Farewell to a true Legend (Merged)

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
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By Justin Langer
Australian Test batsman

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Of all the players I have played with and against over the years, there is no doubt Stephen Waugh is the one cricketer and captain who has had the greatest influence on my career.

Like many of my teammates and peers from around the world, it has been his shining example, on and off the field, which has him revered by all who know him, or even those who wish they knew him.

His retirement announcement on Wednesday morning came as something of a shock, but it was typical of the man to keep his feelings close to his chest - even from those closest to him.

Despite his monumental century at the Sydney Cricket Ground against England less than a year ago, speculation about his career has continued to enthuse certain sectors of the media.

And, although I have questioned him many times in the last 12 months about how he was feeling about the future, he continually and determinedly replied that he would keep playing while the fire was burning and while he was enjoying the constant pressure of the contest.

Having played domestic cricket against ‘Tugga’ in the last few weeks, this fire certainly hasn’t dimmed as I believe he is batting and competing as well now as I have ever seen him.

There is no way he could have enjoyed the same success as he has since January’s globe-stopping hundred if the fire wasn’t still burning like an angry inferno.

Statistically, this last year of his illustrious career speaks for itself, so I was a little surprised that Stephen has decided to bow out now, when he admits he is batting very well and feels as fit as he has for many years.

My theory when quizzed about his retirement has always been that I thought he would give it away when he had had enough of leaving home, and particularly leaving his fantastic wife Lynette and their three beautiful kids.

Being a father myself, I know what he has to go through every time he walks out of the door for another long distance relationship with your most loved ones

Basically, it is very hard work.

Proving my prediction right, Steve admitted on Wednesday that the final straw in making his decision was when his eldest daughter Rosie told him that she didn’t want him to go away any more.

This plea has been brewing for some time and now he has finally been beaten, not by the opposition bowlers, a wilting body or the pressure of the media storm but by his eight-year-old daughter who obviously holds more weight than any of the standard or speculated reasons for him finishing.

It is only fitting that the old warhorse goes out on top.

He has always been in control as a batsman and captain and he is now finishing in control of his destiny.

The next month should be a wonderful experience for Stephen and the team.

Playing against India in front of adoring crowds the scene is set for one of the great send offs for an International sportsman.

No-one deserves the assured accolades more because no-one has done more to honour the Baggy Green cap and the spirit of our great game of cricket like S.R Waugh has over two decades.

He is truly a champion of the game who will bow out in a month leaving the sort of legacy that could only be left by a true legend.

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i don’t think i could add anything to what Justin Langer said in his farwell note to Stephen because it was said so very well.

he is brilliant - best captain ever? i think that would not be such a radical statement - Australia dominated cricket under his leadership the extent of which would certaintly have to be said to be perhaps the greatest in the history of cricket (up there with the West Indies in their purple patch).

Gutsy - courageous - and I always call him a man of steel - nerves of steel and a gritty determination to win - i never saw him give any opposition an inch, ever, ever! - If they were down he kept them down and if they weren’t he made sure they ended up there!

We will never have another captain that matches the supreme skill and drive of Stephen Waugh - the greatest captain - I’m going back to this statement i said earlier - YES he is and will be for a long time yet I would say - it will be the end of a magnificent era when he goes and the end of an incredible career from one of the greatest cricketers the world has ever seen!

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always leading the team as ever:k:

Steve Waugh:flower1:

A true Legend:k:

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Services of S.Waugh for Australia n for cricket will always be rememberd.

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Waugh’s last stand](http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/JAN/038110_AUSIND2003-04_06JAN2004.html)

It was an irony that a man whose bequest to cricket is the elimination of the draw should end his Test career with one. For Steve Waugh the captain – and it is as captain his influence on cricket has been more profound – it wasn’t a fitting end, but for Waugh the warrior-batsman, his final innings wasn’t devoid of poignancy. His attempt for a fairytale finish marred the ending somewhat, but by then, he had done almost enough to secure a draw.

Along with Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, Waugh will be counted as the batsman of the '90s. Unlike them, he was not a prodigious talent; for a batsman of his stature, he often didn’t lord the stage, his batting lacked the regality of Lara and wholesome refinement of Tendulkar. He often looked mortal, sometimes ungainly, but very often, he prevailed. Defiance and combat were his defining virtue. India denied Waugh the captain the honour of a glorious departure, but they set the stage for Waugh the batsman to make a final stand. It wasn’t an epic, but it had all the Waugh ingredients: grit, steel and punchy strokes.

