OREILLY_ON_S-WAUGH_03MAR85

Bill O`Reilly on Steve Waugh:

Three times this week I have had ample reason to thank my lucky stars that I have been fortunate enough, cricket-wise, to be sticking around and able to enjoy the pleasantries of life.

First, I learned that three young schoolboy bowlers who had previously fancied themselves as quickies have seen the light and switched to spin.

To me that was tremendous news.

I reckoned that there must have been many more besides.

Consequently I have begun to think that Bob Holland`s and Murray Bennett`s colossal performance in the Australian win over the West Indies in the Sydney Test has begun to bear the fruit I hoped it would.

The second was the incredible impact that young Steve Waugh made in one of the best debut performances I have seen for many years.

The NSW boy stood head and shoulders above anything else that has happened in a batting sense on the SCG this season.

He was so amazingly good that I have given him the 16th place in the touring team I have chosen for England as an ex-officio Australian selector.

To strengthen that resolve I have taken a long satisfying look at the personnel of the 1930s [sic - I assume this means 1930] side chosen when many Australian heroes were superannuated to make places for the youthful quorum which made Bill Woodfull`s side that year a memorable milestone in Australian cricket history.

Eight men then chosen were under the age of 25 - five of them were less than 23.

I use that to fortify my decision to let my head go purely and simply on educated suspicion and try young Waugh out as yet another Alan Fairfax who became the invaluable, youthful workhorse in that historic tour which the 20-year-old Bradman made famous.

Source :: The Sun-Herald