On this day, 28 years ago the world of cricket saw the first male twins appear together to play test cricket. Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh; two names went on to create their own space, style, and legacy in world cricket. Although this wasn't the first of this kind of instance in cricket.
Steve Waugh made his debut on Boxing Day in 1985. Mark debuted in January 1991. By the time the four minutes younger Mark made his debut, Steve already was an established cricketer with seven years and 42 matches of experience. Interestingly, Mark replaced his brother to make his debut in the test. Steve was dropped due to poor form in the Adelaide Test of 1991 against England. Mark showed his class on his debut. He played an excellent knock of 138 in the second innings of the 4th Ashes test. The match was drawn but the world was made aware of Mark Waugh’s powerful and classy existence.
Two months to this and the Australians were traveling to the West Indies. The ‘Junior’ as Mark Waugh was called affectionately was already a part of the touring side. Steve Waugh was recalled into the side. The third test against West Indies in 1991 saw the two Waugh brothers appearing together for the same test match on this day, in Trinidad.
“Becoming the first twins to play a Test together was a proud moment for Mark and me, though we both just wanted to get on with the game and bypass the sideshow that developed once the new line-up was announced. No doubt Mum and Dad back home were excited, doubly nervous and extremely proud at seeing their boys making it together,” Steve recalled in his autobiography.
Rain denied the first two days of the memorable test match. It wasn’t a great outing for the Waugh brothers together. But Mark Waugh scored a meaningful 64 with Steve scoring only 26. Steve didn’t impress in the next match as well and was duly dropped for the final game. Australia won the fifth match convincingly but lost the series 1-2.
The Waugh brothers played 108 test matches together. Mark was dropped just before the Ashes series in Australia in 2002. He also played his last test in the same year against Pakistan in October. Steve Waugh overall had a better career. He played his last test against India in January 2004. The amazing part is that this brother duo ranks sixth among the top partnership aggregates for Australia. They added 5339 runs from 127 innings at an average of almost 45, with 14-century partnerships between them.
As mentioned in the beginning the Waugh brothers were the first twins who appeared together to play test cricket. During New Zealand’s women’s cricket tour of England in 1984, two Kisi sisters Elizabeth and Rose Signal became the first twins to feature in a test match together. Because of the male domination of the game and also the huge success of Steve and Mark, the Waugh brothers are remembered more by the fans.
