimed in his 70 Tests, but those figures do not include his 103 scalps from World Series Cricket and SuperTests which would have bumped Lillee's aggregate up to 458.

"I dont think I'm up there with Dennis yet," said McGrath.

"He was my hero and I doubt I will every get up there alongside him.

"I rate him as one of the best - if not the best - fast bowler ever.

"To go past him is a great honour but I still feel I have a long way to go yet."

Warne, dogged by injury over the past two years, bowled with all his old turn, flight and bounce on a pitch ideally suited to spin, finishing the Test with 11-229 and a man of the match award.

Warne's 92 Tests have netted 407 wickets, fifth on the all-time list behind Courtney Walsh (519), Kapil Dev (434), Sir Richard Hadlee (431) and Wasim Akram (414).

"Here in the second innings is probably the best I can bowl,' Warne said.

"I think I bowled two bad balls in 28 overs and I had the ball fizzing.

"A bit of the old turn was there ... I feel like I'm bowling as well as I ever have."

The ball from McGrath for wicket No.355 to match Lillee was his best of the series, rearing off a good length and prompting a floated return catch off Marcus Trescothick's gloves as he ducked for cover.

"There was just a spot on the wicket there where I hit it and it jumped off a length," McGrath said of the Trescothick ball.

"It was hard call for Marcus to get and the fact it flew straight to me was a little bit unusual.

"He could think himself a little bit stiff.

The Australian bowlers were superior to their English rivals throughout the series with the exception of Brett Lee, who came out of a disappointing series with only nine wickets at 55.11.

McGrath's 32 were at 16.93, Warne's 31 were at 18.7 and Jason Gillespie took 19 wickets at an unlucky 34.31.

"England bowled well in spells but when you bowl to a lineup like we've got it is pretty tough work," said McGrath.

"You look at Gough and Caddick and they go for the wickets a lot of the time rather than build it up and try to maintain pressure that way.

"I bowl line and length because I don't swing the ball and I've got no pace."

No pace, but plenty of wickets.

© 2001 AAP