Waugh hundred 'one of my six best'

Australia captain Steve Waugh described his unbeaten 101 in the first Ashes test against England on Friday as "one of my six best Test hundreds".

Waugh, whose century was his 26th in Test cricket and ninth as skipper, was described by England coach Duncan Fletcher as "a class act".

"Technically I thought I played pretty well," Waugh said. "I've been feeling pretty relaxed at the crease recently and I tried to take that attitude in to the Test match. The first 20 or 30 I scored was as good as I've hit for a long while.

"The wickets over here certainly suit my style of play. They give you a little more time as I tend to play off the back foot."

When he reached three figures, Waugh pointedly raised his bat to the pavilion for several moments before acknowledging the crowd's applause.

The Australian skipper said: "The family's here on this tour, my wife (Lynette) and the two kids and the in-laws. They've been through a lot in the last 16 years so it's nice to get them involved. They have made a lot of sacrifices so it was just a bit of recognition for that."

Waugh's innings underlined what an outstanding competitor he is when the pressure is greatest, and he explained why he thrives in such situations.

"I've always enjoyed responsibility on the cricket field, going back to when I played for Somerset (in 1988). That taught me I was expected to get runs. Playing those matches showed me that you're the man who has got to do the job, and I've got a lot to thank for that experience.

"And now as captain (of Australia) I've got to set the example, and I enjoy it. You need a challenge no matter what you do, and being captain gives you a different perspective on things."

On the prospects for the rest of the game, in which Australia lead by 38 with six first innings wickets in hand, Waugh said: "It's going to be hard to bat last on that wicket and if we get a lead of 150 we can put England under pressure.

"We're not planning on having a fourth innings but if there is a target, anything over 120 would be hard because the pitch is going to play a few more tricks. But while the occasional ball looks ugly, I think it's a good Test for all the players."

Mail Cricket Editor