He came out to speak to the media at the Adelaide Oval today, even though he wasn't scheduled to. Here's an excerpt from the press conference:

There was a feeling that your bowlers didn't bounce Sourav Ganguly at the Gabba as much as expected - there weren't enough balls aimed at his body ...
We never said it was part of our strategy. On that particular day, we didn't feel that was the right way to bowl. Your strategy revolves around the bowlers you've got. We had no Brett Lee, no Brad Williams - the bowlers who could generate a bit of pace. We had swing bowlers, the bowlers who bowl good line and length, bowl in the corridor, and the conditions were good for swing bowling. Another day, in other conditions, we might see us bowling differently.

So did you miss Brad Williams's aggression?
It's a possibility. It's hard to say, really. We picked the right bowlers for the conditions at Brisbane. But it will be a different pitch here, and different conditions. So that's something for the selectors to consider. I will have my input, of course.

Were you surprised by the way the Indians adapted to the conditions?
No. I have always said that India are a very good side. They have got world-class batsmen, as good as any batting side in the world. And they have got three bowlers who can swing the ball, and they have got two quality spinners. We expected them to do well. But we had the toughest conditions in the first couple of days. When India batted, the conditions had settled down.

Are you surprised to be under so much scrutiny in this series?
The scrutiny was always going to be there. I knew from the beginning that it was my last series. I knew I had made the right decision. I am going to be positive about the rest of the series. This series is about Australia and India, it's not about me.

But are you feeling more pressure than usual?
I'd say preparations for the Brisbane game weren't ideal. Not only for me, but for the whole team. There were too many commitments in the last couple of days before that match - that always happens before the first Test of a series, but maybe it was a bit more this time. I didn't really get time to settle down and think about the match.

There have been suggestions that it might not have been such a good idea to announce your retirement at the beginning of a long series ...
I think it was the right thing to do. The situation is pretty clear now. We know where we are going. Even if I hadn't announced it, it would have been quite clear that it was going to be my last series in Australia. I am 100% happy and confident that I made the right decision for the right reasons, so I am going to be positive and enjoy every match. There was always going to be some conjecture, not that I had to agree with it. I am convinced the decision was made at the right time. There has been a lot of conjecture about when I was going to retire, whether my form was good enough. From that point of view it was right that I made the decision and announced it.

Will your preparation for the next Test be any different?
I will be a bit more relaxed. I am focussed and I am going to go out and do what I always do. There were a couple of times when we lost our intensity at Brisbane. From the team point of view, that's important. We've got to pick ourselves up and do better.

When you are batting now, is there any awareness that this is your last Test match at this ground?
In the first innings things were obviously a bit tense. But the hardest part is actually waiting and then walking out to bat. Once you take strike, it's the same. It's another Test innings and every Test innings is tough. I like to be aggressive and positive, and that's how I will play in the rest of the series. I know I have three matches to go and I am going to enjoy the experience. It's always hard when you fail in the first innings. The pressure then builds up. I got some runs in the second innings, and that makes you feel good. I could have been out when I was on 8, and that would have built up the pressure. That's Test-match cricket. I am sure Sachin Tendulkar will feel the pressure in the second Test, as will Adam Gilchrist. No matter how many matches you have played, no matter who you are or how good you are, you always feel the pressure if you haven't made runs in your last Test.

Now that there will be no cricket for you, how will you channel your competitiveness?
I have three kids at home. They are a lot of challenges out there. After the series is over, I will just sit back for a couple of weeks and relax. And then I might get bored and look for something to do. I enjoy writing, so I will do a bit of that. Commentating is an option. Coaching, I don't know. I would like to stay in touch with cricket. There are teams like Kenya, who need help ... who knows?

A few months ago you said that you would like one last shot at winning a series in India. Was that a consideration while making up your mind?
I didn't actually say that. I had said that winning a series in India remains a challenge. And the team going out there in September has a good chance of achieving a victory, and possibly I would be part of that team. But it didn't work out that way. It was a good time for me to go now. I have always thought that it's great to play your first Test abroad and the last at home. I will be going out at my home ground. It couldn't have been better.

Steve, I first saw you play in Sydney for CHS ...

In '83, I reckon.

What type of person were you?

Actually, you'd met me before that - you coached me during World Series cricket. Barry Richards chucked me out of the net because I hit too many balls out the net (chuckles).

These South Africans, you know! What type of person were you in those days?

Geez, I just played cricket because I loved the game. I never thought about it much, never really had any formal coaching. I went to Barry Knight's for a while but that was more confidence boosting. We were just naturals and played the game by our instincts. We were very aggressive, trying to score off every ball. We just went out there and played. Couldn't get enough of it.

So you built your own game?

I can't remember any really technical coaching.

You are very competitive. Your parents are renowed as tough competitors. Was this instilled or natural?

Hard to say. Probably it was encouraged but I can't remember them actually saying, 'Get stuck in'. We watched them play and saw how dedicated they were at squash and tennis, always trying their best, wanting to win. Perhaps it's in our genes. We were in the backyard and highly competitive. Being twins made us more competitive because we were always being compared. People were asking who was the best. If one scored runs one week the other would try to match him next week

Even now your mother has a reputation as a formidable competitor.

I played her a few times and she's tough, never gives in, runs everything down.

Your dad had the reputation of wanting to kill the opposition!

I never saw him at his peak. Their careers were cut short because they had us at 19, but I've watched him and he's an elegant player, and plays tennis like Mark plays cricket, graceful and easy to watch.

Along the way you've refined your game. Was that part of an inevitable process?

When you're losing as we were in the mid-1980s, you have to find some sort of mechanism to survive. It was no fun playing the way we played and myself getting 20s and 30s, looking good and getting out. I wanted to make the most of my abilities and to play well for Australia, and the way to do that was to change my game. I had to work it out for myself. Bob Simpson was great but there wasn't a lot of help around in those first few years. Everyone was in the same position except Allan Border, playing for their places. Also, there wasn't a lot of support staff as there is now, it was sink or swim.

