Australian cricket’s current slide from world supremacy is a mere hiccup to former national captain Steve Waugh. When he started his outstanding career, things were far worse.

Waugh effectively had two careers – first helping Australia recover from the disasters of the mid-1980s and then turning the side into an unstoppable force.

He concedes there has been a struggle at the start of the post-Warne and McGrath era, but is confident the squad will remain near the top.

At Tuesday night’s Border Medal function, Waugh will become the 30th inductee into Australian cricket’s Hall Of Fame.

“We’re in much better shape now than we were in the mid-80s, the big difference was we lost 20 players out of the system,” he said.

“We had 16 players go to the rebel tour of South Africa (plus Dennis) Lillee, (Rod) Marsh and (Greg) Chappell, so that was a massive chunk of Australian cricket gone.

“That really was the new beginning.

“My first Test, Allan Border walked out, he had played more Tests than the rest of the team combined – we were really starting behind the eight ball.”

Waugh said the current crop of players perhaps lacked international experience, but still had the talent to keep the Test and one-day teams near the top of the world rankings.

“We’re in pretty good shape now and it’s not as if we’re going to drop back off the map and be the seventh- or eighth-best side, I still think we’ll be (among) the top two or three sides in the world for quite a while to come,” he said.

By the time he retired in 2004, Waugh had built one of international cricket’s greatest careers.

He has the most Test appearances in history, is fourth on the all-time Test runs list and has the best winning percentage of any captain who led his country for more than 25 Tests.

Waugh won the 2001 Border Medal and was named Australian of the Year in 2004.

The 43-year-old prided himself on his mental strength and, not surprisingly, this is his own career highlight.

He was dropped early in his career and went through some tough times, but always recovered.

“To be inducted is special, I’m really honoured,” he said.

“What I used to judge myself on was coming back from adversity, that’s what most players really pride themselves on.

“It’s not so much the good times, you’re going to have some of those, that’s quite easy to do things well when things are going smoothly.

“When there are a few spanners in the works – whether you’re injured or your form isn’t up to scratch or you’re missing your family – they’re the times when you test yourself.

“I did pretty well in adversity, I always bounced back.”

STEVE WAUGH WILL BE THE 30TH INDUCTEE INTO AUSTRALIAN CRICKET’S HALL OF FAME.
DOB: 2/6/65
* Test debut 1985-86 against India, Melbourne
* Last Test 2003-04 against India
* One-day international debut 1985-86 against New Zealand, Melbourne
* Most-capped Test player in history with 168, 12 clear of compatriot Allan Border and India’s Sachin Tendulkar
* Fourth on all-time Test runs list with 10,927 at an average of 51.06, top score of 200.
* Fourth on all-time Test centuries with 32.
* 325 one-day international matches.
* Most successful Test captain (25 Tests or more), winning 41 out of 57 at 71.93 per cent.

© AAP 2012

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