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Shane Warne hits out at Steve Waugh, calls him 'the most selfish cricketer'

Melbourne, Feb 9: Australian spin legend Shane Warne has launched a scathing attack on his former captain Steve Waugh, describing him as "the most selfish cricketer."

The 46-year-old Warne, who played under Waugh's captaincy, had a fall out with the legendary skipper during the Caribbean tour in 1999. Waugh had dropped Warne from the 4th and final Test against West Indies in 1999, which upset the spinner.

A file picture of Shane Warne

Now, after nearly 17 years of the incident, Warne has recalled that day leading up to his axing from the Australian Test Playing XI.

"There's a lot of reasons I don't like Steve Waugh ... (one of them) because he's the most selfish cricketer I've played with," Warne was quoted as saying on Cricket Australia's (CA) website today (February 9).

According to CA's website, Warne has hit out at Waugh on "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here" episode, to be aired tonight on "Channel Ten" in Australia.

"One thing that really annoyed me about him was the one Test I got dropped, in the West Indies (in 1999), we had to win the last Test match to (retain) the (Frank Worrell) Trophy. At that stage, captain (Waugh), vice-captain (me), coach (Geoff Marsh) used to pick the team," Warne, who took 708 Test wickets from 145 matches, said.

Then vice-captain Warne, who had taken just 2 wickets in the previous 3 Tests of the series since returning from shoulder surgery in July 1998, said he was made "scapegoat" for the 4th and final Test. Warne's place went to off-spinner Colin Miller. Australia won that Test by 176 runs to draw the series.

Warne added, "We went to selection. I hadn't bowled well (and) we had lost - Brian Lara batted unreal - but I felt like I was being the scapegoat, that because I didn't bowl well it was my fault.

"We got to the selection table and said 'What's everyone's thoughts?'. Steve Waugh said (to me) 'You're not playing'. I went 'What? Hang on. What do you think the team should be? Blah blah blah', and Steve Waugh said 'Nup, I'm the captain of this side ... you're not playing'.

"I was really disappointed with that after (almost) 10 years. I'd just had a shoulder operation. I thought the situation, of having to win a Test match, would've brought the best out in me too.

"I don't like Steve Waugh for a lot of other reasons, but that was the reason I thought (there was no way that relationship would recover)."

OneIndia News

Story first published: Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7:29 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 3, 2017