Who do you rate higher?

Waugh has led Australia to 32 Test wins since replacing Mark Taylor in 1999, matching Border's record tally.

In Waugh's time at the helm Australia have established themselves as the undisputed masters of world cricket, while Border is the man credited with kick-starting his country's cricket revolution.

Waugh's wins have come from just 42 matches, Border needed 93 matches for his record, while the West Indies' Clive Lloyd needed 74 games to record his 36 Test victories as skipper.

Who would you choose to skipper your dream Australian team?

This debate is now closed. See below for a selection of your emails.

You people are so romantic! Border was a grumpy old sea dog who captained his team in the traditional way - grind. Yes he had grit, yes his staff of players were not as hot as the current crop. But his captaincy was hardly enlightened.

By comparison, Waugh has taken a team of champions and moulded them into a champion team. There is a controlled aggression and a ruthlessness under Waugh - if winning is at all possible then win they will, even if it means risking a loss.

There is no such thing as playing for your averages or playing for an honourable draw under Waugh. Every man chips in and does his bit. If a quick fire 30 is needed rather than a grinding not out 50, then that's what his men deliver.

And the results speak for themselves - 80% of Tests under Waugh result in wins. Under Border it was less than half that ratio. No question - Waugh wins hands down!
Greg, Australia

I believe Border was better than Waugh although Waugh is an excellent skipper. When Border took over the captaincy Australian cricket was not in a particularly healthy position and he turned it around. Succeeding captains have really just kept the momentum he started going.
Alan Dack, England

It has to be Steve Waugh, no disrespect to Taylor or Border, but then I guess putting things into the right perspective Steve has been a very methodical and commanding captain, who I think would have done very much the same things had he been give the chance to captain the team in '94.

Remember that he had had very little success in the few chances he had earlier as a stand in captain with the same bowlers who others think would have done as well under anybody.

He is a great captain, and for someone who has rooted for him and seen him develop into a world class performer at a young age, I think he is my man.

All in all, spare a thought for the far-sightedness of ABC to have set up a great system, hats off to them too.
Sakib Merchant, Canada

Easily it is Allan Border for the simple fact that Waugh was handed the captaincy just because he was long in the queue. The team was not all that weak when Waugh took over, vis-�-vis when Border took over. In Border there always lay a great sportsmanship, which Waugh doesn't quite reflect.

While Border is generally acknowledged to have groomed many an Australian great like Waugh himself, there is hardly any such claim in the case of Waugh. Statistics need not be relied on always. That Border achieved 30-odd Test wins in twice as many tests as Waugh did is simply because he had to nurture the team from scratch. But it was all cakewalk for Waugh when he was handed the reins.
V Gopalakrishnan, Chennai, India

You cannot compare Border and Waugh, in fact I would struggle to compare Waugh and Taylor. Anyone could lead the Aussies at the moment and it would not make a blind bit of difference. However, few captains could have achieved what Border did.
Simon, UK

Steve Waugh has an amazing record, but even he admits that this Aussie side is on remote control. Fair dinkum it could be led by Captain Bligh at the moment. Allan Border captained by sheer example through a testing period of Australian cricket, showing his inexperienced charges the way to play Test matches, often drawing and winning games through his belligerence alone. For that he gets my nod.

However, I believe that the aggressive way which the Aussies go about their business now was a direct result of a game plan implemented by Mark Taylor to score quickly thereby giving his champion bowlers McGrath and Warne time to bowl the opposition out twice. This tactic has been taken to the next level by this current ruthless crop. I believe Mark Taylor was a better captain and man-manager than either Border or Waugh.
Richard Noble, Australia

A good captain can take a team of highly talented individuals and lead them into victory over inferior opposition. A great captain can take a lesser team, encourage them to work together and learn from their own and each other's mistakes, and motivate them to play at, or above, their best at every opportunity.

Border proved he was great. Waugh is good, and may also be great, but he has not had (or needed) the opportunity to demonstrate it.
Keith L, UK

To me, Border is the better captain though Waugh is currently the world's best captain. Waugh's current Australian team is predominant as they have won against all the nations. Waugh's captaincy was not in much of need in most of the games as his team never let him down to grudges.
Sen, West Indies

Waugh wins! You can never compare old against new. Today's players are fitter, faster, bigger. Bradman, for example, would not have lasted two minutes against Gillespie, McGrath or Lee, who are all much better than Larwood ever was.
Mal Walker, Australia

