By RICHARD BOOCK
Australia's record-chasing cricket captain, Steve Waugh, is widely respected for his ruthless and hard-nosed ways, although he is unlikely to win any prizes for the thickness of his skin.
Waugh, who led his side to their eighth consecutive test win this week at Eden Park, is now within one success of breaking the Australian record set by Warwick Armstrong's 1921-22 team - but is not about to reignite the debate over which were the better line-up.
Before the New Zealand tour, Waugh caused an animated discussion in Australia after describing his side as "the best team of any era," raising the hackles of those who rated Armstrong's 21-22ers, Bradman's 48ers, or Ian Chappell's side of the early 70s, as superior.
The 34-year-old father of three is a keen student of Australian cricket history and is said to have a love affair with the Baggy Green, which under his captaincy is now worn by the entire line-up on the first session of the first day of every test match.
However, while everything has gone swimmingly since he took over the reins from Mark Taylor early last year, a couple of outbursts on this tour have shown another side to Waugh, a side which has been mostly obscured by his phenomenal run of success.
Shortly after the completion of the first test, Waugh was asked by ABC commentator Jim Maxwell if he felt like updating his appraisal of the Australian side in light on the record-equalling win, and he not only declined, but took the opportunity to launch a stinging attack on the assembled media.
The Australian skipper, who has a reputation for reading each and every newspaper article written about him or his side, was apparently unhappy with the manner in which some journalists used his forthright comments before the test, and gave full vent to his feelings.
"I'm not gonna say anything because it'll be taken the wrong way," he said in response to Maxwell's query. "You guys can make up your own minds on that one. I've got an opinion, but I'm not going to share it with you "People think we're cocky and arrogant because I give honest answers before the game. I said what I honestly thought was going to happen, and I then read and hear a lot of stuff about us being cocky - and how good it was that New Zealand were going to give us a run."
Waugh said he was expecting Australia to win the test, not because they were full of themselves, but because they were playing very good cricket and had the personnel to perform strongly at Eden Park.
The New South Wales right-hander went on the attack in Napier during the one-day series as well, blasting the media after it was reported across the Tasman that the Australian Cricket Board had asked the tourists to tone down their aggressive and intimidating behaviour.
Waugh denied having received any such communication and complained that it was another example of the press attempting to put a negative spin on a positive story. The newspaper concerned stood by its account.
Whatever doubts might hover over his media dealings, however, Waugh's performance on the field remains beyond reproach, with this week's win in Auckland heralding his 200th test innings.
He has so far scored 8186 test runs at 49.91, including 21 centuries, the most memorable of which was his series-winning innings of 200 at Sabina Park in 1995 to lift the Frank Worrell Trophy for the first time in 15 years.
It was the morning after that match - and the celebrations which followed - that Waugh was found asleep outside his hotel room door, black and blue from the pounding he took off Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, and still wearing his Baggy Green cap.
Cricket: Waugh reveals new sensitivity of feeling
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