When Waugh made his final journey to the batting crease, you strained to glean a trace of emotion on his face. It wasn’t a full stadium - Yabba’s Hill, the most raucous part of the SCG - was virtually empty, but at 27,056, it was a record for a fifth day at Sydney. (At 189,984, the total attendance in this Test is the second-highest in the history of the SCG, which is as much due to Waugh’s going away, as it is to the captivating cricket in this series.) The ovation for Waugh was thunderous. Stands burst alive with confetti, and the applause wouldn’t end until he prepared to face the first ball. He made his way to the middle briskly, and if you had hoped to spot a drop of tear, it was hoping against hope. Once an Iceman, always an Iceman.

His first stroke was a characteristic shovel-drive. It fetched him nothing, and could even have cost him his wicket. The next ball met the middle of the bat, and it was greeted with the sort of cheer that is reserved for major milestones. And when he scored his first runs with an on-driven four off Murali Kartik the stands erupted again. A couple of balls later, Kartik let out a ridiculously optimistic lbw appeal and you could have heard the boos at Sydney Harbour. In the same over, an attempted sweep went high in the air off the leading edge, and as the crowd looked heavenwards and prayed, the ball fell short of Irfan Pathan, running in from deep square leg.

Pathan was brought in to confirm the suspicions about Waugh’s frailty against pace. And after ducking under a bouncer, Waugh rocked on to his back foot to crack him to the cover fence. Two more cuts, this time against Anil Kumble, brought two more fours and, on the Hill, a young boy held up a banner that read “WAUGH RULES, OK!”

Waugh didn’t rule this series. He started it by running out Damien Martyn at Brisbane, before getting himself hit-wicket for a duck while fending off a bouncer. His side then lost the Test at the Adelaide Oval despite scoring 400 runs on the first day, and 556 in all. At the MCG, he suffered the ignominy of retreating to the dressing-room after ducking into a bouncer from Ajit Agarkar, and in the first innings of this Test, with his team needing a hero’s innings, he perished, caught out on the back foot by a full-length ball from Pathan that reverse-swung late, kissed the edge of the bat, and flew through to Parthiv Patel. The combined age of the men who brought about his downfall was less than Waugh’s own, and though he has piled up runs against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the last 12 months, it really was time to go.

Even Billy Bowden joined the Indian team and Simon Katich in applauding Waugh off the ground. The match had been consigned to a draw for the whole of the last hour, and had been converted to a farewell party as Waugh made a desperate surge for a century to deafening chants from the stands. Agarkar was booed every time he bowled a bouncer, and when Katich turned down a single to let Waugh have the strike, he received a cheer. But India, who have steadfastly denied him invincibility, refused to give him a century, and the field was spread. Waugh’s Test career ended in the lap of Tendulkar at deep square leg, and off he went, in brisker steps than usual, virtually sprinting his last few strides to the dressing-room.

It’s difficult to imagine how he will feel when he wakes up to his new life tomorrow morning. For those who love their cricket, there is already an emptiness. When giants like Waugh depart, they leave a huge void.

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One of the true Cricket legends who will never be forgotten!

Waugh says goodbye

Steve Waugh bade an emotional farewell to Test cricket after his innings of 80 helped Australia secure a draw against India in Sydney.
Waugh said it had been a “long journey” since making his debut as a 20-year-old against the same opponents in 1985.

"I feel happy. I feel I’ve achieved quite a bit in this game.

“I know this Australian side is a great side. I really feel privileged to have captained this side for the last four or five years.”

He said: “It has really made my job easier to have such a talented group of players.”

Cricket Australia chairman Bob Merriman paid tribute to Waugh’s contribution to the game and hailed him as “not just a great Australian cricketer, but surely a great Australian”.

Merriman said: "Perhaps the greatest tribute a retiring cricketer can be paid is to learn that they have left the game in far better shape than when they found it. Steve, you have certainly done that.

“Through your inspirational leadership and pride in representing Australia, you have helped ensure that future Test players know how special it is to wear the Baggy Green (cap).”

**Waugh is the most successful Test captain of all time, leading Australia to victory in 41 matches out of 57 - a success rate of 71.93 per cent - and losing only six. **

He also led the team in 106 one-day internationals, including the 1999 World Cup final at Lord’s when Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets.

Waugh thanked the Indian team for making his final series, which ended 1-1, such a memorable one.

"They played outstanding cricket. It was a fantastic series, played in the right spirit, and I know the Australian side really enjoyed the challenge.

“I know they are looking forward locking horns again in about nine months time back in India.”

Looking back over his career, he said: "It’s been a long journey, 18 years.

"I was nervous the first time I played for Australia, I didn’t think I’d play another Test match, so once I got 13 and five in that first Test match, I was happy with 18 runs.

“To play 168 (Tests) is a massive bonus, so I’d like to thank the selectors for their patience and faith in my ability.”

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The morning after a very emotionally charged day has been pretty relaxed. Today, as I look back on my decision, I think I have timed it well. This is the right time for me to move on simply because Ricky Ponting is ready to take over, the Australian team is the best in the game right now, and I could not have thought of a better farewell personally.