I would have to tip the scales in favour of AB. He inherited a team that just lost 3 of the best players in the world, and had been mis-managed by Kim Hughes. In the mid 80's there was no character in the side. Greg Mathews and Merv changed all that. From there, rebuilding the team started properly. Nothing against Steve Waugh, he is an awesome captain. But he has never had to worry about talent. With the AIS cricket school, there will always be a crop of up and coming players who will slot straight into the side.
Mark - Expat Aussie, UK

It doesn`t matter who was or is the Best Captain. All that matters is they`re both Australian and that`s what really counts. hehe
Jason H, Australia

If I had to choose someone to bat for my life, I would choose Steve Waugh. So with no disrespect to him, the current Aussie side does not really need a captain to lead them to a win. Border was the best in my opinion.
Praveer Kumar, USA

Steve Waugh and Allan Border are both great captains, just as Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley were both great managers of Liverpool. But in that comparison, I would always chose Shankly because he turned the club around and made it world-class.

But Paisley won more championships, and the European Cup. Steve Waugh will have to pass Border's win record by a lot, and prove he can still win against sides at least as talented, before I would rate him higher than Border.
Dave, USA

Border had to captain and play with a rabble for at least half of the Eighties. He duly laid the foundations of the greatest side ever to take the field in a cricket match. As for Steve Waugh, how hard can it be to say "take a blow there please Glenn, I think Warne wants a bowl"?
Greg, England

Mark Taylor was a superior Captain to both of them. Border did a fine job dragging Australia back from their worst ever situation, Waugh has simply inherited (from Taylor) a side at the absolute peak of their powers.

No disrespect to Waugh, who is obviously a very sound captain, but Glenn McGrath could lead that lot. Taylor demonstrated all the qualities of one of the best leaders of all time. A true champion.
Martin Hearnden, New Zealand

Border sowed the seeds for a great Aussie team, Taylor watered it and Waugh is now reaping the harvest. All three have contributed to the current status of the Aussie team as the finest in the world, but Border surely has to be better than Waugh.
Krishna, USA

Border was the finest Aussie captain of the last 30 years. He took over a team in total disarray and built them into the best side in the world. He seemed to be able to score hundreds at will under the most trying conditions.

The opposition were also much tougher than anything Waugh has had to face. Like Border, Waugh is tough, talented, and intelligent - he just hasn't had to overcome the same problems.
Tom, England

Border was a great batsman, and did a fantastic job rebuilding the team that Greg Chappell destroyed as a selector, but he was too conservative, drawing many games that he could have won.

Steve Waugh inherited a great team, but he has won many games that he could have drawn, through a hungrier attitude and superb captaincy skills. There is no better judge of a declaration in the world today.
Craig McGiffen, Australia

I vote for Border. He captained in a tougher era. He had to face the might of the greatest team ever, the Windies of the Eighties. Statistics normally ignore things like quality of the opposition.
Greg, Barbados

Border did not have a match-winner like Warne in his side. The fast bowlers under him were not as effective as McGrath or Gillespie. During his captaincy, the West Indies were very strong and winning Test matches against them was very, very difficult unlike now where even teams like Sri Lanka are beating them effortlessly.

Also, Border's team did not have the opportunity to play against Zimbabwe and collect some easy wins. His side also faced tougher English sides which had players like Botham, Gooch, Gower and Lamb, whereas Waugh's sides are steamrollering these weak English sides now.

Border's team was young with average an age of 26, and relatively inexperienced, whereas Waugh's boys have an average age of well over 30 and are very experienced.

So I think Border's 32 wins are priceless compared to Waugh's 32, although it took 50 more matches to achieve.
Dushy, Canada

Steve Waugh is captain of a fantastic side on top of their game while Allan Border was a fantastic captain and player in a relatively poor side.
Niall, N.Ireland

Oh c'mon on! Even I could captain THIS side to 5-0 and 3-0 series wins week in week out. Border moulded ordinary players into winners, Waugh has got a bunch of geniuses to call upon. Waugh is the better batsman though, his timely knocks are awesome.
Smart Guy, UK

From a pure captaincy point of view, Border. Alan Border started captaining a team that would lose the Ashes at home. He had some good players and he created a great team.

Waugh inherited a team that was already the best in the world. Anyone can be a great captain if in times of trouble they can throw the ball to Warne and McGrath. Anyone with a team whose number seven averages 60 does not have to worry about batting collapses.

Border wins it for me. He built a great team, Waugh just managed one.
Mike Shaw, UK

I would have to say that Waugh is the better captain but both the players are of a very high standard. Much of Waugh's success is down to the wealth of talent in his team but he has commanded it well.
Euan Granger, Scotland

With that record, it's got to be Waugh. Even when he's not making the runs, he's still a great captain.
Kirbster, UK