THERE are Australian players privately seething at being forced to cop despicable abuse from New Zealand crowds that has in certain instances vilified their partners and children.
Australia were blindsided on Wednesday by the dissent charge levelled against captain Steven Smith, given the ICC had previously indicated they were only reprimanding Josh Hazlewood over the ugly umpiring furore that occurred on day four.
Match referee Chris Broad was seen in animated discussion with a senior Australian team official before play on Wednesday, before the message was passed onto Smith after the match that he too was being hauled over the coals – a charge which he immediately pleaded guilty to.
While copping his punishment on the chin, Smith launched a passionate defence of his team and said a perception that the Australians were the bad guys of world cricket was untrue.
Although on-field demeanour and crowd abuse are two different matters, some Australian players are upset at the lack of attention paid by security to deeply offensive material that’s been directed their way.
Explicit taunts referencing players’ wives and girlfriends in a sexual manner started up in the first ODI match of the tour at Eden Park in Auckland, and has continued.
However, most distressing for some players has been the naming of their children in vile abuse that in some circumstances has spanned entire days’ play.
A spectator was removed from Hagley Oval on day four for relentlessly abusing fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, but largely there is a frustration that New Zealand officials haven’t done enough to stamp out unacceptable behaviour in the stands.
Australian crowds have been embroiled in controversies of their own over the years and players are used to copping abuse – however privately they believe New Zealand crowds cross the line.
Retired stars like Glenn McGrath, Simon Katich, Michael Kasprowicz, Michael Bevan and Stuart Law were all subjected to abuse and projectiles thrown from Kiwi crowds for years, and on this tour Australian security officials have been extra vigilant in doing laps of the ground and liaising with ground security.
The Australians also privately feel as though New Zealand have pulled the wool over people’s eyes with their spirit of cricket routine.
It’s understood Black Caps fielders Henry Nicholls and Tom Latham were warned by umpires on day four for deliberately throwing the ball into the wicket trying to scuff it for reverse swing – just 24 hours after the Australians had been publicly outed for doing the same thing.
Smith was caught by a stump microphone using an expletive when questioning umpire Martinesz about the decision to give Kane Williamson not out lbw – but said he and Hazlewood overstepping the line did not reflect the image of the Australian team.
“I don’t think we’re not nice guys. I think we play a good, hard, aggressive brand of cricket,” said Smith.
“As I’ve said a number of times, I guess for us it’s about knowing where that line is and myself and Josh Hazlewood have crossed that line in this Test match. That’s not what we’re about and hopefully we can learn from that and continue to develop as a team and get better.”
Perhaps most embarrassingly for Hazlewood and Smith is how their reaction to a perceived bad call by the umpire compared to New Zealand’s placid reaction to copping two absolute howlers this summer from match officials.
Smith has butted heads with Brendon McCullum previously over the Black Caps skipper’s tendency to cast judgement on others for what he perceives to be a lack of spirit.
But Smith concedes he can learn from the retiring McCullum in his bid to handle similar situations more appropriately in the future.
“Brendon’s been a great ambassador and a great captain and leader for the game,” Smith said.
“I can learn a bit off the way he’s done things. We’ve talked quite a bit and he gave me a bit of criticism in England with the Ben Stokes dismissal.
“We’ve talked a little bit about that. I’m still young in my career as a leader and you try and learn from different things.
“Yesterday was a mistake on my behalf and I’ve been hit with a code of conduct (charge) because of it.
“To me it’s about trying to learn from my mistakes and trying to get this team moving forward in the right direction and playing the good, aggressive brand of cricket that we play so well.
“We know that there’s a line we can’t cross.”
