Waugh Warning: Plenty Of Runs On The Way

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday February 20, 2002

Trevor Marshallsea

Steve Waugh has issued a warning to South Africa ahead of the three-Test series which starts in Johannesburg on Friday, saying he feels he has returned to a more familiar groove than the rut he inhabited through the Australian summer.

Waugh's struggles with the bat this season have captured almost as much attention as a Shane Warne soap opera, the Australian captain having averaged just 27.38 in six Tests and making only 187 at 31.17 in eight one-dayers.

His home summer, of course, ground to a bitter close when he was sacked as one-day captain, a demotion which some had feared would affect his form early on this tour.

But Waugh laid those doubts to rest with his finest innings of the season, his initial first-class century of the summer, on the last day of Australia's rain-marred tour-opener against South Africa A here on Tuesday.

After resuming on 91, Waugh cut off-spinner Gulam Bodi for four in the third over of the day to raise his 67th first-class ton, moving to equal-sixth on the all-time Australian list with Neil Harvey, one behind David Boon.

He promptly declared with the score 8-366 after 98.5 overs, remaining 102 not out. Australia's bowlers began their practice for Friday's first Test in Johannesburg in fine style, with Glenn McGrath having opener Graeme Smith who has been called up to be South Africa's 12th man in the Test well caught at third slip by Ricky Ponting in the first over.

While the opposition's attack was short of Test strength, Waugh looked at his most fluid and most damaging for months in slamming 21 fours in just 145 balls.

``I felt really good from ball one. It was really encouraging. I felt comfortable I clicked into gear straight away," said Waugh.

``It is a difficult wicket to bat on, very up and down and two paced. It is probably a 250 wicket so we have done really well."

Waugh scored 12 boundaries between backward point and cover, providing the few fans at Potchefstroom's North West Stadium a reminder that his trademark backfoot square drive was still sharp.

``I just feel nice and relaxed, I'm keeping things tight," he said. ``My backlift is a bit shorter and tighter. I feel more secure and comfortable in playing my shots.

``Balance is a key to my batting and I felt well balanced out there."

Waugh denied he was out to prove a point over his demotion.

``I was no more determined than normal. That's over now. I am not going to use that as motivation now," he said.

``I just have to go out and play as well as I can. Whatever happened last week, I can't change that now. There is no point dwelling on that or using that in any way.

``It is just for me to have a good Test series and this is the best build-up I could have."

With Ponting making 120 and Mark Waugh 62, the Australian captain was confident his batsmen had made a smooth transition from one-dayers to first-class cricket ahead of the Test series which, like the tussle his side won 3-0 in Australia, will determine the No.1 ranked side in Tests.

Meanwhile, South African selectors have resisted extensive personnel changes but are expected to make positional alterations for the first Test.

Boeta Dippenaar looks likely to be reprieved from the No3 spot after the 24-year-old's hellish experiences there in South Africa's 3-0 drubbing in Australia this summer.

With South Africa's chairman of selectors Rushdi Magiet indicating all-rounder Jacques Kallis would receive his wish to stay at No4 a move which helps ease a workload which also includes his role as a front-line bowler the accomplished Neil McKenzie looks set to move up from No5 to first drop.

Dippenaar, though unlucky to be out to three freakish catches in the Tests, averaged only 21.67 in the Australian series, his figures boosted substantially by a 74 in the second innings of the third Test. By contrast, the 26-year-old McKenzie looked one of South Africa's most polished and composed batsmen throughout the series.

Magiet, announcing a team which differs to that in Sydney only by the switch of spinner Claude Henderson for paceman Makhaya Ntini, said with some bluntness Dippenaar was likely to be eased down the order.

``Dippenaar was very vulnerable at number three and I think there's consensus that he's not going to bat number three," he said. ``McKenzie is a very good player of fast bowling. He did very well."

South African captain Shaun Pollock is a slight doubt for the match, and will undergo a fitness test for a side strain.

TONS OF CLASS

Australia's top century-makers in first-class cricket:

117 Don Bradman

78 Mark Waugh

74 Greg Chappell

70 Allan Border

68 David Boon

67 Steve Waugh

67 Neil Harvey

66 Kepler Wessels

64 Tom Moody