I start this blog as a die-hard cricket fan along with a very old friend of mine who is as crazy as me for this wonderful sport. We share similar passion for the sport which I feel is above any individual who has ever played cricket.
It was 1996 World Cup in India which really pulled me deeper into this sport and since then I have been an avid cricket follower sometimes following some of the most insignificant games between weakest nations but still there was fun in doing that. There are few players who have been my personal favourite since long time. I want to write first blog here on a player who I simply admire. It was a tough choice to select between these two fantastic cricketers – Steve Waugh and Brian Lara. Both have contrasting styles and different approaches to the game but both have been truly great players.
I decided to write on Steve Waugh. My decision may have been influenced because today being his birthday. But nevertheless he has been a legendary player with some terrific qualities as an individual. He had limited talent as a batsman but he maximised it. A player who was always susceptible to short pitch bowling throughout his 17 year long career but bowed out with 10000+ runs in his kitty. Though he was not very exciting to watch as a player but the number of valuable knocks he played for Australia makes him stand apart. He is an icon and a role model for many of his team mates. His trademark stroke - square drive which was not the best to watch but was very effective. He had his own share of superstitions as he always kept a red rag in his pocket and was obsessed with his 168-match old ‘baggy green’ cap.
As a player Steve Waugh left an impression early in his career during the 1987 World Cup when he played a major role as an all-rounder in Australia winning their first World Cup. Allan Border using him brilliantly as a bowler on slow low Indian pitches. Steve Waugh showed first signs of what a brilliant player he was to be and showed terrific temperament performing under pressure which has been a hallmark throughout his career.
Steve Waugh was very good at playing mind games which he used as an important weapon later in his career when he captained Australia. Some 13 years ago Steve Waugh was instrumental in changing the world order in cricket when an inspired Aussie team defeated West Indies in their own den. West Indies were never defeated in a home series for 15 years prior to that epic series. Waugh brothers were the chief architects of that historic win against an intimidating West Indian attack with Steve Waugh making a brilliant double hundred and his twin brother Mark Waugh making a scintillating 126. Steve Waugh took the attack to the opposition throughout the series and walked away with honours during that series which proved to be a tectonic shift in Cricket. He has played many such inspiring knocks.
There were innumerable instances where he proved his worth to his team. He reserved his best for England and was a nemesis for them throughout his career especially during the 1989 Ashes. He played another gem of an innings during 2001 Ashes when he had torn a muscle in his leg and could have easily sat in the pavilion. But he decided to grace the Oval crowd (incidentally this was his last test on English soil) with a chance less 157 not out.
Adversity brought out the best in Steve Waugh. That was the value he brought with him to the team. Some of his best knocks have been under tremendous pressure and he always seemed to make his wicket count mostly when the chips were down. Be it the 1999 WC Super Six encounter where he saved Australia (who were on verge of being ousted from the tournament) with a fighting 120 against South Africa in a do or die match. The match will always be remembered as Steve Waugh passing a mocking remark to Herschelle Gibbs - "How does it feel to drop the World Cup, Herschelle?". Australia went on to win the World Cup for the second time.
Steve Waugh captained Australia with distinction in both forms of the game and his captaincy moulded his Australian team into world beaters. He has been one of the most successful captains in history of Australian cricket. Captaincy also helped him become a better player. His team was instrumental in pushing the pace of Test Cricket as his mighty team won many matches well inside four days. It was this aspect of his captaincy which took the game of Australians to a higher level and made them invincible. He was never affected by the hype or media scrutiny which as a high profile captain he might have gone through.
Steve Waugh carried forward the legacy of strong Australian captaincy and led Australia to a record 16 consecutive Test victories which was halted by the Indians at the famous Test Match in Kolkata. But again in that match he fought hard and played with the tailenders to amass a huge total. His knock of 110 could not help Australia to a world record 17th consecutive win as he underestimated the resolve of an Indian team inspired by VVS Laxman which would go down as one of the few aberrations in an above distinction career both as a player and as a captain. He ended his career with most capped Test player making over 10000 runs with an excellent average of 51 and centuries against all Test playing nations.
He inspired his team on many occasions with his resolve and determination. Though his statistics would not reveal his true contribution in fourth innings of a match as he has only 2 fifties in the fourth innings in his entire career. But his mighty Australian outfit hardly played in 4th innings as they would finish matches much before that. It was apt that he played his most important knock in the fourth innings of a match in his farewell match at Sydney where he stood in between the series win for the Indian team with a solid knock of 80 which in a sense was a meriting culmination to a wonderful Test career.
Steve Waugh’s association with Kolkata has been a long one. Right from the memorable first World Cup win to the historic loss to India to his efforts to raise funds for children suffering from leprosy in ‘Udayan’, Kolkata. I am in total awe of this truly great player and an image which first comes to mind when I recall Steve Waugh is his ability to produce something special in difficult conditions. Steve Waugh is an icon in an era where his fighting contributions have been overshadowed by flamboyance and genius of players like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Mark Waugh. But in terms of value as a player and as a captain Steve Rodger Waugh would be much higher.
