Australia’s performance on the final day of the Sydney Test was disgraceful.
The use of foul language directed at India’s Ravi Ashwin were not in the spirit of the game and raised questions over Tim Paine’s leadership, in a frustrating day for the Australian skipper.
Paine has made a public apology after reflecting on his actions but this attitude, to get personal and attack the opposition, is reflective of one of Australia’s darkest days in South Africa.
Paine was appointed captain after Steve Smith was stood down following his actions in the infamous 2018 sandpaper incident in Cape Town, with Paine’s character seeing him elevated to the second-most important job in the country.
But the hosts’ words and actions in Sydney on the final day were reminiscent of their pushing the boundaries to gain an edge.
Smith, who unfortunately will have the actions of South Africa always hanging over him, was once again embroiled in an incident caught on camera, caught rubbing out Rishabh Pant’s crease marking with his feet.
The actions were out of line and left the Australian public questioning their place.
Paine was also fined 15 per cent of his match fee for swearing at umpire Paul Wilson after a DRS decision didn’t go his team’s way.
Tim Paine (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Aussies have always lived on the edge and been up for a bit of chat on the field to ignite their opposition. The events of 2018 were the crescendo to an era of bad-boy mentality, serving to rock more than just the cricketing world but the Australian sporting landscape.
But it was what was needed at the time to bring the team back down to Earth, seeing Justin Langer bring in his stern and heavy-handed method.
The hope is that nothing like that ever happens again, but the way things bubble when Australia are under pressure is troubling and leaves a sour taste in fans’ mouths.
The verbal bashing is causing Paine to lose his way to behind the stumps, with him dropping three catches in the match and one late in the day which would have changed the course of the Test.
The culture of the team is changing, with players crossing the boundary and losing all meaning of the word sportsmanship.
Micko
Roar Rookie
I think he's Indian...but he sure seems to love complaining about aussies as much as kiwis do!
2blues
Roar Rookie
I think Australia choked badly in Sydney as in the Ben Stokes test. Unfortunately, also the situation got to Tim Paine and he took it out mouthing off to on an Indian batsmen. He apologised after. Generally he has been a good leader for the behaviour of the team so we should leave it at that this time. Is there an alternative as captain? I cant see one at present. The bowlers need to concentrate on just that - bowling. The batsmen - Smith's seems very much involved in his own world of batting as is Labuschagne who is too early in his career anyway, Wade's position in the team isn't secure enough. Tim Paine is it at the moment.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Maybe Ad-O. But to have a player in your side with an IQ low enough to believe you could take bright yellow sandpaper to a cricket ball in a game of international cricket, attended by thousands and filmed in high def from all angles is pretty unusual. To have three in the same team with similar IQ's is quite exceptional. For two of those three to be considered to be of sufficient character to be awarded the captaincy and vice captaincy just stretches credulity beyond breaking point. To be fair, a number of people in that Australian side maybe should have served several years under a supervision order and never be allowed to operate heavy machinery for their own safety and the safety of others.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
Big words coming from someone who’s not Australian
Mooty
Roar Rookie
If this forum proves only one thing, it’s that WillowWiz is a bored Kiwi with too much time on their hands, with a general dislike of anything Australian, as shown by all the anti Australian posts
Mooty
Roar Rookie
That shut the pious kiwi up Tom
Andy
Roar Rookie
Given everyone on his own team has defended him ferociously (langer, Paine) and even the Indian team has said what he did didn’t even matter and they didn’t notice it, it is now pretty easy to see that it was a storm in a teacup.
Andy
Roar Rookie
It has been normalised because most teams are happy for sledging every now and then to happen. Bouncers could also be seems as ‘unethical’ as they are at the batsmen’s head with a serious risk of causing injury. However they are part of the game, just like sledging.
Andy
Roar Rookie
Sorry for late response I didn’t see the replies. If the Indians thought it was an overstep or if anyone was seriously offended, they would make a complaint. We know they are very happy to make complaints if they think something seriously bad has happened, which I think is fair enough.
Lachlan Mitchell
Roar Guru
More on the mentality of the players
WillowWiz
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
WillowWiz
Roar Rookie
Come now, Andy, we all know that Smith’s true intent in erasing Jadega’s crease is not something we’ll ever be able to determine beyond reasonable doubt! I wish Smith would learn to be a litlle bit smarter/ more sensitive about his own circumstances – especially given his history of “brain fades”.
WillowWiz
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
WillowWiz
Roar Rookie
This topic isn’t about the Lankans. Also, it was really hard to understand a lot of what you wrote as some of it came across a bit incomprehensible!
Tom
Guest
Chris Pringle, Chris Cairns and Lou Vincent said hi!
Tom
Guest
Dunno how wrestling tactics etc are really applicable to cricket
Tom
Guest
Are they making a return? I certainly hope so. Bring back the sledging, boozing, mad rooting, and get rid of the nutritionists, sports psychologists and other nonsense like that. The only counsel they need is Warney with a supply of cold VB tins and a toasted sandwich press.
James
Guest
You can think that he didnt know anything others can think he did. What makes me think he knew was the video of him on the mic to the 12th man where he says he was swearing at the 12th man telling him to go out and find out what the xxxx was going on. But in the video he is super calm and then the 12th man goes out to Bancroft has a little chat and then Bancroft tries to get rid of the sandpaper. Thats suss as hell. And you are letting Smith off way too easy, he admitted in the press conference that it was a decision made by the senior players which even if he was just covering was still a terrible thing to say because 'senior players' sounds like more than 2 which throws other guys under suspicion. And as a captain you hear sandpaper on the ball and you dont do anything? Really? He is a great player and Lehmann was a damn good one but they are both cheats in my book.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I don't think calling someone a d-head is considered acceptable anywhere these days - just look at the backlash Paine is getting. There's clearly a happy middle ground where players can engage in a bit of banter without getting abusive or personal. It's not f-bombs or nothing. Paine's own comments last time India toured - around Pant babysitting his kids and whether or not the Indian players actually like Kohli (in response to Kohli relentlessly chirping at Paine) - were harmless fun. Whether or not you personally approve of that sort of thing is another matter.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Paine reaches 20 more often than any Australian test keeper in history, including Gilchrist. I'd say he's the very definition of reliable. He just doesn't get the big scores that would elevate him to another level.