No guarantees I'll be Ashes captain, says Waugh

Steve Waugh said on Monday there were no guarantees that he would captain Australia in this year's Ashes but he backed himself to remain in the side through weight of runs.

Waugh, speaking after arriving to play with county side Kent for the rest of the English season, told a press conference: "I don't fully expect to be captain. I would love to be captain against England again but it's not guaranteed."

The 37-year-old, who said he would use his short stay with Kent to both help the team as well as prepare himself for an upcoming test series against Pakistan, said: "I'm backing myself to make runs. I know I'm good enough.

"I would have liked to think I have done enough over the last 10 years."

Australia have finalised a test squad to play Pakistan in October but have yet to announce their list of players.

Waugh was dropped from Australia's one-day side in March but is still hoping to get back into the team for next year's World Cup. He was signed by Kent to replace Andrew Symonds, who is due to tour South Africa with the Australia A one-day side.

Waugh said he would accept missing the World Cup if need be but "what I can't live with is not giving myself the best opportunity to get there".

His survival as an Australia player, however, depended on him remaining captain. "If you are not, they rarely say you can go back and be one of the players," he said. "It's out of the back door and 'see you later'."

Waugh has not played for Australia since the third test against South Africa in Durban in March.

Mail Cricket Editor