Ashes hundred saved my career, says Waugh

Steve Waugh at the launch of Never Say Die © Getty

Steve Waugh said that his Test career was in serious doubt before the fifth Ashes Test against England earlier this year, and that his dramatic hundred in that Test saved it.

Speaking at the release of Never Say Die, his 11th book, at Sydney, Waugh recalled the century that he scored in the city in January. "It could have been my last match. If I didn't score runs my Test career was over," Waugh said. "I was under a lot of pressure, but you appreciate things more when they don't come too easy. You dream that these things could happen, but you don't really expect them to."

With two runs needed to get to his century and one ball left in the day to get them, Waugh punched the ball through cover for four and, uncharacteristically, exulted while still on the field. That hundred equalled Don Bradman's record of 29 Test hundreds for Australia.

Waugh revealed that another of his dreams was a triple hundred, and said that he was inspired by Matthew Hayden's world record of 380 in Perth earlier this month. He also needs only nine wickets to reach 100 Test scalps. "Many people believe that's beyond reach," said Waugh. "I probably think that as well, but you never know. There might be nine wickets out there for me this summer. It's something to aspire to."

There are, said Waugh, also a few more hundreds in him. "There are other players that come along, the selectors have got to do a job, and they may go in a different direction," he said. "All I can do is play the best I possibly can and give myself the greatest opportunity to do well. I feel as if I'm playing well, there's no reason why I can't get a couple more hundreds."