Steve: Down, but still not out

COLOMBO: Steve Waugh, Australia’s most successful skipper and regarded as one of the thinking leaders in modern cricket, on Wednesday revealed that he has played for his place in the side for more than nine years now.
In Colombo to lead Australia in a three-match Test series, Waugh said he was never sure of his place in the side, leave alone Australian captaincy. “I have always played to retain my position in the team and had one off season last year,� said Waugh, hinting that it led to his being stripped of the One-day captaincy.
Although he doesn’t figure in the one day plans of his country, Waugh said he still entertains hopes of representing Australia in the next World Cup.
“Nothing has changed and I still want to play the World Cup. I believe that there is a chance of getting picked. Sampras won the US Open when he was not expected to, didn’t he?� Waugh explained.
About his future, Waugh said he hasn’t thought of retirement as yet. “Why think of retirement when you are improving. I’ll play until I enjoy playing. I’m 37 now. I can’t be playing till 47, but don’t know when I’ll finish.
Waugh seemed quite unperturbed about the lack of proper preparations for the Test series against Pakistan. “We are coming off after six months to Test cricket but this is not a peculiar situation. We have had situations like this before and coped with them. Players who are already here have had a good run, but Mark, Justin and myself have to do some hard work at the nets.�
Waugh was happy that he spent four weeks in England playing County cricket which helped him to keep in form. “I wasn’t there in view of the upcoming Ashes series. I didn’t need to be on an espionage mission. We have TV back home and there is cable too. I didn’t need to go all the way to England to find who was what.�
Waugh, however, was non-committal on whether he would return to County cricket next year, saying Youre never sure what you are doing. Waugh denied that his one day players would have any problems adjusting to the five-day game, coming off a one day tournament.