In 'The Waugh Era', Greg Baum, cricket writer with The Age, examines Steve Waugh's career as captain of the Australian cricket team, as well as the performance of the team itself.
At the time Steve Waugh became captain of Australia in 1999, he was on a hiding to nothing. Under previous captain Mark Taylor, Australia had established itself as the best team in the world and had played an attractive brand of cricket. The new captain was relatively old at 33, past his best as a batsman, an unknown quantity as a skipper, and had everything to lose. Instead, Waugh led Australia to even greater heights, first by winning the World Cup, then stringing together an unprecedented 16 Test wins in a row. Waugh shaped the team to his liking, and taught that cricket must be about entertainment as well as success. Australia rattled along at four an over when batting, skittled teams in a session or two when bowling, and played fewer draws than any team since the era of timeless Tests. Waugh played more Tests than any man before him, and won more than any previous captain.
This book captures the Waugh era, and the career of Waugh himself.
