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Natural leader Waugh sets new standards on and off the field
LONDON (Reuters) -- Pity the England openers as they enter the lion's den at Edgbaston this week. At the end of his run-up they will see either the relentless Glenn McGrath, the demonic Jason Gillespie or the frighteningly quick Brett Lee. And at gully, chewing gum slowly with arms folded, they will see a man with narrowed eyes and absolutely no mercy in his soul. Stephen Rodger Waugh, elder of the Waugh twins by four minutes, is captain of Australia for the first and probably last time in an Ashes series in England, which starts Thursday. At 36 he has turned himself by force of will into a batsman averaging 50 in test cricket, the benchmark of a great batsman. He has led Australia to the World Cup and a record 16 consecutive test wins, growing in stature as a national leader and maintaining the steely resolve which make him the batsman opposition bowlers like to see the least. And yet Waugh's legacy will be more than cold statistics, impressive as they are. In an age of the pampered professional sportsman, rarely leaving his five-star hotel, Waugh and his Australian team are exceptions. Other cultures Waugh has encouraged his team to embrace other cultures and actively enjoy the experience of touring. Disciplined in all aspects of his life, he finds time to pen his own tour diaries and take his own photos. He quietly sponsors a leper colony in India. Determined to widen further the historical consciousness of himself and his team, Waugh this year decided to travel to Gallipoli, site of the horrific World War One battle which helped forge the national identity of Australia and their trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand. At an open media day held at Lord's before the start of their current tour, Waugh, the consummate professional, posed patiently for photographs, took a few of his own, presumably for his diary, and patiently endured a series of interviews. Even the most banal questions were answered with unvarying politeness. No, he did not still room with twin Mark. Had not done so since the age of eight. Yes, he thought England had improved. Yes, he still had unfulfilled ambitions. Waugh mused on the possibility of captaining Australia to victory in the 2003 World Cup and declined the invitation to compare his side to Don Bradman's 1948 Invincibles. When the topic of Gallipoli was raised, the media mask slipped and Waugh talked for the first time with real passion. "National identities were forged on the beaches," he said. "Australia, New Zealand and Turkey." Waugh elaborated in a subsequent newspaper article. "With a swarm of media surrounding us our first moments were somewhat artificial," he wrote. "It wasn't until my brother Mark and I laid wreaths at Anzac Cove that I gained a sense of sadness at the massive loss of lives in the surrounding landscape. Soldier's mindset "Looking up the cliffs I tried to comprehend the mindset of the soldiers as they tried to get a toehold on Turkish land and the fear they must have felt at the thought of not going back home to loved ones. "These men were real heroes and a clear perspective of the superlatives and tags we often get for merely playing a sport we love, I'm sure, wasn't lost on the whole team. These soldiers gave much and lost so much more than we will ever do. That lesson won't be forgotten." Waugh is the only member of the Australian side who played international cricket at a time when the national side ranked just above newcomers Sri Lanka. Some of the best had fallen for the lure of the krugerrand and joined teams bound for South Africa, then subject to an international boycott. Waugh stepped into the side in 1985, retaining his place as much through his intelligent medium-pace bowling as for his inconsistent batting low in the order. Perceptive observers saw more in Waugh than in some of his colleagues, who were destined to become members of a forgotten generation. Peter Roebuck, the former Somerset captain and now a journalist, recorded the words of a man who knew both twins. In the eyes "It's in his eyes," said Harry Soloman, friend and employer of the brothers. "Steve had (Allan) Border's eyes, burning eyes. Steve is hungry and the wanting is important. All champions have that hard quality, their eyes are cold as if fixed on their target." By the end of the 1980s, Australia captain Border had had enough of losing. He had also identified the players he wanted to resurrect Australian cricket. One of them was Waugh. In 1989, Waugh made his belated breakthrough as a batsman with big centuries in the first two tests as Australia took a grip on the Ashes it has yet to relinquish. One seasoned Australian journalist watched Waugh peeling off a series of immaculate off-drives in the nets. "Waughasm," he purred. Waugh's apprenticeship had not ended. He had difficulties with the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers and lost his test place to brother Mark. He responded by tightening his technique, eschewing style for effect and playing in the tenacious Australian mould, sticking on the back foot and working the ball to leg, spiced by flashing cover-drives and square cuts with his right-hand prominent. The concentration was relentless, the application total. Waugh consistently averaged over 50, enjoying possibly his finest moment against the West Indies in 1995 when a double century helped his team dethrone the unofficial world champions. Another level Still there were doubters when Waugh came into the frame as the successor to the affable Mark Taylor, who in turn had taken the national team to another level after taking over from Border. Some preferred the more extrovert Shane Waugh and Waugh's first series in charge was not auspicious. Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy in the West Indies in a drawn series but the plaudits went to the flawed genius Brian Lara, who played two of the greatest innings imaginable. The following World Cup in England began badly. Waugh, equally impassive in victory and defeat, seemed the only person who thought Australia could win the Cup after a faltering start left it needing to win seven games in a row. One of the finest one-day innings ever played gave Australia fresh heart. Waugh scored 120 not out against South Africa under intense pressure and the Australians never looked back. Waugh again revealed his sense of history in the first series of the new millennium, asking his players to wear replicas of the skull caps worn by Joe Darling's 1901-02 series. Out-thought Tendulkar His captaincy matured, as he out-thought India's Sachin Tendulkar, the only batsman to consistently rival him for top place in the world rankings. As a batsman, his place in history is secure. As a captain, there is clearly more to come. During the triangular one-day series this year with England and Pakistan, Waugh startled his opponents by setting a ring of fielders around the bat. The Australians always gave the impression they had analysed the game more acutely and ruthlessly than their opponents and duly triumphed against Pakistan in a one-day series. Now comes the Ashes series and another joust with England. There is no comfort for the home side in Waugh's measured words. "To tell you the truth I wasn't happy with my last tour of England," he said. "I got two hundreds at Manchester in 1997 and that was about it. I am looking for a better series and I feel really good at the moment."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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