THE LAST TEST

In early November 2002, as the Australian team prepared for the 2002–3 Ashes series, Steve Waugh had a feeling the selectors wanted the series to be his last. I had a feeling too. Possibly, the whole of Australia did. The rot had set in eight months earlier when the selectors, headed by

Trevor Hohns, dropped Steve Waugh as Australia’s one-day captain. Hohns had been sensitive about exactly where to let Waugh know he’d been axed. He thought it would be a little harsh to give him the bad news in his hotel room on the day of the 2002 Allan Border Medal. So he had tried to do the deed the day before in Devonport, as Waugh waited to go in to bat for NSW in a limited-overs clash against Tasmania.

Hohns asked the padded-up Waugh for five minutes of his time. Waugh explained he was next in. A disappointed Hohns suggested they catch up in Melbourne the next day. As Hohns made his way to Waugh’s Melbourne hotel room on that February morning, Allan Border admitted to feeling physically ill. He was on the selection panel and knew what was about to happen. Australia had missed out