You cut out your risks for the sake of survival?

After being dropped in '91 I did that. It was forced on me, facing the West Indians at their peak, four great fast bowlers. Unless you're the best hooker in the world it's going to get you out regularly. I saw blokes getting out all the time and thought, 'that's not for me'. So I cut it out and it's hard to restore it because it's not in your way of thinking.

People talking about your refusal to hook get under your skin, don't they?

Ah, yeah, but I wonder what's the big deal. It doesn't matter how pretty you look it's how many runs you get. I don't mind getting hit on the hands because it gets me fired up.

Did those early days shape your attitude as well as your game?

Possibly. It's a hard life as a professional cricketer. It's not as easy as everyone makes out. To survive you need a tough hide. People expect you to win and score runs all the time, and you have your family life and other interests so you learn to toughen up.

Where do you get your stamina, fronting up every day looking the same?

It's difficult. Sometimes you have to bluff your way through, there's no doubt about that. You don't feel a million dollars every day ... Andy Bichel, maybe, and Brett Lee it's just pride, wanting to do well and to win the battle against the bowler. I'm competitive by nature and want to make the most of my abilities, particularly as I have three kids now and don't want to be going away and wasting my time, making sacrifices for no reason.

With all the books you read, you've broadened a lot from those early days. Was that a conscious decision?

I think it's just the way you develop as a person. In my first 20 years in sport it was non-stop, all day, every day, three games of soccer on Saturdays, training four or five nights a week. I'd be out the back with a cricket ball in a sock three or four hours on end just hitting through the roof. I loved it and thought this was all there was in the world. But things happen and I'm inquisitive and like to read about other people, true stories and heroic deeds, people who've made a difference in life because it's what you're here for, to make a difference. Have you read I Have Life? It's about this lady who gets carjacked in Port Elizabeth and her throat cut from ear to ear and her belly opened up but they miss the main arteries and she holds her guts in with her coat and crawled 75 yards to the road with her head back on her shoulders. She survived and we're hoping she'll talk to the team in Cape Town.

You obviously have the patience to read right through.

I reckon I don't. I've got five or six books on the go at the same time. I had to start this one again (points towards Stoker by Donald Watt). He was at the cricket and gave me this book. Amazing story. Had to stoke the fires at Auschwitz and kept it secret for 45 years.

What kind of man is he?

A knockabout Australian.

You've taken it into your team as part of your leadership.

That's why you're a leader. People are supposed to gravitate to you, that's why you were picked for the job. But I've learnt from others. That's what's great about touring, 15 different blokes with 15 different hobbies.

You've made players give talks on all kinds of topics, and that's new.

I didn't want to end up playing cricket for 25 years knowing only about cricket. It's an opportunity to learn something about the world. You get a taste for it. When I started touring I was like everyone else; hotel, a few beers in the bar, a simple life. Mike Whitney encouraged me to go out and have a look.

That train journey across Zimbabwe, writing poems and buying silly hats from the locals ...

That was amazing. We still talk about it. We'd like to repeat that every tour, having a trip, getting out there for a few days. We'd love to do other train journeys but there isn't time.

How did you find the nerve to suggest to your players to write poetry?

It sort of happened. David Missen started it. One morning I suggested he find a quote to get us fired up and he went a step further and wrote a poem, and I thought, 'that's a good idea, let's get other blokes to do that stuff'..

Have you felt you've been fighting against the wind your entire career?

Sometimes it seems like that. Justin Langer and Matt Hayden have had the same, perhaps that's why I'm close with them. It's just the way I am, I like to do things my way. I don't fit into stereotypes or do things the way they were done in the past. I try to find out for myself. Possibly that's why I had lots of detractors early on. I haven't done things the same way or taken much advice from past players. Maybe that's where I went wrong. Maybe I should have spent more time at the bar with other cricketers, but I've never worried too much about that.

Deep down you know yourself and the reality of the situation. As long as you're strong enough to overcome these obstacles you can handle it.

It doesn't worry you that other people had an easier run?

Time will be the judge. I haven't really thought about it. All I know is there's been enormous support in the last couple of weeks. You're always going to have detractors, and they are heard because they make the most noise.

You mentioned Hayden and Langer. What did you see in them that the rest of us missed?

I felt they weren't getting enough credit for their talent and achievements. And there's something about them. If there's one thing I'm good at, I'm pretty perceptive. I can see things others might not see. Maybe they'll make me a selector one day (chuckles). It's hard to define it. It's a karma in the side, something they give the side. People feel more secure and strong because of these guys and you know they've got the talent and will come through as long as they are relaxed and confident. People around them must believe in them, that's the key. If you give that to all the players, believing in them and backing them all the time, it's a big start.

You've talked about an X factor in the team.

It's almost indefinable and it goes beyond the players into the support staff. It's about what people bring to a side, the little things they say or don't say. Compassion is part of it, seeing things from other people's perspective rather than your own all the time. It takes a fellow with good character, and you look for that. All the great sides have it. With them it's 11 against two all the time. Queensland has had it for several years, all 11 players working together. This puts enormous pressure on the two batsmen. If it's four or five against two the batsmen can feel it. Once we had 11 prizefighters entering the ring, and I'd like it to be like that every time because it is intimidating.

You've been criticised for failing to intervene when incidents occur on the field.

It's difficult. People talk about the Michael Slater incident. Even now it's hard to discuss that because Slats was going through a difficult time. I felt if I'd done anything it might have flared up even more. I did say something but he wasn't hearing. I'm happy to take the blame but there were reasons I didn't intervene. As captain, I believe players must take responsibility for their actions. They know the limits and if they go beyond them ...

Have you ever encouraged high full tosses or chasing tailenders?

I never encouraged high full tosses, because they're cowardly. I didn't mind what Brett Lee did in Adelaide. It was a Test and you're playing for your country. I wanted him to get him out.

Does averaging 50 indicate greatness?

It's marginal. People say I want to average 50 but I've never thought about that. Figures can bog you down. It's nice if you average 50 because it means you've been resilient. If you play for 10 years you've got to have something about you because it's not easy out there.

