Cricket: Aussies ‘lowest of the low’

Hosts slammed after historic loss to New Zealand.

SYDNEY: Australia’s cricketers were damned by the press as the ‘lowest of the low’ after a disastrous loss to New Zealand and branded a team in crisis ahead of a Test series against world number two India.

Michael Clarke’s men handed the Black Caps their first victory on Australian soil in 26 years after a dramatic batting collapse in the second innings in Hobart, described as arguably their most embarrassing defeat in Test history.

Commentators rubbished Australia’s batsmen, who gave away a solid lead going into the fourth day to succumb to New Zealand with Clarke and Michael Hussey both out for nought and Ricky Ponting making just 16. Others called for opener Phil Hughes, who made just 24 runs over two innings, to be dropped.

Kiwis enjoy ‘early xmas’

New Zealand, meanwhile, celebrated ‘an early Christmas’ with front-page media praise for a rare victory.

The Black Caps had been largely written off by their own fans following their nine-wicket thrashing in the first Test which extended a 26-year winless run in Australia. But the dramatic seven-run win in the second Test in Hobart to level the series spun the sentiment around.

Captain Ross Taylor’s remark that the historic win ‘was for the New Zealand public an early Christmas present’ was pounced on by the media as the victory slogan.

Arthur backs Ponting, Hussey

Meanwhile, Australia coach Mickey Arthur backed struggling Ponting and Hussey to retain their team places for the Boxing Day Test with India in Melbourne.

Arthur said there were no plans to manage the Test exits of the duo after both struggled for runs.

“We are certainly not managing yet how they go out of the side and in my opinion they’ve got big roles to play because we need some experience in our middle-order and they bring that experience that we need,” he said. “We haven’t even come to any thought on how we manage any exit of any of those players. The key for us is to get them up firing for Australia come Boxing Day because they are key.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2011.