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SYDNEY, Friday (AFP) Glenn McGrath has expressed remorse over his much-publicised rage at West Indian batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan and vows it won't happen again.

The premier Australian fast bowler was widely condemned for his mid-pitch rant at Sarwan during the fourth Test in Antigua, won by the West Indies on Tuesday by three wickets to avoid a series whitewash.

McGrath said he had overstepped the mark with his foul-mouthed tirade at Sarwan as the Windies were charging toward their record victory.

The images of McGrath finger-pointing and screaming at Sarwan over something he apparently said prompted Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland to tell captain Steve Waugh to rein in his players' emotions.

"I've felt pretty terrible so I don't want to feel that way again," McGrath told Australian Associated Press in the West Indies on Thursday.

"It's not something that just happens and then that's finished. It's something that I do go on thinking about. I have worried about it quite a bit over the last few days. "It has affected me. I feel like I am more quiet than I normally am. I would like to have a time machine and change the things I haven't been happy with.

"I just have to keep working at it. The way to do that is to not put myself in that situation. If you don't work on something you might as well give the game away."

McGrath has been involved in several on-field incidents during his international cricket career, but he admits to being taken aback by the fall-out of the Sarwan incident.

He said he was surprised by the amount of publicity the clash generated in Australia. McGrath, 33, said he was not making excuses for his behaviour after losing his temper with Sarwan.

AAP reported that McGrath had made a lewd taunt to which Sarwan replied with a routine sledge suggesting McGrath ask his wife the answer.

McGrath's furious response may have been down to heightened sensitivity because his wife, Jane, recently began treatment for cancer.

"He was batting very well to say the least. I could sit here and make plenty of excuses but it still doesn't justify why it happened," McGrath said.

"I guess I just got a bit frustrated.

"Playing for my country still means a lot to me, I play with a lot of passion, sometimes I try not to cross the line too often but occasionally the other day I got quite frustrated.

"It's something that I have worked on quite a bit, especially since becoming a father. I am a little bit disappointed in myself that I did do it."

McGrath and Sarwan have apologised to each other and both teams were on good terms when they shared the same flight to Jamaica from Antigua on Wednesday to prepare for Saturday's one-day series opener.

The confrontations during the Antiguan Test, including a face-to-face clash between rival captains Steve Waugh and Brian Lara on the second day, raised questions about Australia's ability to control its emotions in tight matches.

McGrath admitted his outburst had not done Australia any good in the cricket world but he did not believe the world champions could be labelled sore losers. "A little bit disappointed that people feel that way," McGrath said.

"Occasionally it's probably justified, but there's probably been Test matches that we've won well where little things have happened here and there.

"I don't think it's just when pressure's been put on us or when we're losing. It's something we could probably brush up on.

"But it's hard to sit back and think 'okay, it's just the Australian team that does it all the time.'

"Sometimes it's hard to take on board but in other ways it's probably justified, so it's just finding that balance.

"Hopefully when we get in that situation again it will be controlled aggression rather than a bit of uncontrolled thrown in."

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