And the person - how has he changed?

A lot more worldly. I've met a lot of people and learned lots of lessons, and failed to learn a few.

Where do you go from here?

I don't know. I take it one day at a time these days. There's something left in me yet, something I haven't achieved but I'm going to achieve. I'd still like to score 300 in a Test match, love to win another World Cup final. You've got to have dreams to keep you going. If it ends tomorrow, I've had a pretty good run. Guys like Jamie Siddons didn't play a Test, Tom Moody and Darren Lehmann haven't played many and I've played 140 Tests and 320 one-dayers.

Will you be able to handle life after cricket?

I think so. I'm a simple person and lead a simple life. Money does not motivate me as long as I can provide for my children. I'd like to make a difference, working with the children in India or something. With my profile I can help. And being as good a father as I can is a big challenge.

Didn't you design your house?

Oh, I just painted it. I'll have a go at anything. Fixing cement for the bricklayers and so on. I'm quite normal. I go down the street and people look at me and I think, 'why do they want to talk to me?' I still don't get that.

Sure, he knows it would be good for England's revival at Test level if they competed, but this is the Ashes, mate. Waugh reckons you must be joking. So he gives you half a joke back. 'Aw, I'd rather see us win, let's put it that way,' he says.

In the surreal pastoral peace of Arundel last week, away from the grind of the serious stuff, Waugh remained focused on the task ahead. He peeled off a century against MCC and sat down to share his thoughts on a range of issues. He is a figure of quiet authority, gaze unwavering, a captain with a wider view of life than most star athletes.

He knows the game is in rehab here, that there is a delicate balance to be struck between home-front optimism and reality. But that's not his problem. 'I think people genuinely want a good, close Ashes contest. I think it's great for the game. But I could still handle the close contests and we win five very close Test matches.'

His relationship with Nasser Hussain is cordial, without edge, although it suits the marketing of the series to pit them against each other in mock grudge mode. In television ads, Waugh, the upfront Aussie with the insistent telephone technique, peppers the answer machine, taunting Nasser, the leader waiting in his tent for the approaching enemy. Unconsciously or not, it creates a siege atmosphere. Conversely, the advertising of the Lions tour of Australia right now has the same theme, with the rugby invaders sowing apprehension among the locals.

On those TV ads and his relationship with the England captain, Waugh observes, 'I didn't write the script. I just took the cash. Yeah, I get on well with him. He's very competitive, so am I. There are going to be times when we might clash. We're not going to be smiling at each other the whole time. But I respect him as a very good competitor and a good player. And he's done a good job. So I'm looking forward to it.'

Significantly or not, Waugh rates Hussain as a 'very good' competitor and merely a 'good' player. He might subconsciously regard his opposite number as tougher in mind than he is with a bat in his hand - but he's not going to be cornered into making this personal.

It is plain, though, that he thinks English cricket should make another push to play the game without angst, to 'back yourself'.

These tourists score at about four an over when in full flow and Waugh makes the obvious point (one not always appreciated here) that this stems from how the game is played at all levels in Australia - aggressively.

'It's just a matter of whether they believe in themselves and they lift themselves to fulfil their potential. You can't tell me England or other teams haven't got the same potential in their players. It's just how you get it out of them.'

As for his own team, he is reluctant even to admit that this might be not only the best side he has played in, but potentially the best there has ever been.

'It's hard to say. We've had some fantastic times in the Australian team, and some great memories. Potentially we've got some fantastic firepower here, with three outstanding quicks. They've only played one Test match together, so... And we've got Fleming, who's a very good bowler, and we've got a young fellow coming over, and then you've got Warne and Miller. So, the bowling is very powerful, which you need to win Test matches. The batting, we've got a lot of experience and a lot of Test match hundreds between us.'

Not too shabby, as they say.

Mental toughness is at the forefront of Waugh's cricket philosophy. He, and his team, showed it in the World Cup, coming from behind in the tournament to win big. In the past six series, he is asked, England have only won one Test while the Ashes have been up for grabs - at Edgbaston in 1997 - and it was probably the only time he'd been badly beaten by England in that time. Are you mentally tougher than England?

'I think the previous one in Australia was pretty close. It probably came down to Michael Slater's run-out. It could have been 2-2 in that series. But you're right. We have won the vital Test matches over the years. It's something we pride ourselves on, playing under pressure. We tend to enjoy that. England have obviously done it too over the past 18 months. They've won some big Test matches, in Karachi and Kandy. They've learnt how to do that, which is a major change for England. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.'

It is indeed a 'major change for England'. And, for Australia, almost second nature. That is the difference between the sides, which Waugh knows.

It doesn't just happen, though. One of the unusual techniques he employs is persuading one player to either recite a piece of his favourite literature, a poem, a saying, maybe a song, or just a quote, on the morning of important matches. You could not imagine many people other than Waugh - who is currently working on his eighth tour diary without the aid of a ghost writer - being able to pull that one off with well-paid and constantly praised cricketers.

'It started really by chance. David Misson, our fitness adviser a couple of years ago, was taking warm-ups every morning, and I said to him one day, would you like to give us a quote of the day and get us motivated. From there, we thought why not get the players to do it. One thing you do find with a team like this is you get a lot of surprises when you give people responsibility and give them opportunities. That's what this side is all about - not just watching them grow as cricketers but as people.'

Waugh has come to see cricket as an important part of a personal learning process. He admits he was a bit casual about celebrity and his own talent early in his career, but, on a tour of India, he visited a leper hospital (which he now sponsors) and the experience confirmed for him that scoring centuries and winning Test matches is not everything.

His other talent is for leadership. There are a couple of livewires in this squad, notably Ricky Ponting (who is in charge of team singing and, on the advice of Michael Slater, has picked out Bon Jovi's It's My Life , from the Crush album, as the tour anthem) and Shane Warne. There is also the staunch lieutenant in Adam Gilchrist, who was preferred as the safer option to Warne as vice-captain when the job came up a year or so ago. But they gel, and that's down to the skipper.