It was 1996 World Cup in India which really pulled me deeper into this sport and since then I have been an avid cricket follower sometimes following some of the most insignificant games between weakest nations but still there was fun in doing that. There are few players who have been my personal favourite since long time. I want to write first blog here on a player who I simply admire. It was a tough choice to select between these two fantastic cricketers – Steve Waugh and Brian Lara. Both have contrasting styles and different approaches to the game but both have been truly great players.
I decided to write on Steve Waugh. My decision may have been influenced because today being his birthday. But nevertheless he has been a legendary player with some terrific qualities as an individual. He had limited talent as a batsman but he maximised it. A player who was always susceptible to short pitch bowling throughout his 17 year long career but bowed out with 10000+ runs in his kitty. Though he was not very exciting to watch as a player but the number of valuable knocks he played for Australia makes him stand apart. He is an icon and a role model for many of his team mates. His trademark stroke - square drive which was not the best to watch but was very effective. He had his own share of superstitions as he always kept a red rag in his pocket and was obsessed with his 168-match old ‘baggy green’ cap.As a player Steve Waugh left an impression early in his career during the 1987 World Cup when he played a major role as an all-rounder in Australia winning their first World Cup. Allan Border using him brilliantly as a bowler on slow low Indian pitches. Steve Waugh showed first signs of what a brilliant player he was to be and showed terrific temperament performing under pressure which has been a hallmark throughout his career.
Steve Waugh was very good at playing mind games which he used as an important weapon later in his career when he captained Australia. Some 13 years ago Steve Waugh was instrumental in changing the world order in cricket when an inspired Aussie team defeated West Indies in their own den. West Indies were never defeated in a home series for 15 years prior to that epic series. Waugh brothers were the chief architects of that historic win against an intimidating West Indian attack with Steve Waugh making a brilliant double hundred and his twin brother Mark Waugh making a scintillating 126. Steve Waugh took the attack to the opposition throughout the series and walked away with honours during that series which proved to be a tectonic shift in Cricket. He has played many such inspiring knocks.
There were innumerable instances where he proved his worth to his team. He reserved his best for England and was a nemesis for them throughout his career especially during the 1989 Ashes. He played another gem of an innings during 2001 Ashes when he had torn a muscle in his leg and could have easily sat in the pavilion. But he decided to grace the Oval crowd (incidentally this was his last test on English soil) with a chance less 157 not out.
Adversity brought out the best in Steve Waugh. That was the value he brought with him to the team. Some of his best knocks have been under tremendous pressure and he always seemed to make his wicket count mostly when the chips were down. Be it the 1999 WC Super Six encounter where he saved Australia (who were on verge of being ousted from the tournament) with a fighting 120 against South Africa in a do or die match. The match will always be remembered as Steve Waugh passing a mocking remark to Herschelle Gibbs - "How does it feel to drop the World Cup, Herschelle?". Australia went on to win the World Cup for the second time.Steve Waugh captained Australia with distinction in both forms of the game and his captaincy moulded his Australian team into world beaters. He has been one of the most successful captains in history of Australian cricket. Captaincy also helped him become a better player. His team was instrumental in pushing the pace of Test Cricket as his mighty team won many matches well inside four days. It was this aspect of his captaincy which took the game of Australians to a higher level and made them invincible. He was never affected by the hype or media scrutiny which as a high profile captain he might have gone through.
Steve Waugh carried forward the legacy of strong Australian captaincy and led Australia to a record 16 consecutive Test victories which was halted by the Indians at the famous Test Match in Kolkata. But again in that match he fought hard and played with the tailenders to amass a huge total. His knock of 110 could not help Australia to a world record 17th consecutive win as he underestimated the resolve of an Indian team inspired by VVS Laxman which would go down as one of the few aberrations in an above distinction career both as a player and as a captain. He ended his career with most capped Test player making over 10000 runs with an excellent average of 51 and centuries against all Test playing nations.
He inspired his team on many occasions with his resolve and determination. Though his statistics would not reveal his true contribution in fourth innings of a match as he has only 2 fifties in the fourth innings in his entire career. But his mighty Australian outfit hardly played in 4th innings as they would finish matches much before that. It was apt that he played his most important knock in the fourth innings of a match in his farewell match at Sydney where he stood in between the series win for the Indian team with a solid knock of 80 which in a sense was a meriting culmination to a wonderful Test career.
Steve Waugh’s association with Kolkata has been a long one. Right from the memorable first World Cup win to the historic loss to India to his efforts to raise funds for children suffering from leprosy in ‘Udayan’, Kolkata. I am in total awe of this truly great player and an image which first comes to mind when I recall Steve Waugh is his ability to produce something special in difficult conditions. Steve Waugh is an icon in an era where his fighting contributions have been overshadowed by flamboyance and genius of players like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Mark Waugh. But in terms of value as a player and as a captain Steve Rodger Waugh would be much higher.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment