Furious Steve Waugh explodes at act of disrespect: ‘They don’t care’

The Aussie Test legend has slammed a rival Test cricket nation’s complete lack of respect for the game after a stunning moment.

Steve Waugh has declared South Africa “obviously doesn’t care” about Test cricket in a well-deserved spray.

The Proteas stunned the cricket world when they named a 14-man squad full of backups and unknowns to tour New Zealand next month.

Days after punishing powerhouse India by an innings in a home Test match, South Africa named a debutant captain in Neil Brand among seven uncapped players for the two-Test series.

The national team was ravaged by a ruling from Cricket South Africa which determined no players contracted to SA20 franchises were eligible for selection. Thus from the side which just beat India, only Keegan Petersen and David Bedingham remain.

It is a remarkable indication of South Africa’s priorities given they currently lead the 2023-25 World Test Championship standings (with one win from one Test) and prompted Waugh to unload on Instagram.

“Is this a defining moment in the death of Test cricket?” the Aussie cricket legend wrote.

“History and tradition must count for something. If we stand by and allow profits to be the defining criteria the legacy of Bradman, Grace and Sobers will be irrelevant.”

Steve Waugh has been a long-time defender of Test cricket’s traditions.

South Africa celebrates its recent win against India. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Neither Pakistan nor the West Indies sent a full-strength side to Australia for this summer’s Test matches and Waugh fears the trend will continue, even from major nations, if changes are not made to the global cricket system.

“It’s going to happen if the South African Cricket Board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home,” he said.

“If I was New Zealand I wouldn’t even play the series. I don’t know why they’re even playing. Why would you when it shows a lack of respect for New Zealand cricket?

“It’s pretty obvious what the problem is. The West Indies aren’t sending their full-strength side (to Australia). They haven’t picked a full-strength Test team for a couple of years now.

“Someone like Nicholas Pooran is really a Test batsman who doesn’t play Test cricket. Jason Holder, probably their best player, is not playing now. Even Pakistan didn’t send a full side.

“If the ICC or someone doesn’t step in shortly then Test cricket doesn’t become Test cricket because you’re not testing yourself against the best players.

“I understand why players don’t come. They’re not getting paid properly. I don’t understand why ICC or the top countries who are making a lot of money don’t just have a regulation set fee for Test matches which is a premium, so people are incentivised to play Test Cricket.

“Otherwise they just play T10 or T20. The public are the ones who are going to suffers because it’s not the full side playing, so it’s not Test cricket.”

Despite having to travel with a makeshift squad, South Africa’s Test coach Shukri Conrad said he was confident that the team would be competitive.

“The players selected for this tour have every chance of challenging New Zealand,” said Conrad, who pointed out that most of the players had shown their ability while playing for South Africa A in recent series against West Indies A and India A.

– with foxsports.com.au