In the wake of recent spectator problems, he has spoken to the players about their duty to set an example. 'You'll hopefully see an Australian side that's professional in not only the way we play but in the way we behave. We've talked about that a bit. We hope nobody's going to step out of line, I can't promise that - in the heat of the moment things do happen - but we're going to try to play it in the right spirit. I'm sure England will, as well.'

And what of sledging, that great Australian invention? 'It's an over-rated word. I've said before it's mental disintegration. It's a fine line, I know. But you've got to test the opposition out there; I don't mean swearing or getting personal with players. If we get a doubt in someone's mind by talking amongst ourselves, if we get them thinking about something rather than what they're supposed to be thinking about, then that's what Test-match cricket is all about.'

But the Australians are obviously not all talk. Warne is still the all-purpose wrist spinner, able to take wickets and stem the runs; and Glenn McGrath remains the ultimate fast-bowling machine.

'I think it's the keenest I've seen [Warne] for three or four years, this tour. You can just see it in the way he's batting. He's really concentrating and is so keen to do well. It's a great sign for us. He's had a lot of serious injuries and there's no doubt they take their toll on a bowler. Probably players have got a bit more used to him, too, become more courageous playing him. He's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve still. He's amazing. He's working out different deliveries all the time. He'll be in the nets, think up a delivery and try to work on that. So he's got a very active and inventive mind. That keeps him very competitive.

'McGrath is just a great bowler. I can't split him or Warne being the best bowler I've played with. That's how good he is. People talk about Warney being a genius and one of the five cricketers of the century, well McGrath is just as good a bowler. And I think he's actually getting better. He just doesn't seem to bowl a bad ball. Even in the nets he never gives you a half-volley.'

As they say, not too shabby.

If you weren't a cricketer, what would you have done?
I would probably work down at the council.

What is your greatest fear?
Not making the most out of my ability.

What was your most embarrasing cricket moment?
Getting out for nought against Hong Kong after having a disastrous tour of Pakistan in 1988.

What are the weirdest cricket superstitions you've heard of? Do you have any of your own?
I keep a lucky red rag in my pocket when I bat, which has been a good luck charm for a few years.

What's your favourite take-away food?
Hungry Jack's.

Can you see yourself being recruited as a referee on Gladiators?
I can count to three so I'm a chance.

The Victorians have been wearing shorts for one-dayers. How long before we see the introduction of thongs and eskies?
It's too hard to play in thongs but an esky would be a great idea at drinks.

What is your favourite TV show?
Mr. Ed.

What is the best bowling attack you have faced?
West Indies.

What is the worst bowling attack you have faced?
Liverpool Boys High School in the Under-15's.

Who is the most fun to be with on tour?
Mike Whitney.

What is the best piece of coaching advice you have received?
Back your natural talent.

What is your next favourite sport? Are you any good at it?
I like sport. I like Rugby League the most, but I never played it. (Steve represented NSW at junior soccer and is a guntennis player.)

Which is better: The Footy Show or The Cricket Show?
The Cricket Show, because I play with two of the guys.

What was your most important innings?
The next one.

Who is your favourite comedian?
Steve Martin.

If you were elected to be our first President, what would be your first decision?
Bring back capital punishment.

Do you miss Merv?
Everyone misses Merv. He was always good value, but I don't miss him raiding my mini-bar every time he came into my room.

What is the funniest thing an opposition player has said to you?
Mike Atherton, when he said I was wetting my pants all through the 1993 Ashes series.

Who tells the best cricket stories?
Carl Rackemann and Mike Whitney.

Would you consider hair replacement later in your career?
Not if it looked like what they've done to Graham Yallop.

What's the best thing about a day at the cricket?
Representing your country.

What's the worst thing about a day at the cricket?
Playing with niggling injuries.

Which batsman is the worst bowler you've seen?
Geoff Marsh and John Dyson.

Which bowler is the worst batsman you've seen?
Glenn McGrath.

Do you think you'll ever see an entire English Cricket team made up of players born in that country alone?
I hope not, because they'd probably be a better team.

Who would you most like to bowl bouncers to or hit endless sixes against?
Salim Malik.

Inside Sport: Can you pick Shane Warne's wrong 'un?
Waugh: Yeah, I can. And I think a lot of people could in the practice nets, but in a game situation it's different--there's other things happening. It's a lot of pressure if you're playing a Test match; there's a big crowd out there and you maybe get distracted about your own game or think about the field placings, so it's a lot easier in the nets. I think all the Australian guys can pick his deliveries, but in the pressure of a game situation maybe you mightn't. He's such a good bowler, with so many variations. He could quite easily catch you out even if you think you're going quite well.

IS: You're known as a clever deviser of plans to trap batsmen out. Any ideas on Brian Lara or any of those other pesky West Indians you'll be facing in the next few months?
Waugh: Guys have been trying to work that out for around 15 years--that's how long it's been since they lost a series. But their greatest strength is their bowlers. They've got that great ability to pull something out of the fire even if they're down and out. It's been quite amazing really, the situations they've got out of. I guess I am a thinker, but it's not as if I go out of my way to analyse a batsman. I can see things that maybe some other guys don't, but there's other good thinkers around, like Mark Taylor and Ian Healy. There's plenty of guys who come up with great ideas.

IS: Which batsman has given you the most grief?
Waugh: [Sunil] Gavaskar was probably the toughest. He retired a couple of years into my career, but I played him a few times. You'd sit down at team meetings and try to analyse a few of the players, and someone would say "Gavaskar" and you'd all say, "No real weakness"--just bowl line and length and hope to take a catch if it comes. But some great players can be taken down. Graham Gooch was one guy who was taken down by pin-pointing a weakness and working on a certain area. In the '89 series, we devised a plan that was going to mess him up mentally with field placings. He was so worried about two guys on the leg side that he'd either try to play the ball too square or play a shot that he wasn't used to and get out LBW or caught; there were a couple of guys catching at mid-wicket, which he'd never seen before, and that's where he likes to play a lot of his shots. If he'd backed himself he probably could have played his shots through there anyway, but he was changing his game and he copped it. But Test cricket is generally all about good line and length. There's no magic formulas to winning.

