Editing Mark Waugh (section)

==Domestic career==
===First-class cricket===
Waugh and Mark Taylor opened on debut against [[Tasmanian Tigers|Tasmania]] at [[Hobart]]'s [[TCA Ground]]. New South Wales were sent into bat and Waugh was dismissed for 13 and New South Wales fell to 3/60 in the first innings.<ref name="k42">Knight, p. 42.</ref> He scored 28 in the second innings, but the drawn match was more notable for an incident on the third morning, when the new opening pair overslept on Taylor's 21st birthday. They were punished by coach Bob Simpson with fielding drills, forcing the pair to take hundreds of catches.<ref name="k43">Knight, p. 43.</ref> He took his first catch, that of [[Roger Woolley]] on debut. Waugh fell on tough times, being dismissed for a duck and four by Test bowler [[Merv Hughes]] in the next match against [[Victorian Bushrangers|Victoria]] and then 17 and a [[run out]] for another duck against the touring [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]].<ref>Knight, pp. 43–44.</ref> With a First-class average of 10.33, Waugh was dropped for the next five matches. However, for the final four matches of the season, Waugh was recalled to the team as a front-line [[pace bowling|fast bowler]] and middle order batsman. He took 4/130 in the first innings against [[Queensland Bulls|Queensland]] in his first match in the role. They were his first First-class wickets. His bowling was characterised by his liberal use of short-pitched bowling. In the next match against Tasmania, Waugh opened the bowling with [[Mike Whitney]],<ref name="k45">Knight, p. 45.</ref> due to injuries to other bowlers, taking 2/31 in the first innings.<ref name="k46">Knight, p. 46.</ref> Waugh then took 3/49 in the final round robin match against Queensland, before the teams met again in the Sheffield Shield final at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]]. Whitney and Waugh were New South Wales' only pacemen and Waugh bowled 27 overs to take 1/71. Batting at No. 7, Waugh was involved in a century stand with [[Greg Dyer]] to help avoid the [[follow on]] with 41.<ref name="k47">Knight, p. 47.</ref> Waugh made only 24 in the second innings as the home team hung on for a draw to secure the Shield. Waugh had scored 167 runs at 15.18 and took 11 wickets at 32.00 for the season.<ref>Knight, pp. 48–49.</ref> He played in one limited overs match, scoring 13 and taking 1/28 against Victoria.<ref name="k49">Knight, p. 49.</ref>

At this stage of his career, Waugh lived in the shadow of his brother Steve, who was promoted to the Australian team at the age of 20. As a result, Mark was sometimes called ''Afghan'', a reference to the [[1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan]], sometimes dubbed the "forgotten war".<ref name="az"/><ref>{{cite news|title=The last of cricket's cavaliers|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/136774.html|publisher=[[Cricinfo]]|date=16 February 2004}}</ref> Building up an impressive record at First-class level, Waugh spent two seasons with English county Essex as the team's successor to [[Allan Border]] as an overseas professional.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cult Heroes: Mark Waugh |url=https://www.essexcricket.org.uk/2020/06/03/cult-heroes-mark-waugh/ |access-date=14 January 2024 |website=www.essexcricket.org.uk}}</ref> In 1987–88 and 1989–90, he was voted the Sheffield Shield Player of the Year.<ref name="az"/>

In mid-1988, Waugh was signed to replace Australian captain Allan Border for a six-week stint as the overseas professional at Essex County Cricket Club in England, after just one full season of Sheffield Shield. Border had to leave before the end of the season because of the Australian tour of [[Pakistan]] and had recommended Waugh, who arrived with high expectations.<ref name="kc">Knight, pp. 64–65.</ref> Essex were one of the strongest teams in England and Border had scored six centuries that season.<ref name="kc"/> Waugh's debut came in August in a limited overs match against [[Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club|Nottinghamshire]] at [[Castle Park Cricket Ground|Colchester]]. After struggling at the start of his innings,<ref name="kc"/> Waugh found his rhythm and reached 103 from only 94 balls, accumulating his second 50 in just 28 balls.<ref name="k66">Knight, p. 66.</ref> He ended with 15 fours and a six and then took 2/16 with the ball. Waugh played in three First-class matches, scoring 178 runs at 44.50.<ref name="k66"/> His performances were enough to prompt Essex officials to invite him to return for the 1989 season. Waugh accepted, subject to him not being selected for the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1989|1989 Ashes tour of England]] with the national side.<ref name="k67">Knight, p. 67.</ref>

