| Born | 2 June 1965 Canterbury, New South Wales | |
| Died | ||
| Educated | East Hill Boys' High School | |
| Occupation | Professional Cricketer | |
| Debut | 20 August 1998 v Australia A at Castle Avenue | |
| Cap Number | 619 | |
| Style | Right hand bat, right arm medium pace. | |
| Teams | New South Wales, Somerset, Kent, Australia | |
| History | Steve Waugh, who appeared for Ireland in six matches against Australia A in 1998, was one of the most utterly determined cricketers of all time. As a batsman he lacked the natural talent and sublime stroke play of his 15 minutes younger brother Mark, but his dedication, concentration and resolution brought him 10297 runs in 168 Test Matches at 51.06 with 32 hundreds and 50 fifties. His creed, in his own words, was, "It doesn't matter how pretty you look, it's how many runs you score."He also took 92 wickets at 37.24. His highest Test score, 200, came at Sabina Park in the Fourth Test of Australia's early 1995 tour of the West Indies. The series was in balance but his innings, well supported by Mark's 126, saw Australia to a big total and a comfortable eventual victory. Adding 231 for the 4th wicket with Mark, he batted 555 minutes, facing 425 balls and hitting 17 fours and 1 six. Ten of his hundreds came against England, a contest which he valued above all others. Perhaps none was more remarkable than his 102 in his last Ashes match. As Christopher Ryan reported for Wisden 2004, it was not, "Contrary to local hyperbole the greatest century in Ashes folklore...but few, if any, have hit hundreds with such a sense of inevitability." The last ball of the second day from off spinner Richard Dawson left him needing two for his hundred, Adam Gilchrist having pushed a single off the fifth. Ryan again takes up the story, "Unflustered, Waugh leaned back and drilled a flattish delivery through extra cover for four, sparking a roar that cricket writer David Frith reckoned was the loudest he had ever heard in 52 years watching at the SCG" (Wisden 2004). Others might choose his 157* against England at The Oval in 2001, when he was suffering from an injury which had put him out of the previous Test and was batting in extreme pain. As Matthew Engel recorded in Wisden, "About 99% of cricketers would not have dreamed of turning out in his condition: he winced his way to 157." The drama of both these innings may be - briefly - relived on You Tube. Steve was also one of the most successful captains in Australia's history. It is hard to visualise a side under his direction not having won at the Swalec Stadium in 2009, or losing the Ashes in 2005. Not only was he a great tactician, but his relentless "Mental disintegration" approach to the opposition wore many a team down. Once asked by a reporter why he was so abrasive and uncompromising on the field, he replied "We're not here to win friends mate." He never said "Congratulations Herschelle, you've just dropped the World Cup", to the South African opener in 1999, but the story was widely believed because it typified him and his single minded approach to winning, whether as a captain or as a batsman who once, in answer to the question, "Do you believe in walking?", replied, "Only when I'm out of petrol!" In all first class cricket, which included two seasons with Somerset and a brief time with Kent, he scored 24057 runs at 51.94 with a highest score of 216* for NSW v Western Australia at Perth in 1990 - 91. Made off 339 balls it included 24 fours and came in 407 minutes. It was, of course, his contribution to his then world record unbroken 5th wicket stand of 464* with Mark. Typically, when captain Geoff Lawson declared, Mark was happy to come off, Steve, furious, was convinced that they could have added "several hundred" more. The record has twice been surpassed on the sub continent. He was rather less successful in limited overs cricket, averaging 32.90 in ODIs with three 100s and 45 fifties. He did, however, bowl his nagging medium pace to good effect taking 195 wickets at 34.67. Typically his highest ODI score 120* was made in a situation of dire need against South Africa at Headingly in the 1999 World Cup. Facing a Protea total of 271, and exit from the competition, he came in at 48-3 and as "Wisden Australia 1999" recorded "went on to play the decisive innings of the tournament." Facing 110 balls, "He cracked ten fours and two sixes, and had one massive stroke of luck: at 56 he clipped Klusener to midwicket, where Herschelle Gibbs dropped the ball in mid-celebration of a simple catch." (Wisden Australia). Steve's Irish appearances came in 1998, when he came to the country, under the sponsorship of the Independent Group, as part of the ICC's development scheme, brainchild of South African Dr Ali Bacher, to play for Ireland against a powerful Australia A side and to hold coaching clinics. The weather was not totally kind to the enterprise, but Steve made a worthwhile contribution against his countrymen. Having played several matches in Scotland, the Australians began with a first class match at Rathmines, which they won by 150 runs, Mike Hussey showing the shape of things to come with a magnificent hundred. Steve made 31 and 45 in Ireland's innings. His 31 included 4 fours in his first 20 runs, while his second innings had 6 fours before he was caught behind off fast left armer Bernard Julien. His best innings came in a rain ruined match at Castle Avenue, which followed the Rathmines game. Reduced from 50 to 40 overs by rain, it was eventually abandoned with Ireland on 168-7 off 25. Steve had contributed a brilliant 67 off 47 balls, with 3 sixes and 4 fours. He also made 50 at The Lawn - wrongly believed by "The Wisden of Oz" to be in Belfast. The match was reduced to 35 overs and ended in a comfortable win for the visitors. Steve faced 42 balls, being again dismissed by Julien. In all he scored 246 runs at 35.14. His coaching input was much appreciated.
He must be one of the most well documented cricketers of all time. Besides his autobiography "Out Of My Comfort Zone"(2006), he has no fewer than eleven tour diaries to his name. All of these were hand written without a ghost. They are not very informative and this writer is able to recommend the autobiography as an aid to sleep on long haul flights! Steve was also the subject of a biography "One Who Will" by the Australian journalist Jack Egan in 2005. Brief biographies of him appeared in most of the leading cricket annuals where he was inevitably a Cricketer of the Year.
Steven Rodger Waugh, Australian of the Year 2004, is much more than just a cricketer. In 2009 he established the Steve Waugh foundation, dedicated to the treatment and eradication of rare diseases among children. He had, as his own photographs have revealed, been deeply affected by what he had seen in India. He is also a known supporter of the Australian Labour Party and a supporter of an Australian Republic. There have been some suggestions that he plans a political career in the future. That would be an interesting one to follow. Edward Liddle, April 2010 |