Steve Waugh to end innings
One of Australia’s greatest ever cricket captains, Steve Waugh, has announced he will end his cricket career early next year. His decision to retire has caught the cricket world by surprise. There has also been a rush on the tickets for the match he has chosen to be his last.
Compere: Tony Jones
Reporter: John Stewart
TONY JONES: One of Australia’s greatest ever cricket captains, Steve Waugh, has announced he’ll end his cricket career early next year. His decision to retire has caught the cricket world by surprise.
John Stewart reports.
JOHN STEWART: After years of speculation, Steve Waugh declared his innings closed, but not until after the Indian series in Australia.
STEVE WAUGH: The upcoming Sydney Test will be my last for Australia should I be selected to play. My present form and fitness suggests I could play on, however, all good things must come to an end.
JOHN STEWART: Waugh had previously indicated he would play on until next year’s Test series in India. But today’s decision ensures that he will retire on his own terms.
STEVE WAUGH: I’ve never wanted a guarantee from selectors. I’ve always wanted to be picked on form and that’s why now I think is the right time because I’m playing well, I believe I’ve earned a spot in the side and I don’t want to - I want to go out on a high and I think Sydney will be the right place.
JOHN STEWART: Under Waugh’s leadership Australia won 75 per cent of its Test matches, with only five draws, statistics that eclipse all previous records.
ADAM GILCHRIST, AUSTRALIAN TEST VICE-CAPTAIN: I don’t think there’s many Australian cricketers around in recent years, and certainly in this current group, who can’t say that Steve Waugh’s had an impact in some way on their career.
SACHIN TENDULKAR, INDIAN CRICKETER: I think he set great examples the way cricket should be played and in tough conditions he has produced some tremendous performances in the past.
JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER: He’s been a wonderful captain, a wonderful batsman, a gritty, determined competitor.
JOHN STEWART: The rise of the Waugh twins, Steve and Mark, to the top of world cricket has been well documented. But it was no easy passage for Steve. Discarded from the Test team early in his career, the determination he displayed to regain his spot was an indication of the strengths he would later bring to the captaincy.
DAVID HOOKES: A lot of players get dropped from the Australian side and aren’t good enough to, when they get back in, stay in. He got dropped and stayed in for a long time.
JOHN STEWART: He went on to join an exclusive club, amassing more than 10,000 runs, and is now just 515 runs short of becoming the greatest Test run-scorer in the game’s history.
COMMENTATOR: He’s cut that away. This will be four. The third man in the history of the game of cricket to have achieved that milestone.
JOHN STEWART: One-day captain Ricky Ponting is likely to take over from Steve Waugh. But not until he plays another four Tests against India, in Australia early next year.
John Stewart, Lateline
What a shame hey - he is still playing awesome Cricket and his Captaincy speaks for itself - he apparently wants to retire under his own terms that’s why he’s making this move.
- if that is the case Cricket in Australia seriously suck! Argh! I really hope he tours India again before he retires