He was a right-handed batsman and bowled part-time right-arm medium pace and twice captained Yorkshire, in the 2003 and 2009 seasons.
But he became disillusioned by the direction the club was taking after it only narrowly avoided relegation from County Championship Division One.
[4] After a slow start to the season, perhaps due to the off season situation, McGrath hit 135 not out in the opening Roses match of 2007, a one-dayer played at Old Trafford, and consecutive centuries against Durham (Friends Provident Trophy) and Kent (County Championship).
His excellent form continued as he reached a personal milestone in the rain-affected Championship match with Warwickshire at Edgbaston, scoring 188 not out on 16 July 2007.
He was appointed as captain for the 2009 season, but stepped down from leading the side in late 2009, as he felt the pressures of the job were affecting his form.