“Give me a break”: Kiwi cricket greats respond to all-rounder’s controversial post-loss comments
Blackcaps batsman Daryl Mitchell says that the New Zealand cricket team isn’t defined by outcomes after going down to Australia in the second Test at the Hagley Oval.
The Kiwis entered the day in prime position to win their first Test against the Aussies on home soil since 1993 as Australia began Day 4 at 4/77 chasing 279 to win.
Things got even better for the home side once Travis Head fell in the second over of the day reducing the visitors to 5/80, but a 140-run partnership between Mitchell Marsh (80) and Alex Carey (98 not out) helped get the Aussies into a winning position which they’d make full advantage of to win with three wickets in hand.
Although the loss appeared a hard one to take for New Zealand fans, Mitchell said that the side won’t focus on wins and losses but instead on how they play their cricket.
“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 Cricket.
“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.”
In response to Mitchell’s comments, several fans voiced their displeasure on the SEN text line stating that they felt that the side’s frame of mind was holding them back from winning games.
NZ cricket great Jeremy Coney couldn’t agree with those sentiments more and he had a pointed message for Mitchell.
“I couldn't agree more,” Coney said.
“I absolutely support the sentiment of it about the fact that you're an international sportsman and that you train as hard as you can.
“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 Darryl, they'll stick with you.”
Blackcaps great Ian Smith backed up Coney’s comments as he was left flabbergasted by Mitchell’s statement.
“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 Darryl 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 Aussies wrapped up the Trans-Tasman series 2-0 as a result of the win.