adminRobson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
THE Australians are reeling, their pride shattered, their ego bruised and the wolves have come out of their shell to demand answers, if not heads, for the humiliation they suffered in the three-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.The Aussie media united yesterday to concede that the sensational defeat suffered by their cricket team, then ranked ODI number one team in the world, at the hands of the Zimbabweans was a major humiliation just months before they host the Cricket World Cup.
The loss, only their second defeat to Zimbabwe in a One Day International in 31 years, was the top sports story on major newspapers and polls run by The Herald Sun saw 37.55 percent of the respondents, the biggest chunk of those who took part, voting that it was the worst ODI defeat by their national team.
The respondents felt that Zimbabwe’s win over the Aussies at the ’83 World Cup at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, wasn’t as bad as the three-wicket defeat at Harare Sports Club on Sunday and only attracted about eight percent of the voters in the poll.
Some of the Aussie newspapers were so hurt, by this embarrassing defeat, they decided to put a spin to the events at Harare Sports Club, saying that their multi-millionaire cricketers had been humbled by cricket paupers who were struggling to put food on their tables.
“There’s one word that’s been used more than any other to describe Australia’s defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe on Sunday — ‘Embarrassing’,” The Herald Sun thundered. “There were certainly plenty of ashamed-looking Aussies walking from the field after Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya hit the winning runs to seal a memorable victory for the host nation.
“And Australia coach Darren Lehmann left his players in no doubt as to how they should be feeling after such a woeful performance. Some of Zimbabwe’s cricketing paupers can barely put food on the table for their families but they have made Australia’s millionaire men the laughing stock of world cricket.
“Test captain Brendan Taylor is the highest paid player in the history of Zimbabwe cricket, recently earning a contract upgrade to US$120 000. That is big (bucks) compared to some of Zimbabwe’s lowest paid cricketers who earn as little as US$800 a month and struggle to support their families.
“And that is if they actually get paid by their cricket board. Players recently felt great progress has been made when they got paid for the third month in a row. By contrast, Australian skipper Michael Clarke scoops US$2 million a year from Cricket Australia and you can more than double that when you include his sponsorships and personal endorsements.
“But that all meant nothing when Australia slumped to one of its most embarrassing cricket losses and Clarke trudged home from Harare with the latest injury to his failing hamstring.”
The Sydney Morning Herald said Zimbabwe exposed Australia for their poor batting and lack of spin options in what was a shambolic defeat for the team that cost them their number one ranking in the world.
“Australia have suffered a shambolic defeat at the hands of cricket minnows Zimbabwe in front of a rocking crowd at Harare Sports Club,” The Sydney Morning Herald said.
“The No.10-ranked African nation exposed Australia for their poor batting, lack of spin options and mistakes in the field in a fairy tale three-wicket triumph.
“The embarrassing result for the world No.1 Australians means they aren’t yet assured of qualifying for Saturday’s tri-series final against South Africa. Only three Australian batsmen made it past 20, with skipper Michael Clarke’s courageous 68 not out despite aggravating a hamstring injury about all that held the total of 9-209 together — a record low score against battlers Zimbabwe.”
The Age said more questions had been raised by the way the Aussies crashed to that defeat on Sunday.
“Just five months out from a home World Cup campaign, Australia’s stunning loss to Zimbabwe has raised questions about selection policies, team attitude and medical diagnosis after what was a shocking decision to recall Michael Clarke on the eve of a long campaign,” The Age said.
“The more palatable option for Cricket Australia would be to point out the loss — the first the team has had in one-day internationals against Zimbabwe since the 1983 World Cup — has come at the start of the season, and could actually be a timely reminder that international cricket can be an unforgiving environment, even when playing the 10th-ranked nation in the 50-over format.
“That, however, would not justify the decision to let Clarke, the team’s captain and arguably most important player, return to the field. Watching him hobble between wickets during his gritty and unbeaten 68 before retiring hurt was a sorry sight. He would return for the final two balls of the innings but did not face a delivery as part of Australia’s 9-209, its lowest score when batting first against Zimbabwe and again highlighting a weakness to spin bowling.
“If Australia’s batting wasn’t bad enough, Clarke was so incensed by the poor attitude in the field that he left the dressing room in the 18th over and took charge. He would even bowl the 47th over with his left-arm orthodox, such was the need for spin.”
The Australia Broadcasting Corporation said the “loss was a disaster from the selection table to the playing field and could have far more serious consequences than plummeting from first to fourth in the world ODI rankings.”
The Australian newspaper said Clarke’s side were “humbled by Zimbabwe in a one-day match for the first time in 31 years,” and “Michael Clarke took a parting shot at the selectors then picked up his bat and gall and limped towards the airport.”
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