Waugh declares: 'Hughes is twice as tough as I was'
Steve Waugh has declared that Phillip Hughes is twice as tough as he was at the same age, as the young Australian continues his gruelling Ashes examination on cricket's most prestigious stage.
Waugh overcame a weakness against short-pitched bowling early in his career and Hughes faces a similar challenge, especially if England include Steve Harmison in their attack for the second Test, starting at Lord's tonight, Sydney time.
Hughes sought advice from the great batsman about the secrets to success in England at a cricket function following his stunning debut series in South Africa earlier this year.
Like Hughes, Waugh was thrown into international cricket at the age of 20 and came of age on the 1989 Ashes tour, plundering 393 runs before England managed to dismiss him.
Hughes's approach is less orthodox than Waugh's was but the former Australian captain is adamant his temperament and technique are strong enough to combat England's strategy of bowling short and at the body of the small, left-handed opener.
"The great thing about him is he is so mentally tough for a 20-year-old," Waugh said. "I certainly wasn't half as tough at that age. He is a very together kid, he loves cricket [and] he wants to make a name for himself at this level." Given Waugh evolved into one of Australia's toughest cricketers, his assessment of Hughes's mental fortitude is high praise.
Waugh proved himself against the short ball on the 1995 tour of the West Indies, using his evasive skills, getting up on his toes and putting away the hook shot.
Hughes's trademark is the powerful punch through point but Harmison made him look very uncomfortable with bouncers in the tour game against England Lions and Andrew Flintoff employed the same tactics in the first Test.
However, Waugh said: "He doesn't care how he looks, it's just how many runs he's going to get and he's going to get a lot of runs. If people think he's got some sort of weakness mentally or technically and they take their foot off the pedal, they will pay the same price South Africa did.
"I know he is really still when he hits the ball, he's got a great eye and he has played that way for 10 or 12 years. He knows his game better than anyone."
Waugh also predicted that Ricky Ponting would break Allan Border's longstanding Australian runs record during the second Test. Ponting needs 65 runs to eclipse Border's mark of 11,174 career runs following his commanding 150 in the first Test in Cardiff.
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