In the longer form, Waugh continued to be overlooked and was criticised for his apparently casual attitude.<ref name="k77">Knight, p. 77.</ref> Simpson, now the Australia coach, criticised Waugh, believing that he was not fully exploiting his talent.<ref name="k79">Knight, p. 79.</ref> He scored only one half-century in the remainder of the First-class season, ending the season with 727 First-class runs at 40.39.<ref name="k368">Knight, p. 368.</ref> He did not take a wicket for the season.<ref name="k79"/> He was overlooked for the 1989 [[The Ashes|Ashes]] tour.<ref name="k80">Knight, p. 80.</ref>

In 1989, Waugh returned to Essex for his first full season as the overseas professional. He began slowly with a 77 against [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]] being his only score beyond 50 in his first six innings. He then scored 92 and took 3/23 against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]] and then three fifties in the next six innings, including 89 not out against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]]. Waugh then broke through for his first First-class county century, scoring 109 at [[Valentines Park|Ilford]] in late June against [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]], whose pace attack was led by [[Malcolm Marshall]].<ref name="k82">Knight, p. 82.</ref> He then scored 112 not out against [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club|Glamorgan]] in a one-dayer,<ref name="k83">Knight, p. 83.</ref> but had another lean run in the County Championship, failing to pass 30 in nine consecutive innings.<ref name="k84">Knight, p. 84.</ref> Waugh returned to form with 110 against [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], before scoring an unbeaten century against Australia in a tour match. He scored 100 from 165 deliveries, while Steve reached his century in 101 balls for Australia.<ref name="k85">Knight, p. 85.</ref> Waugh finished his season with 165 against Leicester. He had scored 1537 runs at 43.91.<ref name="k85"/> He took 31 catches in 24 matches<ref name="k362">Knight, p. 362.</ref> and took 14 wickets at 29.62.<ref name="k371">Knight, p. 371.</ref> Essex finished second in the County Championship, six points behind [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]].<ref name="k85"/> They would have won were it not for the 25-point penalty that was incurred for pitch-doctoring.<ref name="k84"/> Essex paid Waugh and his teammates championship-winning bonuses, indicating their belief that they were the rightful champions.<ref name="k85"/> Essex reached the final of the Benson & Hedges Cup against Nottinghamshire. Waugh made 41 from 58 balls before his team lost after conceding the winning runs from the last ball of the match.<ref>Knight, pp. 87–88.</ref>

In the first Sheffield Shield match of the season, Waugh scored 172 from 301 balls, his highest First-class score to date.<ref name="k91">Knight, p. 91.</ref> He hit 20 boundaries. He then struck 42 and took three wickets against [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]], but was overlooked for the Test against New Zealand. He scored 46 and 18 and took 1/31 and 2/34 against Queensland, before striking and unbeaten 100 against Victoria. Despite this Waugh was not selected for the opening phase of the season's ODI tournament.<ref name="k92">Knight, p. 92.</ref> At the start of 1990, he went three innings without passing 30, before striking another unbeaten century against Victoria. New South Wales was then sent in at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Waugh struck 137 from 185 runs on the first day, including a six from [[Peter Sleep]] that narrowly missed the clock tower.<ref name="k93">Knight, p. 93.</ref> The [[Sydney Morning Herald]] opined that "Waugh would imperiously render them [the fielders] obsolete, going over, between and sometimes through them".<ref name="k94"/>

Waugh returned to state duty and New South Wales needed to beat Tasmania in their last match to qualify for the final. They were struggling at 3/33 in reply to Tasmania's 117 when Waugh came to the crease and made 198 not out from 390 balls.<ref name="k95">Knight, p. 95.</ref> New South Wales won by an innings to reach the Shield final against Queensland. Waugh scored an unbeaten 78 in the second innings as his team won the title. Waugh ended the Sheffield Shield as the top-scorer, with 967 runs at 80.85, prompting the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] (ABC) to select him as its Player of the Year.<ref name="k96">Knight, p. 96.</ref> It noted that Waugh's "characteristic blend of dash and elegance . . .seemed to be reinforced now by extra application and determination."<ref name="k97">Knight, p. 97.</ref>

In 1990, Waugh and his brother combined in an unbeaten partnership of 464 in 407 minutes for New South Wales against [[Western Warriors|Western Australia]] at the [[WACA Ground]], setting a world First-class record for the fifth wicket.<ref name="p352"/> Both teams were at full strength and Western Australia's attack included Test bowlers [[Terry Alderman]], [[Bruce Reid]] and [[Chris Matthews (cricketer)|Chris Matthews]]. The twins ended unbeaten with 216 and 229 respectively.<ref>Cashman, p. 322.</ref>

On the tour of England in 1993, Waugh scored 174 against [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] and reclaimed his Test position from [[Damien Martyn]]. He scored an ODI and a Test century in matches at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]].