Waugh celebrates 15th anniversary of Test debut

MELBOURNE - Steve Waugh celebrates 15 years as a Test cricketer tomorrow, but even he has trouble recalling the details of his debut.

Just before he sat down for another Christmas lunch in Melbourne, Waugh was hazy about the lead-up to his first Test against an Indian team featuring Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar.

"I think we started Christmas Day at home (in Sydney) and flew down to Melbourne about 10 o'clock in the morning," Waugh said.

"But I could be wrong about that. It was so long ago I can't even remember it myself."

It was so long ago that Waugh's teammate Jason Gillespie was just 10 years old when Waugh put on his beloved baggy green cap for the first time.

Australia drew the Test and the 20-year-old Waugh scored 13 and five while taking 2-36 in the first innings.

The Australian captain will wear the same cap tomorrow - stained with blood and beer from 130 Tests - when he returns to the MCG to take on the West Indies.

"It's the best Test match an Australian cricketer could play. Boxing Day, walking out there in front of that big crowd - it's a special feeling," Waugh said.

"Playing that first one I could never imagine I'd be here 15 years down the track."

Waugh has played 13 Tests in Melbourne, scoring 943 runs including unbeaten centuries against England and Sri Lanka.

The milestone comes just 11 days after Waugh's twin Mark celebrated the 10th anniversary of his Test debut with Australia's win over the West Indies in Adelaide.