As I handed over the mantle of captaincy to Ricky last evening, I told him to follow his instincts and do it his way. I know he is the man for the job, and the timing is right for him as well.

I would be lying if I said I did not want to win my last series as captain, but at the end of this edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, I felt no regrets about the way things shaped up. The Indians are a quality side, and man-to-man they can stand up against any team in the world right now, especially from the batting point of view.

This is much the same batting lineup that came here in 1999, and one can see that the potential that was evident then has been realised now. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman always constituted a formidable middle order at home, but with this performance they have proved that they are a force outside their territory as well. This series marks a major improvement for all of them as far as technique, approach, and concentration while playing outside familiar conditions is concerned.

The other crucial difference was the way the openers, Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra, invariably provided a good start to the Indian innings so as to ensure that the quality middle order was not exposed too early. When there was an early breakthrough, Dravid, who was impeccable in his defence and technique, ensured that we could not get much further. All in all, the top six really acquitted themselves quite well, and it was their performance that ensured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy remained with the Indians.

As far as our side is concerned, we were not with our full-strength bowling, and that did make a difference. But we must resist the temptation of comparing the likes of Brad Williams and Nathan Bracken with Glenn McGrath. They need the breathing space to grow to full potential, and these comparisons will not help anybody.

It also did not help that we dropped catches at crucial moments right through the series, and who knows, had we caught half of those, the scoreline of the series might have been very different. But then India too missed a lot of chances, so they could legitimately make the same claim.

A farewell series can be difficult for any individual, and I am no different. I was completely spoilt for the last couple of weeks, and the amount of newsprint devoted to me was quite embarrassing at times. The nice part, however, was that it was all very complimentary and touching, and I must admit that I was surprised at the amount that was written about me right through this series. It goes to show that the Australian public really loves this game, and perhaps their kind words to me at every venue were just a manifestation of that love for the game. I am grateful for the support I got at every step, at every venue, and as I said earlier, I just could not have imagined a more memorable farewell.

Coming back to the game, at the start of this Test I really wanted to play well in my last innings. I came in when the situation was potentially dangerous for us. I have always enjoyed a challenge, and playing to save a game in my last Test was a great challenge. I am proud of the way I scored those 80 runs, and while a century would have been even better, I walked back feeling proud that we had even managed to put some pressure back on the Indians in the last hour.

The moment of my dismissal will always stay with me because it was a rare occasion on which I let the crowd sway my shot selection. Hitting Anil Kumble out of the rough was always going to be a risk, and perhaps I would have been better off taking twos and waiting for the next over. But with 40,000 people chanting behind me, I went for the shot and Tendulkar took the catch. He may have become the hero of Sydney if he had dropped it, but a senior pro like him does not miss such chances.

The series has raised the profile of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to another level. The encounters between these two sides have been special over the last couple of years and it was no surprise that they competed for the World Cup in the final last year. I am sure the tradition of tough, entertaining cricket will be continued in the series in India later this year. It remains to be seen whether Ricky Ponting and his men will realise my unfinished dream of beating India in India.

Source: Rediff.com
India can stand up to any team today

Gd aricle this

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this makes me cry… :teary1:

Steven is right about India’s batting power - had it been Gleen playing it would have been different - Australia won test series against every test playing nation under Steven’s captaincy except India - and he did say that he will quit test cricket after Indian tour - i think he understood in the end it was a right time to called it off - i do wanted him to continue to play for another year - and to beat India in India but i think Steven is pretty much proud of himself of what he has done in his entire career - and still established himself as possibly the greatest captain in the history of test cricket.

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^^ thats rite.. this guy has been pretty amazing. i donno if he has an autobiography yet but i'd want to buy it. the guy is all abt determination and grit. thats y i rate him as the best batsman of the 90's and the best player/captain of his generation.

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Steve Waugh named Australian of the Year

http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/JAN/054153_WCI_25JAN2004.html

John Howard, the Australian prime minister, has named Steve Waugh as the Australian of the Year for 2004.

Currently playing for New South Wales in a Pura cup match against Western Australia, Waugh could not be at the awards, but expressed gratitude for the title.

**“Simply, thank you for the honour,” he said. “In accepting I hope the award will help the focus on me to be about more than just cricket. If it is meant as a recognition in some way of the other work I’ve done in the community in Australia and in India then I’m grateful indeed.” **

Waugh’s role in humanitarian causes was recognised, as well as the influence he exerted in Australian cricket, as the award was conferred to him. **With this award, Waugh joins Allan Border and Mark Taylor as the only cricketers to be named Australian of the Year. **

Earlier this month, Waugh announced his retirement from international cricket, ending an eventful 18-year old career. With him in the one-day team, Australia won two World cups, and reached the finals of another. Under his captaincy, the Test side became a dominant force, and set the benchmarks in international cricket.