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A Player on the Rise

Wednesday, February 19 2003

Reading the title of this article, you’d have to look twice. Surely Steve Waugh hasn’t been a ‘player on the rise’ for many, many years. In fact, just to give some context, the last time Steve Waugh was looked upon as a rising talent, Shane Watson was just 4 years old. At that time, Australia were far from the cricketing powerhouse they are today (quite the contrary), England held the Ashes and Australia had players who were handy but very few could have been classed as a world-beaters at the time.

Enter Steve Waugh as a raw 20-year-old against India and Australia looked like they just might have a player with a bit about him. He could bowl very well, was a brilliant stroke-maker and magnificent in the field. Initially it was his all-round abilities which ensured his selection in the team and as a middle to lower-order hitter and first-change medium-pacer, he was quite successful. He was instrumental in Australia’s win in the 1987 World Cup and was Australia’s premier all-rounder for the time between 1987 and 1991.

However at that time, questions were being asked about his place in the side and when he was dropped for his brother in 1992, it was unclear just what his role in the team was. Was he a batting or bowling all-rounder? Did Australia even need him?

Enter Steve Waugh again as a more experienced 27-year-old who had fewer shots, bowled less but more control over his game and a wonderful career was kick-started in emphatic fashion. From this start, he scored runs against all Test nations, dragging his average above 50 and playing some sparkling innings against tough opponents. Innings such as his 200 against the West Indies in 1995, hundreds in each innings in the 1997 Ashes series, 120 against South Africa in the 1999 World Cup and 157 at the Oval in 2001 against England were some of the testaments to his reputation as a big match batsman.

However, in the last two years it all went wrong for Waugh. A run of outs culminated in his dismissal from the Australian one-day team and his Test place was also placed in jeopardy. The pressure on his from the media, public and selectors resulted in an innings which only comes from those who don’t fold under the pump but thrive. Steve Waugh’s hundred in Sydney ranks as one of his greatest innings because not only was Australia in genuine peril but he also played with the freedom and abandon that characterises those who believe in themselves absolutely. A breathtaking innings full of the shots we’d seen from the youthful 20-year-old years before was the result the likes of which we’ll not see for a while.

And so from this comes Steve Waugh as we see him today. He is hoping to be picked for the forthcoming tour to the West Indies and from that great hundred, his form has been outstanding for New South Wales and taking into account current form and current history, he must be seriously considered by the Australian selectors. He’s averaging over 60 for New South Wales this season in the Pura Cup with two centuries (including one double century) and has been batting well in the ING Cup with a century and two fifties, averaging 42.

To watch him now is to see a man who has rediscovered his best form. Gone is the nervous shuffle which encroached upon his game in late 2001 and back is the self-assuredness which so typified his batting in the 90’s. His defence is a little tighter (if that was possible) and he’s even started bowling again, which can only help his selection chances and is indicative of a greater confidence in his game. He’s also playing more shots every time he bats which is a pointed reminder to the one-day selectors of just what this man can still do. In the ING Cup match against South Australia at Telstra Stadium on Sunday, he looked in sparkling touch with 3 huge sixes as he was savage on anything short, full or wide. It really didn’t matter. Steve Waugh is in form and raring to score heavily in the West Indies.

So without putting too fine a point on it, Australia should look seriously at retaining Steve Waugh for at least the Test series in the West Indies on form alone. I believe they should disregard his age and take into account the wealth of experience he brings to the team. He’s batting well and like other players batting well in domestic cricket, deserves his chance to do well on form alone. He still has the capacity to play the big-match innings (as evidenced in Sydney) and is also showing signs of improvement in his game, surely the sign of someone desperate to play well and to continue playing well.

To drop him would leave a chasm in the Australian team deeper than his position in the batting order and much deeper than merely his captaincy. The combination of those in concert with others means Australia almost loses 3 or 4 players when they lose him. In my opinion, to drop him would be folly. Steve Waugh deserves another chance to prove himself and will not let Australia down, regardless of the result.

Posted by Corey