IS: What would it mean to you personally to beat the West Indies in the Caribbean?
Waugh: It might erase the ugly memories of Adelaide a couple of years ago. [when the Windies won by a single run.] Everyone who played that game thinks about it. I know Tim May had nightmares about it for about two weeks every night after that game.

IS: Is there a different mood in the Australian team now that Taylor is captain?
Waugh: Not that I've really noticed. Perhaps on the field it's a little bit more relaxed. There's around half a dozen of us who played under-19s with each other and who are good mates. It seems a bit funny that one of them has been picked out of that group to be the Australian captain. He's still the same guy, he's just got the captaincy. For that reason you can have a bit of a laugh. But AB--there was no difference there either; he was on of the team. He was probably nine years older than me so the age difference was probably the main thing. He was brought up in a different era of cricket than us.

IS: Does anything ever faze your brother Mark? He seems to be about the quintessential laidback cricketer.
Waugh: Yeah, he's pretty relaxed but overall I'd be more laidback than Mark if you looked at our personalities. The way I play my cricket is intense--that's the way people think you are off the field, but I think if you asked any of my mates what I'm like it'd be a lot different to what you see out there.

IS: This has been a bit of an issue for you, hasn't it?
Waugh: It still is a lot of the time. People say, "Why don't you smile more on the field? Why don't you jump up and down when you get a wicket?" But if I did that I'd feel like an idiot. So I say to them, "If you're in your office trying to work, do you smile all the time?" Occassionally I get pumped off, but I'm not going to do cartwheels because someone else wants me to. Mark always appears laidback because he's so relaxed and so elegant. But I think that's a bit unfair when people label you something when they really don't know you.

IS: What sorts of things make you angry?
Waugh: Shopping for any longer than 20 minutes. I don't like waiting in airports for my bags. Even worse, I don't like waiting in airports when my bags are lost. Delayed planes. We seem to spend half our lives waiting for bags or in airport lounges--that's frustrating. I don't like criticism that's not constructive. I don't like someone slagging off someone just for the skae of it, though there's only been one time I've been angry enough to pick up the phone and tell someone they've written a load of crap. That was after the Ashes '93 tour; I think it was Australian Cricketer that wrote a pretty unfavourable pen picture of me. The write-up was like: "Not the best of tours. Did okay. Got runs when the pressure wasn't on." I read this and had steam coming out of my ears. I'd averaged 82 on the tour, and I thought they were pretty valuable runs. I don't want people to write nice things if they're not justified, but I thought that was way out of line.

IS: How have the Aussies and Poms been getting on this season?
Waugh: Pretty good. Generally we get on pretty well off the field, but it's hard for both sides to have a drink every night when we're playing a Test match. If they come into our dressing room one night in a Test, I think that's more than enough. It's such a pressure situation out there. Things happen on the field--you don't always want to go in there and have a beer with someone who's just bowled you for a duck or whatever. But Australia and England generally get on very well.

IS: Better than other teams?
Waugh: Australia and South Africa in the last series was probably the best I've ever seen two sides get on; most of the guys ended up good mates. We saw them in Pakistan in the one-day series and quite a few nights we went down to their rooms and had beers with them.

IS: Not Australia and the West Indians?
Waugh: Against the West Indies it's pretty hard. We tried that a couple of years ago and made a bit of a pact to make an effort to go into each other's dressing rooms. It worked for the first couple of days, but then a couple of their blokes got cleaned up and then a couple of our blokes got cleaned up... It's pretty hard to go and have a beer with someone who's just got ten stitches in their eye.

IS: Have you had a chance to have a few beers with Mike Atherton since he started slagging you off?
Waugh: Well yeah, actually. I fronted up to him in Brisbane about that one night I saw him in a bar there--I was going out of my way not to speak to him and he was probably doing the same. I was pretty hurt by what was said in the newspapers [about Waugh supposedly "wetting himself" in the face of the England quicks], so I went up and said, "I think it's about time all this stuff stopped. Let's just forget it and get on with the cricket." And he said, "Good idea. I'm sorry I said those things in the paper and let's start from now." It was good that things got sorted out. We went back to square one. He's tough in the middle, he's got a lot of promise. England need more of him.

IS: Here's your chance to give Atherton an unedited kick in the guts. The floor's yours.
Waugh: Ah no, it's all over. There's no point holding grudges. It went on long enough as it was. I'm over it--but I won't be giving him any favours out in the middle.

IS: I calculate that you get to put your feet up at the end of this "season" around next June. What do you have planned for Day One of your holiday?
Waugh: I don't know. Maybe going up to the Central Coast [of NSW] and doing a bit of fishing for flathead. Not that I catch that many, but I just like sitting down and taking the views in.

IS: Day Two?
Waugh: Day Two I suppose I'll be trying to get fit for next season.

IS: Don't you ever get just a little bit tired of cricket? Can you ever see a time when you'll want to distance yourself from it?
Waugh: Well, that's probably the signal that you've had enough. You've got to be careful you're not playing too much. Even now I can see guys getting a bit stale on the national side. People say you've got to play, that it's now a professional job, but I can't see the point of playing nine months of the year if you're going to keep churning players over all the time; and if they're not going to want to be there 100 percent it's going to drop the standard.

IS: You're obviously talking about money rather than fitness problems there, aren't you?
Waugh: The mental side is the hardest thing at that level. I believe that Test matches are something special and we should only play 12 a year--maximum. But these days you're playing 15 to 20 and that takes away a little bit of that special magic.

IS: Do you get a chance to air these views with the powers that be? Do they ever ask your opinion?
Waugh: Yeah, it's getting more that way. Years ago it probably wasn't. Things are happening if good ideas are put forward, but the cricket agenda is programmed ten years ahead, so I can't see much chance of it changing in my time. They're only really guessing about how it will go in the next couple of years; if it proves to be too much cricket and guys are retiring early because they're worn out, hopefully they'll change after that.

