Photo (C) AFP

No one could have accused Mark Waugh of being either too languid in his strokeplay or too casual in his approach as opener at The Oval today. No one would have accused him, either, of being just a little 'brassed off' had the rest of the Australian side not help him put a competitive total on the board against India in the opening World Cup match of the Super Sixes.

Mind you, any score of 282 for six has to be rated as competitive, and with Mohammad Azharuddin winning the toss and doing the predictable in this tournament of inviting the Aussies to bat first, it needed the drawn poker-faced features of the younger Waugh to lead the charge.

And how he fired: a first-wicket partnership of 97 with Adam Gilchrist and then 60 with Ricky Ponting for the second. After that it was up the rest of the side to build on the 157 for two. There was some smart strokeplay as well: a flat-batted six over the head of the covers off the bowling of Saurav Ganguly was about the only signal he gave India's bowlers of his naturally aggressive intentions.

It was just the sort of start the lads from Oz needed. A bit of style and grit form a gifted run-making master: the sort you would expect from the middle of the Waugh zone's bat. He left Azharuddin in little doubt that batting first on an even-paced pitch had not been the right choice.

Azhar may have felt the cloud cover and the threat of rain, especially after the delayed start, would do something to help his bowlers. Not a chance. Up steps the younger Waugh and how he made his mark and turned everything to Australia's advantage. It was a classic tale of the famous, oft misquoted bit of Charles Dickens writing: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times'.

Photo (C) AFP

Few countries have as reliable a batsman to knit the top-order together as Waugh (jun) although there was nothing of the novice about the display. He batted with accomplishment and skilled eased, driving into the V as well as finding gaps through the mid-wicket area and the odd nudge behind the wicket.

Even with Gilchrist hanging around Mark Waugh was the senior partner: far from flustered or bothered by bounce of the ball or a mistimed off-drive scuttling to fine leg off an inside edge.

If The Oval outfield could be called pristine in condition Waugh's batting was the sort of dish served up to give it an honourable mention: fast and with none of the irritation of the odd bump which turns fielding into a labour, it again posed the question whether Azharuddin got the weather conditions and pitch message right.