by Arunabha Sengupta
It was inevitable. The comparisons and contrasts.
Early in their careers for some reason Ian Chappell was not too happy with Steve. Well, he does not often need too many reasons, does he? When his co-commentator voiced that Steve Waugh was perhaps the best all-rounder in the southern hemisphere, the argumentative former Australian captain shot back on air: “Mark is a classier batsman, much better fielder and at least as good a bowler. Steve is not even the best all-rounder in his family.”
A decade later there was the famous James Ormond incident. By then Steve Waugh had unequivocally established the more lasting and tangible qualities of his substance over the effervescent style of his twin brother. As Ormond walked in to bat, the archetypal Aussie manner Mark rattled off from slip, “What are you doing here? No way are you good enough to play for England.” The Leicestershire man retorted, “At least I’m the best player in my family.”
Steve characterised by grit, guts and glory. Mark by flair, finesse and flamboyance.
Steve became one of the most successful of skippers. Mark was touted to be one through much of his early days, but never became one.
Steve emerged the better performer, Mark the one people loved to watch.
296 Tests, 19000 runs and 52 centuries between them in Tests. 569, 16000 and 21 in ODIs. Sharing everything, from womb to dressing rooms to headlines, they could not avoid comparisons.
In absolute terms, however, both Steve and Mark were magnificent cricketers.
Born 2 June 1965.
Illustration: Maha