Champion Australian Test Cricket captain Steve Waugh (centre) loved his first visit to Corowa last Saturday with Master of Ceremonies Robbie Mackinlay and Corowa Cricket Club President Paul Lavis.
Steve Waugh at Ball Park Saturday evening.
By Robert Muir
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Champion Australian Test Cricket captain Steve Waugh AO loved being in Corowa for the first time last Saturday and locals couldn’t help but admire the unassuming 59-year-old Sydney resident.
Just before hit off at Corowa Golf Club.
Waugh was Named Australian of the Year in 2004 for his philanthropic work and inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in Sydney, in 2010.
Steve Waugh’s first ever hit on the championship Corowa Golf Course, the 10 th, Par 4 went long, into the trees, but four well-executed subsequent shots resulted in a satisfactory bogey for the seven-handicapper.
A long hitter of the golf ball, as seen at the championship Corowa Golf Club last Saturday during his nine holes, he was also a big hit on Saturday evening, at Corowa Cricket Club’s Sportsman’s Night.
A real leader, both on and off sporting fields, wanting to and achieving results – that’s how many summed up Waugh.
“The night was a huge success and a great show of support for one of cricket’s greats,” Corowa Cricket Club President Paul Lavis said.
Over 400 attended, with the cricket legend speaking for some two and a half hours.
Steve Waugh AO is the most successful Test captain in history with 41 victories and a winning ratio of 72%.
He is the third highest Test Cricket rungetter for Australia, with 10,927 runs at an average of 51.1 and the world’s 12th overall. With the ball, the medium pacer took 92 wickets, at 37.4 and claimed 112 catches.
In one day internationals, the mid order batsman amassed 7569 runs at 51.1, claimed 95 wickets at 34.7 and took 111 catches.
As Australian captain from 1997 to 2004, he led Australia to 15 of their record 16 consecutive Test wins, and to victory in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
Waugh was the world number 1 allrounder in both Test and One Day International cricket until back issues forced him to give up bowling.
Except for when facing West Indian great fast bowler Joel Garner, Waugh never took a backward step on or off the field.
This longish downhill putt on the 11th, Par 5 hole pulled up just one-foot shy of the hole.
A popular, giant of a man, Garner seemed to be bowling “from about 10 yards back to me and I stood on my stumps with a bail coming off, we ran through for single and I hoped no-one saw it, there were no replays in those days; the bail situation was relayed to West Indian captain Viv Richards who said ‘don’t worry about it, we’ll get him soon anyway’. The next ball I really stood on my stumps – I never faced him again”.
Steve Waugh’s glorious tee shot on the Par 3, 12th hole cleared the obstacles to land on the green.
Master of Ceremonies last Saturday, Robbie Mackinlay, mentioned many highlights of Waugh, including the “stouch” with West Indian opening bowler Curtly Ambrose during his big century in the Caribbean. With his follow through, Ambrose stopped a few metres from Waugh and glared at him. “What’s up mate?” Waugh said to him. That enraged Ambrose who was pulled away by then captain Richie Richardson.
Twin brother Mark (Junior) regarded Ambrose as his toughest bowler ever faced. Steve (Tugger) rated Malcolm Marshall as up there with the best. “But whereas India recently had Bumra, West Indies had 10 to 15 fast bowlers,” Steve said.
“Patrick Patterson (West Indian quick) wanted to kill you (as shown on the big screen Saturday night but Waugh didn’t take a backward step and toughed it out). After play one day Patterson came to our changeroom door and said to us ‘I’m going to kill you tomorrow’. He nearly did and took 5 for 42.
“I felt for AB (Alan Border) who had so much to contend with when he was captain of an inexperienced side, copping many beatings.”
Steve Waugh was determined to see Australia win again and, in due course when he became captain, led by example and was highly successful. If there was a big, unfortunate decision to be made, he’d make it, including the dropping of Australia’s record wicket taker (708) Shane Warne.
Last Saturday’s big golf four: Joel Bilney, Steve Waugh, Brad Hennessy, and Darren Chester who summed up the locals’ opinion of Waugh, a seven handicapper at NSW Golf Club: “A long hitter, putts well, can play – he’s off seven – and plenty of good conversation over the nine holes.”
But it was understood. After shoulder reconstruction, Warney was getting belted by batsmen and going wicketless. “I lost a friend that night,” Waugh commented about Warne’s temporary omission and gave no hint of animosity towards Warne.
Waugh said it was sad to hear the fate of two of his many great friends who played against him, disgraced South African captain Hanse Cronje (match fixing, died in plane crash) and Pakistan great allrounder and captain Imran Khan (in jail for political reasons).
MC Mackinlay said Waugh is pursuing a self-funded trip to India selling his latest book accordingly. “It’s an amazing book, telling what he’s been up to the last 20 years,” McKinlay said.
Waugh spoke of the passion for cricket by youngsters in India, including the playing on rugged ground as pitches and treating the sport as religion to overcome their crowded living conditions.
“They have such a passion for cricket in India and I spoke to them about improving their cricket, playing in a more serious and aggressive manner. Waugh advises young Australians also to try something different with their cricket.
As an example, he said the slower back-of-the-hand delivery was first used by himself when bowling medium pacers, proving effective in dismissing batsmen.
But overall, he prefers to see youngsters play different sports and not be overcoached or zoomed into a particular sport before about 15-years-of-age.
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