Mark Taylor denies Steve Waugh newspaper report

Former Australian cricket captain and Nine Network cricket commentator Mark Taylor today vigorously denied quotes attributed to him in a Sydney newspaper calling on Steve Waugh to retire from international cricket.

The back-page report in today's Daily Telegraph was based on comments supposedly made by Taylor on the World Cup's official website.

"Since arriving in South Africa on February 9 I have not made any public comments concerning Steve Waugh, nor have I given any interviews on the subject," said Taylor. "And in the two World Cup matches that I have so far been part of as a commentator I made no reference to Steve whatsoever."

Taylor said: "I completely refute comments attributed to me in a so-called interview reported on the official ICC World Cup website dealing with Steve Waugh and several other issues."

"I have steadfastly stayed clear of the public debate concerning Steve Waugh's future," Taylor said from Johannesburg.

"Having been through something similar myself back in 1997, I can well appreciate what Steve is going through. That's why I have consistently refused to enter the debate as to whether he should keep playing or retire."

(Issued by Mark Taylor's management, The Fordham Company.)