Steve Waugh made 102 in his final Ashes Test at the SCG — reaching his century off the last ball before tea with a boundary, having been dropped from Tests only to be recalled for this series finale, in what became one of cricket's most celebrated farewell innings.
Steve Waugh had been the most important Australian cricketer of his era — the man who built and led the 16-consecutive-test-winning side. By early 2003, he had been dropped from the ODI team and there were calls for his Test retirement. His selection for the final Ashes Test at the SCG was controversial.
Waugh came in at three with Australia needing to build a lead. He had been going through a lean patch. The SCG crowd — his home ground — cheered him to the wicket. He was 37 years old.
The first session was difficult — Waugh scratched around, facing questions about whether he could still perform. Then the afternoon session arrived. He accumulated steadily, reaching 50, then 70, then 90.
With one ball remaining before tea, Waugh needed 4 for his century. He drove the ball through the covers — four. The SCG erupted. He raised his bat, looked at the sky (a tribute to his late grandfather), and punched the air.
102 in a total of 362. Australia won the match. Waugh played one more home series (against West Indies, 2003-04) before retiring. The SCG century is the most romantic farewell innings in Australian cricket history.
Waugh needing 4 off the last ball before tea — the most dramatic moment
The drive through covers — four, century, SCG erupts
Waugh's tribute to the sky — personal meaning in a public moment
January 2, 2003
Final Ashes Test, SCG — Waugh bats at three
Before tea on day two
Waugh on 96 — one ball before tea
Last ball
Four through covers — century off the last ball before tea
Waugh retired from international cricket in January 2004 after defeating India in a series at home. He retired with 10,927 Test runs at 51.06 and 92 Test appearances as captain. He became a humanitarian and author.
The most fairytale innings in Australian cricket history — a man accused of being past his best, on his home ground in his final Ashes Test, scoring a hundred off the last ball of the session. Fiction would not have dared invent it.
Steve Waugh's SCG century is the defining example of a player silencing his critics at the most important moment. It is referenced every time an experienced player is written off too early — as proof that not all farewell innings are defeats.
Australia vs West Indies
1960-12-14
The first tied Test in 86 years of cricket history — Australia and West Indies finished level on 737 runs each after five days of breathless cricket in Brisbane, producing one of the most dramatic finishes the game has ever seen.
India vs Australia
1986-09-22
Twenty-six years after Brisbane, cricket produced only its second tied Test — Dean Jones's heroic 210 through crippling heat and Dean Jones's fever, Ravi Shastri's unbeaten 48 and India needing 2 off the last over, only for Maninder Singh to be out lbw off the final ball.
Australia vs South Africa
1999-06-17
Lance Klusener smashed Australia to the brink of elimination, then ran out Allan Donald off the penultimate ball to tie the match — but Australia advanced to the final on superior run rate, ending South Africa's greatest World Cup campaign in devastating fashion.