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by Martin Gough

In a team packed with nicknames, Mark Waugh has had some of the finest. Despite his status as one of Australia's senior players, the 37-year-old was known throughout his career as "Junior", by virtue of his arriving four minutes after twin brother Steve.

During the 1992-93 tour to Sri Lanka, when he scored four successive Test ducks, wags in the team dubbed him "Audi" because of the similarity with the car's four-ring logo.

But, even though the selectors have chosen to bring an end to his 128-Test career, it is unlikely that his first nickname will be used again.

Despite having set domestic cricket alight for six years, he was not deemed ready for the Test arena until the age of 25, resulting in the nickname "Afghan" - the forgotten Waugh.

Since he showed Australia what they had been missing, with 138 on debut in Adelaide, Waugh's has been a glittering career, with 8,029 runs coming at an average of 41.81, with 20 centuries.

At his best, Waugh was effortless and stylish with the cut and pull, and has taken a Test record 181 catches at slip, but over the last year he has looked a shadow of his former self.

He was unable to avoid a leaden-footed dismissal to Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq in what turned out to be his final Test innings.

"It was as if Nijinsky had fallen flat on his face while trying a leap easily accomplished in his younger days", wrote Peter Roebuck in Melbourne newspaper The Age.

The last real glimpse of Waugh's talent of old came at The Oval just over a year ago, when he hit his sixth Test ton against Australia's arch enemies.

But even during that innings of 120, as Australia wrapped up a 4-1 Ashes series win with an emphatic innings victory, the cracks were beginning to show in Waugh's game. He regularly declined to play the pull because he felt it too dangerous, instead looking awkward as he took painful blows to the body. Australia have never been known for excessive sentiment, either on or off the pitch.

Ian Healy was shown the door in 1999/2000, denying him a home farewell in Brisbane and the chance to gain the five dismissals needed to extend his Test record to 400.

With the way the side have closed ranks around the under-performing Waughs in the last year it will be difficult for any replacement to fit straight into the side.

But, 12 years after brother Steve was dropped to allow Mark Waugh to make his debut, the presence of the elder twin is partly responsible for the early falling of the axe.

Having already dropped both men from the one-day side, the selectors realise that it is only a matter of time before Steve also makes way for younger blood. Even against an injury-hit England side, Australia would be reluctant to make two major changes to their batting order.

And, as he slips from the heights of a spectacular Test career, Junior, the second twin in, is the first on his way out. (BBC)

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