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SYDNEY, Monday (AFP) - Stuart MacGill says his rare playing opportunities for Australia are the only thing prolonging his first-class cricket career.

The 30-year-old New South Wales legspinner claimed seven match wickets to steer Australia to a 3-0 series whitewash of South Africa at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, bowling in tandem with Shane Warne.

MacGill has taken 82 wickets in 17 Test appearances, stretched over four years -- his previous appearance was a year ago against the West Indies in Sydney where he claimed 7-104 in the first innings.

He revealed after Australia's 10-wicket triumph that he would probably quit cricket altogether if it wasn't for the infrequent chances he gets to play for his country.

"If the opportunity to play for Australia wasn't there, my career would be pretty much shortened," MacGill said.

MacGill has been stuck in a cycle of playing a Test or two when Warne is injured - and every now and then joining Warne, as he did here this week in a dual legspin attack.

"You'd be really disappointed if the repeating moment was a bad moment," he said.

"I'm quite happy for history to repeat if it means I'm getting seven wickets a Test match.

"And if I never play another Test match I'll know I took seven wickets in my last game.

"I'm never going to have a sour thought or a bad thought regarding my Test career because everything's gone pretty well and I've been pretty lucky.

"Imagine if I'd been playing in the 80s and played on green-tops for my 17 Tests -- I may not even have a third of the wickets I've got."

MacGill praised Warne for his tight control -- a factor which helped MacGill take wickets.

"If Shane Warne is bowling at his best at the other end you've got to be dying to get the ball into your hand.

"Shane is so incredibly consistent, which is what makes him the best ever in my opinion.

"He works very tight lines and tight margins which play on the batsman's mind.

"With Warney they're just looking to survive."

That, he said, helped him take wickets because batsmen would try to attack his more frequent loose deliveries.

Playing two legspinners in the same team is unusual and Australia thought long about combining Warne and MacGill here.

They hadn't bowled together for almost three years and their previous five matches netted 31 wickets between them - or roughly six per match.

In this match, the two legspinners took 13 wickets between them -- seven to MacGill and six for Warne.

"For the first time we both bowled to our potential in a match," MacGill said.

Captain Steve Waugh said pair complemented each other well and there was room for both in the team -- and not just at Sydney.

"They're both quality bowlers ... but with spinners you've got to have conditions to suit -- there's no point playing two spinners on a green, grassy wicket.

"But most Tests wickets do turn from day three onwards, so there's certainly a case to say they could both play in the future together."

However, at this stage it's unlikely MacGill will get a place in the touring party to South Africa next month, meaning he'll have another long wait before his next Test.

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