Steve Waugh's Maiden Test Hundred — 177* at Headingley, 1989

Waugh had played 26 Tests without a century but Border had backed him publicly throughout the rebuilding period.

Australia 273-4 when Waugh joined Allan Border on day two; the partnership turned into 138.

Waugh had been a Test cricketer since 1985 and was widely seen as a fine prospect, but he came into the 1989 Ashes with no Test centuries to his name in 26 matches. At Headingley in the first Test of the tour, Australia batted first; Mark Taylor made 136 on debut and Waugh came in at six. He scored an unbeaten 177 from 242 balls — chanceless, technically pristine, ending only when Allan Border declared. Australia made 601 for 7 declared, dismissed England twice and won by 210 runs. Waugh followed it with 152 not out at Lord's a fortnight later — meaning his first 329 international Test runs after his maiden hundred were all unbeaten. He averaged 126.50 in the series. Australia won the rubber 4-0, and the line that links the 1989 Ashes to the Australian dynasty of the 1990s and 2000s passes squarely through this innings.

“Tugga finally got the monkey off his back. The rest is history.”

“I had been waiting four years for that hundred.”

Waugh followed Headingley with 152* at Lord's; Australia won the series 4-0 to regain the Ashes.