The 36-year-old paceman is working his way back to full fitness and bowling rhythm after taking eight months off to support his ill wife.

He looked close to his best with 3-22 against New Zealand on Wednesday to help ensure Australia's passage to the Champions Trophy final against the West Indies in India.

McGrath and Australian skipper Ricky Ponting have encouraged England, who arrive here Sunday for the Ashes campaign, to attack the paceman all they liked in the five-Test series.

"Let them go for it, that's all I'm going to say," Ponting told Australian reporters in India.

McGrath added: "I'll be happy if they came out like that.

"I think (injured England captain Michael Vaughan) targeted me last time (2005 Ashes series), and I knocked him over four or five times.

"So I'm happy with that."

Australia's leading one-day wicket-taker said there was more improvement to be made en route to the Ashes.

"Each game I've played, I've put a little piece of the puzzle back together," he said.

"It's feeling pretty good at the moment, I was happy today (Thursday). There were a few little errors I can still improve but it's looking pretty good.

"There's a few more games until the Ashes and I shouldn't be too far off 100 percent."