Dropped Waugh calls time on international career

On hearing the news he had been dropped from the Australian squad that will take on England in the first Ashes Test at Brisbane next month, Mark Waugh yesterday announced his retirement from international cricket.

Waugh, who played 128 Test matches has, along with his twin brother Steve, been under severe pressure for his place during the last 12 months. The feeling was that, despite the continuing success of the Australian side, one of the two would have to go to create a place for any one of the several talented batsmen who are pressurising the selectors.

As captain, and through scoring a hundred in Australia's last Test against Pakistan, Steve made sure that he was not the one who would face the axe, but an average of only 30.47 in his last 12 Test matches meant that Mark could not. "I found out at the weekend" Waugh said. "I am a fairly realistic person and knew I needed runs in the recent Test series against Pakistan. But I didn't perform and I have paid the consequences.

"Retiring was not a tough decision because I have now been dropped from both the one-day team and the Test team. At 37, and with there being so many talented youngsters about, I was smart enough to work out that there is not much chance of a recall and now is the right time to retire.

"I suppose it would have been nice to finish at the SCG [Sydney Cricket Ground] in front of my home crowd but there are not many fairy-tales in sport. It has not worked out that way but I am still pretty happy with what I have achieved."

In an era when Australian batsmen have dominated world cricket there have been better players than Mark but nobody better to watch. With his laid-back style, this elegant batsman was like a right-handed David Gower, relying on exquisite timing rather than power to accumulate runs. Bowling at him you were often left scratching your head, having seen a good length ball effortlessly caressed through midwicket or on the up through the covers for four.

Behind this easy-going style, however, was a steelier character than many people thought. Because he did not sledge like many of his team-mates, his manner may have given the impression that he was a bit soft. This was slightly inevitable, having a brother who is as tough as anyone in the history of the game. But he was not, and his perceived deficiencies against quick bowling were more about not wishing to get out hooking than being intimidated by the bowler.

He scored 8,029 Test runs at an average of 41.82, figures which place him 11th in the all-time Test run scoring list, and during his 12-year international career he scored 20 Test centuries. But it was his playing of spin that won most admiration. To play good spin bowling well you need to have a wonderful touch and he combined this with the ability to come down the wicket and hit the ball over the top magnificently. Although he got him out on several occasions, the entrance of Mark Waugh to the arena used to give the England spinner Phil Tufnell more of a nervous disposition than usual.

While his feats with a bat will be bettered by many, his catching will almost be impossible to replace. In the same nonchalant manner with which he batted, he made the hardest of chances seem routine and Shane Warne will notice his absence more than most. At slip he has taken catch after catch off the Australian leg-spinner and England batsmen will think they now have a slight chance should they edge one during this series. With 181, he holds the world-record for catches by an outfielder.

His career has not avoided controversy as he, along with Warne, admitted accepting money from an Indian bookmaker four years ago. For giving match information both were fined $10,000 [£3,565] by the Australian Cricket Board but nobody has ever dreamt that their involvement went any further than that.

Replacing him next week in the Australian side is the Yorkshire overseas player and captain, Darren Lehmann. Many thought that Australia, with an ageing side – Mark's retirement will be the first of many over the next couple of years – would have used this opportunity to blood a youngster rather than bring back a 32-year-old, who has yet to set the Test scene alight.

During his career Mark Waugh was at his best against England. He scored 2,204 runs at an average of 51.26.

MARK WAUGH CAREER HIGHS AND ONE LOW

1985: First-class debut for New South Wales, against Tasmania. Scores 13 and 28.

1988: Wins first one-day cap, against Pakistan in Adelaide. Joins Essex for first of four spells.

1990: One of 16 Australians to score 100 on Test debut – 138 against England.

World record partnership of 464 with brother Steve for fifth wicket for NSW v Western Australia.

1991: Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

1995: Best international bowling figures: 5 for 40 against England.

1996: Hit three centuries in the World Cup.

1998: Reports that he and Shane Warne accepted money from a bookmaker four years before.

2000: Highest one-day score – 173 v West Indies.

October 2002: Final Test – Pakistan at Sharjah.

Records: 8,029 runs in 128 matches, making him Australia's third highest Test run-scorer in Test. Batting average of 41.81. Leading out-fielder in Test history with 157 catches. One of only seven Australians to have scored 20 Test centuries.

Australia's leading one-day run-scorer with 8,500.