Steve Waugh may not have his back to the wall yet. The Australian selectors have come out in support of their beleaguered captain, saying that Waugh has their support beyond this week's Sydney Test. Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, effectively gave Waugh, who has played 155 Test matches, the green light to continue his wonderful career past the fifth Test, starting in Sydney on Thursday.

"Stephen has our support through and past the Sydney Test," Hohns told reporters on Tuesday.

This endorsement contradicted reported comments by Hohns earlier this month that Waugh's position in the Australian Test side would not be guaranteed after the current Ashes series.

But Hohns now said that the selectors maintained their faith in Waugh, who is only 69 runs short of becoming only the third batsmen to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

"With all the things that have been going on in the last two or three weeks, there's a little bit of pressure on Stephen," Hohns said. "But the decision whether he plays on or not is entirely up to him, so maybe that's weighing on his mind as well.

"But for now," Hohns continued, "Stephen has our support through and past the Sydney Test. Once the Test match is over we have to pick a team in two or three months' time to go to the West Indies, so there is plenty of time for Stephen to make up his mind as to what he'd like to do in the future."

Hohns' comments follow Waugh's fluctuating innings in Melbourne in the fourth Test when he was effectively dismissed three times in compiling an unconvincing 14 in Australia's second innings. Waugh later said that he had been suffering from a migraine and feeling dizzy when he walked out to bat.

"Everyone is entitled to fail from time to time, there is no doubt about that," said Hohns, "but we don't look at migraines too much."

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