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New Zealand appear to have been infected by England’s Bazball-style approach to cricket after losing the Trans-Tasman Test series to Australia 2-0.
Mitch Marsh (80), Alex Carey (98*) and Pat Cummins (32*) steered Australia to a miracle three-wicket win in the second Test in Christchurch in a thrilling fourth innings run chase.
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The victory means New Zealand’s drought of not beating Australia in a Test since 2011 and a Test series since 1993 continues.
New Zealand came into Day 4 on top and Australia needed 199 to win with five wickets in hand when Travis Head was out early.
Kiwi batter Daryl Mitchell told SEN post-game the New Zealand team isn’t “defined by outcomes”.
“For us, we’ve always said as Blackcaps, we’re not defined by the outcomes, we’re defined by how we play cricket and hopefully how we inspire our country to play the game,” Mitchell told SEN.
“We are really proud of the efforts that we did throughout the Test.
“Although we didn’t get the win that we wanted, I think if we keep turning up and keep playing cricket like this, puffing our chests out and doing it with a smile on our face and hopefully inspiring many young kids here in New Zealand to play Test cricket in the future, then we’re doing the right thing.”
Mitchell’s comments evoked memories of England claiming last year’s drawn Ashes was a “moral victory” for the Poms.
Heading into the fifth Test at The Oval, England’s Harry Brook said it would be a “moral victory” for his side if they went on to level the series 2-2. England managed to do that but Australian retained the Urn.
Mitchell’s comments were swiftly criticised by New Zealand cricket greats Jeremy Coney and Ian Smith.
“I absolutely support the sentiment of it about the act that you’re an international sportsman and that you train as hard as you can,” Coney said.
“You train your own individual skills and whatever that might be, that doesn’t just mean batting or bowling, it means where you are in the field, what you’re going to do and what’s the requirement of the position.
“You don’t want to let your teammates down … all those kinds of things, you do in order to, what? To lose?
“Give me a break. (You do it) to win.
“Winning is actually the key to it all.
“You don’t have to be a sportsman for that, either.
“Any position that you do, you have to do it well in order to remain doing it for a start. If you do it poorly, you’re out.
“So don’t tell me that outcomes have got nothing to do with international sport.
“We kind of get what he’s meaning. But actually, young kids will follow the New Zealand side when they win.
“I promise you that Daryl, they’ll stick with you.”
Legendary commentator and former Kiwi wicketkeeper Ian Smith said the “not defined by outcomes” line didn’t pass muster in the win-loss world of sport.
“I’m sort of in danger here of getting myself in trouble,” Smith said.
“I’m going to take two or three deep breaths here and then still say, I don’t believe I just heard a New Zealand cricketer say ‘We’re not defined by the outcomes’, of a Test match against Australia.
“If we were to ask Daryl Mitchell, had they got up and won that Test, asked them the very same question.
“He wouldn’t have said, ‘Really, winning didn’t really matter to us, it was more the way we were appreciated and respected by our crowds and our kids coming through to play the game’.
“I’m sorry … unless I’ve been so far removed from the game. I don’t understand that.
“I simply don’t, and I hope it was just a mistake to be perfectly honest.”
The series result sees Australia leapfrog New Zealand into second spot behind India on the World Test Championship standings.
It also continues the big brother-little brother complex between the two nations — a sentiment echoed by Australian all-rounder Brendon Julian in commentary as the Aussies inched closer to victory.
“This is a big win for Australia,” Julian said on Fox Cricket’s coverage.
“Don’t worry about it being against New Zealand or whatever.”
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