Archives

SYDNEY, Thursday (AFP)

Steve Waugh will find it difficult to retrieve his place in the Australian one-day cricket side after being sacked as skipper, former Australian captain Mark Taylor said Thursday.

Waugh has vowed to reclaim his place in the one-day team after being dropped from the squad to play in South Africa, and ahead of next year's World Cup in the republic.

But fighting back at the age of 36 would be tough, said Taylor, who like Waugh was dropped from the one-day side while remaining as Test captain in 1997.

"I'd never write Stephen Waugh off but I think it's going to be very difficult," Taylor said.

"I think he's going to need a lot of runs in one-day cricket and he's not really going to get an opportunity to do that until next season.

"And also he's probably going to need a change in the selection panel. I'm not sure that's going to happen either."

Taylor said he knew what Waugh was going through, and knew the selectors' decision had hurt the Test skipper.

"My thoughts were with him yesterday because it's never fun... to get the news dumped on you that you are no longer in the one-day side certainly hurts, and I can say that from a personal point of view."

But Taylor said he could see Waugh's axing coming, because selectors wanted to prepare a year in advance for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Taylor backed Shane Warne to take over as one-day captain.

"I think he showed in the nine or 10 one-dayers he did (as captain) three to four years ago he's a good exciting captain -- he let that side go, let them have the freedom to make them a very good side."

Adam Gilchrist would also do a good job, but the captaincy may harm his batting, Taylor said. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager