Editing Steve Waugh (section)

===No 1 batsman===
Waugh started the 1995–96 Australian season ranked as the world's leading Test batsman.<ref name="1995ranking">{{cite web|url=http://www.iccreliancerankings.com/playerdisplay/test/batting/?id=1644&graph=ranking|title=ICC Player Rankings – Steve Waugh Tests Batting|publisher=International Cricket Council|access-date=23 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115041945/http://iccreliancerankings.com/playerdisplay/test/batting/?id=1644&graph=ranking|archive-date=15 January 2010}}</ref> He made an unbeaten 112 as Australia defeated Pakistan in the First Test at Brisbane and scored 200 runs at 50.00 for the series.<ref name="testlist"/><ref name="p354"/> Suffering an injury in December, he missed the First Test against Sri Lanka and part of the triangular ODI tournament, then returned for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne to score 131 not out.<ref name="p355">{{Harvnb|Perry|2000|p=355}}</ref> Waugh returned during the latter stages of the triangular tournament, playing in the last four matches after missing the first six.<ref name="odilist"/><ref name="auslistodi"/> He scored his maiden ODI century, ten years after his ODI debut, with an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka in Melbourne. Despite this, Australia lost by three wickets. Waugh ended with 128 runs at 42.66 and did not take a wicket, bowling only four overs on his comeback from injury.<ref name="odilist"/><ref name="auslistodi"/> He helped Australia to a 3–0 result in the Test series by scoring 170 and 61 not out at Adelaide to end the series with 362 runs for once out. He also took 4/34 in the Third Test.<ref name="testlist"/><ref name="p355"/>

During the [[1996 Cricket World Cup]] on the subcontinent, Waugh scored 82 and featured in a 207-run partnership with his brother during Australia's first match against [[Kenyan cricket team|Kenya]]: an Australian record partnership at the World Cup. He made an unbeaten half-century in the quarter-final against New Zealand at [[Chennai|Madras]], sealing a successful run chase. However, he was less effective in the semi-final and final, failing to pass 20 on either occasion. Australia lost the final to Sri Lanka at Lahore.
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After the World Cup, [[Geoff Marsh]] replaced [[Bob Simpson (cricketer)|Bob Simpson]] as coach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/6499.html|title=Profile: Geoff Marsh|work=Cricinfo Australia|publisher=ESPN Sports Media|access-date=23 September 2009}}</ref> The Australians started the new era with two ODI tournaments in Sri Lanka and India.<ref name="auslistodi"/> Waugh scored 366 runs at 40.66 with three half-centuries and took five wickets at 37.40 across nine matches.<ref name="odilist"/> The tour ended with a solitary Test against India in [[Delhi]], where Waugh was the only Australian to make a half-century in a defeat.<ref name="testlist"/>

Waugh failed to make a century in the five Tests of the 1996–97 Australian season against the West Indies, scoring 255 runs at 36.42 with three half centuries.<ref name="testlist"/><ref name="az"/> He also missed the Second Test against the West Indies after injuring his groin while bowling in the First.

The injury meant that Waugh was only available for six of Australia's eight ODI matches in the annual triangular tournament. Waugh managed only 159 runs at 26.50 and only bowled three overs without taking a wicket as he came back from injury as Australia missed the finals.<ref name="testlist"/><ref name="odilist"/>

Waugh returned to form on the 1997 tour of South Africa, averaging 78.25. He scored 160 in the First Test at Johannesburg, compiling a 385-run partnership with [[Greg Blewett]]. They batted for the entire third day's play to set up an innings victory. Waugh then top scored with half-centuries in both innings of the Third Test, which Australia lost. After the team's vice-captain [[Ian Healy]] was suspended for throwing his bat after his dismissal,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/AUS_IN_RSA/AUS_RSA_T3_21-24MAR1997_MR|title=3rd TEST: S. Africa v Australia at Centurion, 21–24&nbsp;March 1997|publisher=ESPNcricinfo |last=Deeley|first=Peter|date=26 March 1997|access-date=23 September 2009}}</ref> Waugh replaced him as Mark Taylor's deputy.<ref name="p355"/> Waugh continued his strong run in the seven ODIs, scoring 301 runs at 50.16 with four half-centuries. After scoring 50 and 50* in the first two matches, he scored 89 in a run chase in the sixth match as Australia sealed the series 4–2 with one over in hand. He then scored 91 in the last match in a vain run chase.<ref name="odilist"/><ref name="auslistodi"/>

On the 1997 Ashes tour, Australia started poorly with a 0–3 loss in the ODI series, with Waugh managing only 60 runs at 20.00.

This continued as Australia lost the First Test by nine wickets, drew the Second Test, then won the toss in the Third Test at Manchester. Gambling on batting first on green pitch, Australia slumped to 3/42 in the first hour when Waugh came out to bat. He made 108. Similarly, he began his second innings with Australia on 3/39 and scored 116. These two centuries in a low-scoring match won the game. Australia levelled the series and regained the initiative, retaining the Ashes with a 3–2 result. Waugh's only other notable score was 75, scored in the Fifth Test win at [[Trent Bridge|Nottingham]], and he finished with 390 runs at 39 average for the series.