Your career will be over: Curtly Ambrose recalls when he threatened to ‘knock out’ Steve Waugh

Curtly Ambrose narrated how he wanted end former Australia captain Steve Waugh’s career during a Test match in Trinidad in 1995.

West Indies legend Sir Curtly Ambrose recalled the time when he got into a heated argument with former Australia captain Steve Waugh during a Test match in Trinidad in 1995. Ambrose, who picked up 405 wickets in 98 Tests, was known for his quiet demeanour on the pitch. But a few words from Waugh riled him up in the 3rd Test against Australia in 1995, and he threatened to ‘knock out’ the batsman.

Speaking on Sky Sports Cricket Podcast with former West Indies quick Ian Bishop, Ambrose said: “Steve Waugh and I had our battles over the years. He was a tough competitor and I have a lot of respect for him but in that particular game he said something to me that I didn’t like.”

“Initially I ignored it, as in the heat of the battle you can say things, but after a break something just snapped,” he further said.

The incident occurred during the first day of the third Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad back in 1995. Ambrose had to be physically restrained by his captain Richie Richardson after tempers flared.

“I asked him, ‘did you say so and so to me?’ He didn’t say yes, he didn’t say no. He just said ‘I can say anything I want to say’ which to me was a yes. I decided I deserved more respect so I had a few choice words for him.

“I said ‘my cricket career could be over right this minute, it doesn’t make a difference to me, but your career will be over, too, because I’ll knock you out and you won’t be able to play anymore’. There were a few expletives in between obviously,” Ambrose added.

The bowling legend added that he met Waugh a few times after the incident, but the two never talked about it. “I was upset as I deserved more respect - but it started and ended there. I have seen him a few times since and we have never spoken about it,” he said.