'I am sure he is in a happy place now'
In the dead of the night, Australian captain Steve Waugh was woken up by a call from his wife.
Late night calls are harbingers of bad news -- and this was no exception. 'The Don is dead!', came the voice from the other end of the line.
Waugh woke up Brian Murgatroyd, media manager of the Australian team. And the two together, in the pre-dawn hush, wrote out little slips of paper containing the news, and slipped it beneath the doors of the team members. What follows, are their reactions:
Steve Waugh: The last time I met him was 12 months ago, and I was glad to see him looking very happy. He had his views on cricket and while he was in general pretty pleased with the way the game was going, he had some reservations as well. It was great to have met him one on one.
His death is an important wake-up call for all those who play cricket, it is definitely sad, but from his death we must understand that we have to play the game for the right reasons and to look to the future of the game rather than to their own needs. That has been the reason for the downfall of the game over the last couple of years.
I haven't really thought this true, but when it comes to whether we should play the Test starting tomorrow, I am sure the Don would want the game to go on and by playing cricket we are showing him necessary respect, and I am sure that is what his family wants, too.
Given how amazing his stats are, it is difficult to put into context his achievement, it is difficult to quantify the legacy of a man who averaged 99, given that the next best average is 60+, you can only say that he was a once in a lifetime player. His contribution off the field is significant as well. Don was an Australian, and we can all draw inspiration from the fact that the world's greatest cricketer was an Australian. All he ever wanted was to be an average person, a normal person -- but in context of what he had achieved, that was always going to be impossible.
Sachin Tendulkar: He was a great player, but more than the runs he scored, the way he played the game is important. Unfortunately, I never got to see him play, I had however heard so much about him. When I finally got to meet him and to spend time with him, it was an honour and privilege and it remains a cherished memory.
Justin Langer: A note was left under my door this morning, with the unfortunate news. This is a very sad day for me and for every Australian and, for that matter, for every cricketer and cricket lover.
There has never been any other Australian who has left an impact of this magnitude on the world. It is not just about cricket -- the Don brought all of Australia together. His cricketing feats were absolutely incredible, more incredible than anyone else ever. While he won't be there physically any more, he will always be with us Australians spiritually, as he will be with every cricketer all over the world.
I am sure he is in a happy place right now. I met him a couple of years ago and it was an experience I will cherish forever. I had always dreamt of writing to him, but for some reason or the other I never did. Finally, six years ago, while I was a young hopeful at our cricket academy, I summoned up the nerve to write to him, asking him for advice about my game. Within two days, I got a reply -- and that to me was incredible, it was a mark of the real greatness of the man that even at that age, he could find the heart, the energy to write to a young cricketer he had never heard of. That memory, that note, will remain my most cherished possession.
Shane Warne: It is a very sad day for everyone, he was an icon for both Aaustralian and world cricket. Sachin and I met him on his 90th birthday -- we were very nervous initially, we both got a couple of hours with him and I will cherish that time forever. I woke up to the news this morning -- his death is the inspiration, the motivation we need to do well in the first Test, as a tribute to his memory.
Kim Hughes: Like everyone else who loves cricket, I feel immeasurably saddened. He was the last of the great heroes -- his passing away makes this a day of mourning. He was 92 and not keeping good health. I was fortunate to be invited to his place when I was leading Australia, and to have a chat with him on leadership. I think the meeting was private, so I would prefer not to discuss what he said. I haven't met him in recent times, because he doesn't meet people, but the memories remain, as they will remain in the minds of every cricket lover.
Javagal Srinath: The Don was cricket's crowning jewel. Losing him makes the game that much poorer.
Cammie Smith (ICC match referee and former West Indies Test star): I was privileged to meet the Don in 1966, when Australia played the West Indies. He spoke generally about cricket, about the Australians as well as about our team. He was well respected throughout the cricket world and when he spoke, we listened.
There is one incident that stuck in my mind for a long time. Norman O'Neil, who was a very good fielder, was at point and at one point, he picked up the ball and threw down the stumps. The ball ricocheted and they ran one on the overthrow. The crowd applauded the fielding, but then I heard the Don react: "My God, he has given away a run in a Test match!"
The Don thought that it was uncalled for -- we might have loved that bit of fielding, the crowds might have clapped, but for the Don, that run given away was what was important. I was awestruck, and I learnt a cricket lesson that day.
David Shepherd (ICC umpire and former England international): It is a sad loss, for the game and all of us who play or watch it. He was a wonderful player, but even more, he was a great ambassador for the game.
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