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Michael Atherton on the shining example set by Australia's resilient captain

Steve Waugh has had to dig deep into his seemingly bottomless well of mental strength on many occasions, but none more so than in this last month. Four times his team has faced the certain knowledge that defeat would bring departure and, almost by force of his own will-power, with a little help from his friends and Herschelle Gibbs, he has somehow hauled his team in sight of the winning post.

If he manages to crown an illustrious career by lifting the World Cup this evening, it will be, in this age of sound-bite and spin, the ultimate triumph of substance over style. Truly he lets his cricket do the talking.

His Test average hovers around 50, the mark of the very best, and generally he eschews risk and bases his game around steely-wristed flicks to leg and thrashes through the off side.

But during the World Cup the self-imposed shackles have been lifted and his batting has blossomed. Wonders have been many during this tournament, but none more wondrous than Waugh's innings at Headingley. Not for him the easy runs in a match already decided: in that pivotal match everything was on the line.

And what a difference to the lacklustre cricket Australia had been playing earlier in the tournament. In came Moody and Reiffel and in came McGrath with the new ball and suddenly things clicked. In truth, they are still not playing as well as they can. The team are still too reliant on the hard core of four: Waugh, Waugh, McGrath and Warne, champions all. That they can be successful in spite of not playing at their peak speaks volumes for their resolve.

In this, Waugh's last appearance in the tournament, he stands on the brink of a great triumph. Between him and his destiny there is the no small problem of Wasim Akram, a man for whom even more rests on the result, if rumours are to be believed. To watch the two captains today will be fascinating. Wasim will be the epicentre of Pakistan's challenge. He will hurl himself into the fray, all passion and animation and to look at his face at any stage in the game will tell you how it is going.

Waugh equally will lead by example, for he is more Allan Border than Mark Taylor. But he will stand implacably at gulley, eyes narrowed and glinting, probably not saying very much at all. His face will give nothing away, until the final deed is done and the day is gone. I hope my friend Wasim lifts the cup, but I wouldn't back against that man Waugh.