IS: How many years left for you?
Waugh: I don't know, mate. The way my body's playing up it might be two months. I'd still hope to be playing for Australia in my mid-30s, but I never look too far down the track. You've only got to string a few bad games together these days and there's no guarantee you're going to be in the side. I've obviously played with injuries in the past--and everyone has--because you can't afford to have a chance at your spot. It's pretty cut-throat. I don't want to take that chance.

IS: What's an appropiate image for the way you guard your position? A snarling Rottweiler, perhaps?
Waugh: Probably, yeah. You try to keep the other guys at bay. But when someone else gets a chance you only hope they do well. You know what they've been through to get to that position. But at the same time you don't want to give them a chance. You've got to be tough.

IS: Will you be able to retire a fabulously wealthy man?
Waugh: Not unless I change my name to Shane Warne. I've got the same initials--that's about as close as it's going to get, I think. I'll be comfortable if I play for Australia for another couple of years. All the guys who play for Australia, they're getting pretty good money and they're going to get something out of the game. But it's not as if they're not going to have to work again.

IS: And if you are only on the fringe of Test match selection?
Waugh: Well, if you're playing Shield cricket you're virtually playing for the love of the game. A lot of my close friends are Shield cricketers and haven't played for Australia, and they're struggling to make a dollar: they're paying rent, half of them don't own a car, and they haven't got a job the other half of the year. They're virtually worse off than being on the dole. They're playing cricket six months of the year and being payed $15 000 to $25 000, and the other half of the year they're struggling to find a job. So you've got to be at the top, and I suppose that's what keeps a few guys going; they know that if they're not in the top side their wages drop by a long way.

IS: Can you envisage a day when cricket's structure might change enough to transform it into a true professional sport in this country?
Waugh: I think so. With pay TV there's a big chance that Shield cricket will get more exposure. The format suits it perfectly: six hours of cricket on a 24-hour station. If that happens there's going to be more sponsors and more publicity for the guys playing, so maybe in a couple of years' time.

IS: It seems like there's a bit of boom in sports unionism at the moment...
Waugh: Yeah, it's big in America, but you can see what problems are associated with it as well. You'd hate to see it come to that sort of situation, like the baseball strike, but the cricketers probably do need a player's union at some stage. It's been talked about in the past and I'm sure it'll eventually happen, but at this stage I'm sure the players are pretty happy--they're making a good living out of the game. But at the same time they don't know whether they should be doing any better or not. We don't have access to any of the figures that are going around. I don't think the players are actually complaining, but it would be nice to know what percentage [of revenue] they're actually getting. The argument is that Shield cricket's run at a loss, so they can't see any reason to pay those players big money. Then again, there's so much cricket on TV these days there's no real need to go out and watch first-class cricket. You'd like to see people one day go out to watch Shield cricket, but the only way that's going to happen is if they cut the international program out for one year.

IS: Wouldn't that be great?
Waugh: Yeah, I think so. It's the best competition in the world. I love playing for NSW. I've played in some great games over the last three or four years. It's definately entertaining cricket. It's over four days and there's nearly always a result. All the captains have got very aggressive these days; they're all playing for the same thing. But I don't know that we'll ever see it happen.

IS: If a players' union formed, are you the sort of person who'd put your hand up to be a representitive?
Waugh: I don't know, mate. It's something that hasn't crossed my mind. I'm happy playing--I haven't even thought about life after cricket really at this stage. I think that'll look after itself. But a players' union--I'm not so sure about that one. It's a bit of a hot potato at the moment.

IS: Are you a political person? Do you read the front half of the newspaper?
Waugh: More than I used to. It seems to be that the politicians aren't too worried about what's going on besides trying to make themselves look better than the other guys. But I don't delve into it too deeply.

IS: Do you reckon Paul Keating's doing a good job?
Waugh: I think he's a good leader, yeah. He certainly knows how to get the votes. In the last election he looked like he was no chance, but I just had the feeling that he was always going to win. He made himself look pretty good, obviously better than the opposition. He's a pretty cluey bloke. I think he's the best man for the job.

IS: Do you think John Howard is the man most likely to save the Liberals?
Waugh: [Laughs] Gee, I'm out of my depth now. I don't know about that. I've met him a few times and he's down-to-earth and a pretty honest boke. He looks an honest sort of guy.

IS: Are you a religious person?
Waugh: I wouldn't say so, no. I've been to church a few times in the last few yeras. I'm quite happy for people to believe whatever they want. I don't like people shoving it down my throat on every street corner, yelling that you should be converted to Christianity or whatever. You don't need people telling you what you should do.

IS: Do you think it will be a good thing if woodchipping of our native forests is ended?
Waugh: To tell the truth I haven't really thought about that one too much. I suppose if you're taking away people's livelihoods, that's a bad thing, but obviously you don't want to knock down all the forests--some have got to be kept in their natural state. There's got to be a fine balance somewhere.

IS: Do any particular environmental issues concern you?
Waugh: I'd like to see Australian people own more of Australia and not sell it all off to overseas companies and corporations. I think that could be a problem. It seems to me that the Japanese own half of Queensland--that's one thing I'd like to see changed.

IS: Do you think it's okay for China to occupy Tibet?
Waugh: [Laughs] To tell the truth I don't know anythign about that, though I did travel to China last year for ten days, and we asked our guide about Tiananmen Square--the massacre--because he was actually a part of it; he was a student. He reckoned that if he told us what happened and someone else found out he'd be thrown straight in jail. They obviously cover up a few things over there--it's almost as if they're brainwashed. But they were interesting people. I saw the Great Wall of China--that was fantastic.

IS: Were you one of those people who suspected the Chinese women swimmers were on steroids as soon as you saw them?
Waugh: Well, we were away in Pakistan when those competitions were on, but since I've been back I've seen some of the footage, and I'd be pretty happy looking half that size. It was pretty obvious there was something going on there; you just can't come from nowhere and have the whole world records and have shoulders the size of Harragon's. It was pretty obvious they were taking something and I'm happy they got caught, actually.

