An Even to Steven... if ever there was one, would be Bailey!

George Bailey – A Steve Waugh in the making?

Steve Rodger Waugh is one of the greatest cricketers to have played the game. He was not your typical batsmen that would play text book shots or even someone you would associate as classy unlike his twin brother Mark. However Steve was effective and over his career of close to two decades he had proved that time and again.

The best thing about Steve was his ability to judge the situation of a game. The calm demeanour in which he would approach a game was a real treat to watch. He was also a constant innovator and was one of the first ones to bring the back of the hand slow delivery into cricket. What makes Steve even more special was his ability to lead and this made him one of the most successful Australian captains.

Steve was instrumental in many of Australia’s glories in cricket throughout the nineties and early part of the millennium where he lead them to victory after victory, be it the Ashes or the World Cup in 1999 or the 16 consecutive test wins that even got the critics to compare his side to the great Invincibles during the Bradman era. He clearly was a giver and always put his team and his mates ahead of him. Legends like Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting blossomed under his leadership and took Australian cricket to greater heights.

Steve was also a fighter throughout his career and his last test match was a testimony to this fact, where he played a gritty match saving knock against India to ensure that the series ended in a tie, he definitely was one of a kind. It has been close to a decade since he has retired from the game and many cricketers have come and gone but no one brings in the kind of selfless leadership and calmness in batting like Steve does.

But if at all I ever had to choose someone who reminded me of this legend, it would be the stand in Australian Captain George Bailey.

Both Steve and George started off their careers in different fashion. Steve burst into the scene as young kid and he played for many years under the likes of the great Alan Border and Mark Taylor before he actually went on to lead the side. George however is a late bloomer much like Michael Hussey or Misbah-ul-Haq, who grinded it out in the domestic circuit playing for his club Tasmania before finally getting the call to the yellow squad. Ironically enough George played his first T20 international game for Australia as the captain, this was a good indicator of how good a leader he was and how much the Cricket Australia backed him.

Few years into international cricket, playing 30 odd one day matches and also donning the role of a stand in captain occasionally, George Bailey has done well. He may not have many wins to show for under his belt but he certainly has shown character and improved his game vastly. Batting in the lower middle order like Steve did for many years; George too has flourished and played many valuable knocks especially during difficult situations. The way he clears his left leg and hammers the ball over mid-wicket or shuffles across off stump to flick the ball to deep square leg or his well crafted innings batting with the tail is constant reminder of the great Steve Waugh.

At the age of 31, Bailey has just started his career and is yet to play a test match, by this time Steve was half way into his. When Michael Clarke comes back into the side, Bailey will hand over the reins to him. But he would certainly remain Clark’s trusted lieutenant to handle the lower middle order and emulate performances of the great Steve Waugh. To bring back Australian cricket to its glorious days, Bailey will have to play a pivotal role, playing those crucial knocks in lower order like Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan and Michael Hussey did for many years for Australia.

Only time will tell how well George is able to handle the job but whatever glimpses we have seen of him is encouraging and he could possibly be the Even to Steven, if ever there was one!