Portal:City of Bankstown/Selected biography/2

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Steve Waugh AO (born June 2, 1965 in Canterbury, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer who captained the Australian Test cricket team from 1999 to 2004. He is the most capped Test player in history with 168 appearances. He is known amongst friends as "Tugga", and amongst the public as "Iceman" for his ability to remain calm and cool in high-pressure situations throughout his career. He was named Australian of the Year in 2004.

Waugh made his first-class debut for New South Wales (NSW) in 1984–85, batting at number nine and bowling medium pace. In the Sheffield Shield final that season, he scored 71 while batting with the tail to help NSW to victory. After nine first-class matches for NSW, he made his Test debut against India in the 1985–86 season, in the second Test at Melbourne. He scored 13 and 5 and took 2/36 in the first innings. Failing to make a substantial score in the series (he tallied 26 runs in four innings), Waugh was retained for the subsequent tour of New Zealand. He had a good all-round match in the second Test at Christchurch, making 74 and claiming 4/56, but his batting average was only 17.4 for the series.

The Australian selectors persisted with Waugh, and he toured India in 1986. During the three Tests, Waugh had limited opportunities and scored 59 runs for once out and took two wickets. At this stage of his career, Waugh bore a heavy workload as a bowler although he was ostensibly selected for his batting. He bowled a long spell, taking 3/76, in the first Test against England at Brisbane in 1986–87, then scored 0 and 28 as Australia slumped to defeat. In the second Test at Perth, he made 71 and had match figures of 5/159, then he scored 79 not out in the drawn third Test at Adelaide. Scores of 49 and 73 in the last two Tests, gave him series figures of 310 runs (at 44.29) and ten wickets (at 33.6), a fighting effort in a team defeated 1–2.