‘When the crunch came, Steve Waugh didn’t support me’
BARE ALL In his book, Shane Warne writes about how getting dropped during Australia’s West Indies tour in 1999 soured his relationship with the then skipper and friend, Steve Waugh
meeting between the two of us and Geoff Marsh, the coach, by saying, ‘Warney, I don’t think you should play this next Test.’ (Remember the selectors on tour were the captain, vice-captain and coach.)
Silence.
‘Er, right,’ I said. ‘Why?’
‘I don’t think you’re bowling very well, mate.’
‘Yes . . . fair call,’ I admitted. ‘My shoulder is taking longer than I thought but it’s close now. The feel is slowly coming back and then the rhythm will come, mate. I’m not worried. The situation we’re in is exactly when I perform my best. History proves that, so I’m looking forward to the match and I’m confident it’ll work itself out.’
‘No, mate, I’m not so sure. I really don’t think it’s right that you play. What do you think, Swampy?’
‘I think Warney should play, mate,’ said Geoff.
‘Well, I’m captain and I don’t agree,’ said Steve.
Silence.
‘Swampy’ suggested we ask Allan Border, who was in Antigua with a tour group. So we found him and got him in that evening. All the boys were waiting for a team meeting to begin. There was a sideshow to this. Geoff was AB’S vice-captain and when the selectors dropped him, AB refused to board the plane to Perth for the Test against India until he was reinstated. So Swampy figured AB’S loyalty would win out.
Steve related our previous conversations to AB.
‘Jesus Christ, I back Warney every time,’ AB said. ‘The situation is made for him. Anyway, we owe him. Think of what he’s done for Australian cricket. We need to show faith.’ I thought, ‘That should do it.’ Then Steve said, ‘No, I appreciate your thoughts, AB, but Warney’s not playing. I’m going with my gut here. Sorry, guys.’
Disappointed is not a strong enough word. When the crunch came Tugga didn’t support me, and I felt so totally let down by someone who I had supported big time and was also a good friend.
At the team meeting, he said, ‘This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do as a captain but Warney’s not playing – plus these changes too. It’s Blewett for Elliott, Dale for Gillespie and Miller for Warne.’ There was complete silence.
(Diversion. Just before the tour of the West Indies, I signed a deal with Nicorette to give up smoking for the first time in my life.
They said, ‘Listen, 85 per cent of people take at least three attempts to pack it in, so if you have a cigarette let us know because there are steps in place to help you.’
At the time I would still have the occasional one, the plan being to slowly stop with the help of Nicorette. That night I got dropped, I went out with Brendon Julian and Damien Martyn. Geez, I had the shits and felt embarrassed. I got plastered, we all did, and Marto lit up a fag. I said, ‘Give me one of those things, mate.’ And at the very second I lit up, a flash went off and some bloke shouted, ‘I’m going to sell this!’
I thought nothing of it – whatever, mate, just fuck off! – continued to get hammered, smoked a few more, and the next morning I woke up thinking – not for the first time in my life – ‘You idiot!’ I rang Jase, who was my manager in those days, and said, ‘You better call Nicorette.’
They got back to me straight away. ‘No worries,’ they said. ‘We told you it would take at least three attempts. We knew this would happen, we just didn’t know when.’ So they put out some great PR stuff and made it clear they were backing me. Phew.)
Anyway, I smoked in the toilet through most of the match, so no-one could see me. Errol Alcott and a few of the guys joined me in the dunny too. I conducted myself badly, to be honest. I wasn’t that supportive of the team, which I regret.
Looking back, this was probably a combination of the shoulder issue still eating away at me and the pure anger bubbling inside at Steve’s lack of trust. During the first three Tests, at various times some of the bowlers came to me, grumbling about Tugga’s captaincy and field placements and stuff. I said I was backing him to the hilt and if they had a problem with the captain they should go see him direct. Perhaps because of this, I was deeply disappointed that he didn’t back me in return.
I understand he had a job to do. He wanted to win the game and, yes, they went on to win it and draw the series, but who’s to say they wouldn’t have won it with me in the team? Steve will always say the result justifies the decision, but I don’t think it’s as simple as that. I lost a bit of respect for him after that. I believe he should have backed me – as I always believe the art of captaincy is to support your players and back them every time. This gains the respect from the players and makes them play for you. He didn’t, it’s history, but I never found it easy with him after that.
We won in Antigua by 176 runs. Brian got yet another hundred out of West Indies’ first innings 222 but it wasn’t enough to save them this time. What a performance by him all tour. The wickets were shared around in both West Indies innings – Colin Miller got three in the match, Stuart MacGill five. It was a great series that finished 2–2 and kept Brian in the job.
I’ll say one thing for being dropped. It made me realise how much I loved the game and how much I missed not being out there on the park with the guys. It gave me focus, but a part of me wanted to throw the towel in.
MAGILLA
Stuart Macgill and I always got along well. His folks and my folks catch up all the time. They have mutual friends and enjoy hanging out together much as they did when we were playing together for Australia.
He had a great attitude, and was more a snarling fast bowler than thoughtful spinner. He was kind of furious, come to think of it. Off the field he was great company but he had a rage and you needed to dodge it. Just occasionally he could be like a light switch – one minute fantastic, the next a bit ugly.
When the switch flipped, some of the guys – Andy Bichel and Matthew Hayden in particular – used to tell him to pull his head in or risk getting it knocked off.
He could really rip those side-spinning leggies of his, and in an aggressive sort of way. When ‘Magilla’ was on top he was pretty hard to peg back. Sure, he bowled bad balls – two, sometimes three an over – but the good ones were ridiculous when he was on. He was a wicket-taker, simple as that. Two hundred and eight wickets in 44 Tests with 12 five-wicket hauls speaks for itself.
It’s a tight call with Sachin... the fact that he didn’t have a great side around him, I’d probably give Brian the nod. I went out with Brendon Julian and Damien Martyn. Geez, I had the shits and felt embarrassed. I got plastered...