IS: Do you think there should be drug testing in cricket?
Waugh: Yeah, I think there should be drug testing in all sports. I've got not time for people who are cheating. Mind you, I don't think drugs are prevalent in cricket at all. I mean, alcohol... obviously the guys get stuck into that. But besides that I can't think of any player who'd get into trouble. But I would like to think I'm playing against someone whose performance hasn't been enhanced by taking something.

IS: Do you reckon they should be testing for pot, like they do in Rugby League?
Waugh: Yeah, it's a bit of a touchy subject because it's an illegal drug and for that reason alone you probably shouldn't be smoking it, but realistically there are a lot of poeple out there who do, so it's not for me to say whether it's right or wrong. Personally I've never touched it but I think there's probably worse things around. Alchohol's probably worse for you, but that's not illegal. But marajuana is, so you shouldn't be taking it in the first place, and if you do test positive you should pay the consequences.

IS: You really can't help inhaling it if you're fielding in the outfield in the West Indies, can you?
Waugh: Yeah, a few of the locals are into that sort of stuff, but it doens't cause any sort of problem over there. It's a way of life and they're comfortable smoking it. It's not for me to say whether they're right or wrong.

IS: Which single athlete outside of cricket do you most admire?
Waugh: Probably Carl Lewis. How he is so good in so many events is just unbelievable, really.

IS: Again outside cricket, who is your favourite sporting personality?
Waugh: I always loved watching Jimmy Connors play. He was a bit of a lunatic early in his career, but I always knew he was trying. It's his way.

IS: Again outside cricket, who is your least favourite sporting personality?
Waugh: Ah, there ought to be a few.

IS: Not Mal Meninga for thumping Terry Lamb in last year's grand final?
Waugh: No no no. Definately not. He's a great player. I can't really think of any.

IS: What's the best concert you've seen?
Waugh: I'd say Jimmy Barnes in England in '93. This concert was in London but the whole crowd were Australians or New Zealanders, they were just going off.

IS: The best film you've seen in the past 12 months?
Waugh: Definately Forrest Gump. It was one of those films that after a few seconds you knew it was going to be special. It's a bit funny to explain.

QUESTION: After the Perth Test you spoke with a lot of emotion about your brother Mark and your sympathy for his plight. Obviously his predicament has affected you?

ANSWER: "I think it affects everyone. It's not easy to deal with. But it probably affects family more - mum and dad. Particularly dad because he is a newsagent. He has to read it all the time. He can't escape it. He's pretty one-eyed as well which makes it difficult for him."

Q: Your statement that you and Mark would be remembered as equally tough players seemed to be your way of putting to rest that old theory that you had toughness not grace and Mark grace but not toughness. Did that theory annoy you?

A: "You wish sometimes the articles were a little different. It always seems Mark is the elegant one and I am tough and gritty and hanging in there. That wears on us a bit both ways. I'd like people to see the aggressive, positive stuff when I bat and Mark would like people to see the gritty stuff when he bats. But there are plenty of worse things that can be said about us.

"You have to handle those things. People are going to make judgments on you and once a judgment is made you are stuck with it for quite a few years. If you look back on our schoolboy stuff we were pretty much equal in all regards. We bat in different styles but deep down we are pretty mentally tough and equally talented."

Q: IT's been said by some members of your family there are times when you and Mark are dead similar and others when you are completely different. Do you agree?

A: "That's pretty prophetic. We are similar in some ways and in others we are not. Our interests are different. Mark likes racing and golf and I like nature, seeing animals in the wild, going to movies and doing things with the kids. That's good because you don't want to be going to the same places all the time. But when it gets down to playing sport we are pretty similar in the way we play it."

Q: You and Mark used to have a rule where you refused to touch each other in photos. Were you fair dinkum?

A: "That was just a bit of fun. You guys bought it. We threw the bait out and you swallowed it. It's probably because we had 20 years of being photographed together and everything we did was being monitored closely.

"We have probably made a conscious effort to separate ourselves and go our own ways. We have never endorsed a product together. We have made an effort to be our own men which, being twins, I think you have got to. It's a bit different to being brothers like Shane and Brett Lee who are not twins so they have not been in each other's faces all the time. Being twins we spent every second together for the first 20 years."

Q: I've never seen you and Mark together having a belly laugh. Does it ever happen?

A: "Probably not the two of us together but if we are in a group we laugh about the same things. We communicate differently to most brothers. We are not into long conversations. We are short, to the point and we get our messages across. It might seem strange to a lot of people but that's the way it is."

Q: Do you ring each other on your birthday and swap presents?

A: "More so than we used to when we were young and you don't worry much about it. A lot of times the presents are bought by our partners but we say hello and ring up."

Q: What was the last birthday present you gave Mark?

A: "A framed photo when he was vice-captain and I was captain in (the Test against the West Indies) in Antigua last year. I got a photographer to get a shot, he gave me a negative and I got it printed up for Mark."

Q: You have fostered a team environment which helps new players perform well. Are there any players who were around in the tougher years of the mid-1980s who would have done much better now if they were blooded into your team?

A: "One bloke who stands out as someone who could have played 50 tests but only played 12 was Carl Rackemann. I'm not sure of the reason why. Dave Gilbert played nine Tests and was better than that. Bruce Reid could have been helped differently these days."

Q: Reid was highly-rated but some players wondered whether he really had that killer instinct. Did you?

A: "He would have been an all-time great if he had of played another 20 Tests. He was as good a bowler as I have seen. He was dangerous with a lot of rhythm, pace, everything but didn't have the body or stamina to last through unfortunately."

Q: When you started your international career some players were on $3000 contracts. There must have been enormous dissension over player payments?

A: "I can't remember there being a lot. I don't think players knew what the situation was and were quite happy to accept it. In those days the Board didn't want the players to know too much. It (the player's dispute) really only came about when we had an excellent side and a lot of experienced players. We were sick of talking about it around a dinner table whenever we got together. We decided to do something about it."

Q: Over the years you have been seen as a strong campaigner for player rights but your relationship with the ACB seems to have sweetened. Is that correct?

A: "I never had a problem with the Board. I was going into bat for the players. We just wanted a fair deal. You have seen that now with the Board we operate together rather than against each other."

It was against this backdrop of uncertainty and disappointment that Steve Waugh spoke about the frustration of scandal in cricket, the success of the Australians and a strong desire to continue playing for some time to come.

Question: How difficult has it been to concentrate on the most recent one-day series in South Africa in the wake of Hansie Cronje's startling admission that he took money from illegal bookmakers?

Answer: I'm sick of having press conferences when it's nothing to do with cricket. I went into the first game have run around doing press conferences talking about what had happened. It's certainly had an impact on us as well. It put a bit of a damp on the start of the series, but once we got into it, it was a really good series. Both teams are harmed by this sort of thing and it goes right through world cricket. It was a bit unfortunate. It took the edge off the series a little bit.

Q. Despite the scandal there were sellout crowds at all three matches with a record of 31,500 in the last match at Wanderers. Were you surprised?

A: It's great for crowds and it's great for television. Cricket gets on the back page and the front. They reckon any publicity is good publicity. Obviously the game's in a bit of strife but you'll get people turning up still.

Q: Despite the disappointment of losing the short series in South Africa, Australia has had unprecedented success this summer. What is the magic ingredient?

A: It's pretty hard to really tell. You just keep playing and playing without actually analysing it too much. We've got a great will to win. We fight all the time. A few of the guys have stepped up. Adam Gilchrist has had a tremendous year and he is one of the best cricketers in the world. Brett Lee has come into the side and done really well and Damien Martyn has made a strong comeback. The older guys have still got the determination and the commitment and the desire. When you've got the older guys leading from the front the other blokes follow.

Q: Australia has barely lost a game since those two matches against South Africa in the World Cup. Do you think that was the platform which has allowed the side to go forward? Do you think you would have been as successful if you hadn't had that infusion of confidence?

A. I mightn't have been here if we weren't that successful (laughs). To win those games gives the team a certain belief that you can get out of any situation. From winning the World Cup, we certainly grew in confidence. The team as a unit has got stronger and we haven't had too many changes in the side. We're definitely playing better cricket now than 12 months ago. I thought we really peaked in New Zealand in the first three or four games over there. We played tremendous one-day cricket.

Q: How do you keep going? Australia has been playing constantly since touring Sri Lanka from the middle of August last year.

A: It's actually been since the Commonwealth Games so it's 22 months since we started. I'm not sure how we do it half the time. A bit of automatic pilot. You turn up to the venue and play. But there is a lot at stake. You're playing for Australia and we love doing that. We've got a good thing going at the moment which keeps you fresh. Guys like Brett Lee and Colin Miller have come into the side, who keep it really fresh. Ian Harvey has come back into the one-day side. There is enough new blood in there to keep you enthused and to keep things going. It's an exciting time to be playing for Australia with John Buchanan taking over as coach. It's been a good time for everyone. There's always plenty of incentive but the main one for me is that I'm playing for Australia and that's not going to continue for eternity. There's only a certain length of time you can play for your country.

Q: How long do you want to continue?

A: I'm not really sure. Maybe 600 one-dayers, which is about two seasons (laughs). Whilst I'm really enjoying cricket and it's competitive nature then I'll keep playing but I don't want to outstay my welcome so I'll see how it goes. Q: Are you finding that constant cricket is getting harder with age? Not really. I'm probably fitter than I was a couple of years ago. Dave Misson (Australia's fitness adviser) is doing a lot. The recovery work has made a difference to us. After every day's play we have recovery sessions in the pool and stretching and massage. I'm feeling physically as well as I've felt for a long while. Mentally, it can wear you down. If you're not switched on up top that's where you're going to see the results slide away.

Q: Did you find it hard getting up for this short one-day series after such a long and successful Test summer?

A: Not against South Africa, no way. We're the world champions and always have a lot to play for.

Q: Does your amazing success this summer mean Australia have taken the game to a new level?

A: I don't know about a new level. We're playing really good cricket. Consistency is the hardest thing in one-day cricket, because every side is pretty close to each other. In the shorter version of the game, teams don't get exposed as much. In Test cricket you can bat all day if you're good enough and bowlers can bowler a lot of overs. We believe we can always improve.

Q: How much better is the team now than the one which won the World Cup?

A: It's hard to really assess it. This team probably hasn't been put under the pressure the World Cup team was put under. We responded really well. Perhaps we didn't have as much talent in the World Cup side as we have now but we had a lot of experienced guys like Paul Reiffel and Tom Moody, who had been around for a while and could handle pressure situations. It's hard to really compare the teams. This is probably the most talented side I've ever played in. We've got plenty of options and our fielding has really improved with guys like Andrew Symonds coming into the team. This side is really exciting and will get better.

Q: A player like Ricky Ponting can be unavailable because of injury and still he is hardly missed.

A: There's Jason Gillespie too. People have forgotten about him. They're two great players so it says a lot about our depth. But you certainly don't want to take it for granted. It can't keep going and going. There's a certain time where you're going to start struggling. There are a lot of good players there but we have to make sure we keep planning for the future as well.

Q: Do you believe there is too much one-day cricket around the world?

A: It probably is for the sides losing, but for us we're happy to keep playing (laughs). You've got to be careful. You need a break between tours. We had only three or four days off before our last tour which, ideally, is not enough, but it's hard to fit everything in. As long as you have a couple of months off each year I think it's okay.

Q: In your new book you talk about the disappointment of losing the Commonweath Games final to South Africa.

A: That was a huge honour for us to play in the Commonwealth Games. To make the final and play basically almost a second XI South African team, which had five or six top players missing, we should have won that game. A lot of guys didn't prepare the way they should have been playing for Australia. They took it for granted and didn't do the right thing. They know that. That loss really hurt us and we made a pact that we would never squander an opportunity like that again. Out of something negative we got something positive. We did learn a lot from that.