PERTH: Australia’s barren run in limited-overs cricket continued on Sunday as South Africa recorded a six-wicket victory in the first one-day international.
And the latest defeat was slammed by legendary former Baggy Green Shane Warne.
Speaking after Australia were bowled out for 152 in 38.1 overs in their first international at home since the infamous ball tampering incident during a test match in Cape Town in March, the spin king said the current climate in the Australia camp wanted to “make him vomit.”
He criticized Cricket Australia’s new “buzz words,” saying that they are nothing more than “verbal diarrhea.”
Photos of a number of slogans painted on the changing room walls at the team’s Perth training complex, including one saying “elite honesty”, were mocked on social media.
Warne said: “Forget all the words, forget the verbal diarrhea and all that sort of stuff. That’s just rubbish.
“Seriously, it makes you want to vomit. At the end of the day, cricket is a simple game and it’s a performance-based game.”
The defeat to South Africa is Australia’s seventh in a row and the Baggy Greens have now lost 17 of their past 19 ODI matches.
Chasing a measly 153 to win, South Africa openers Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks both missed out on half centuries before South Africa reached the target for the loss of just four wickets with more than 20 overs to spare.
Marcus Stoinis grabbed 3-16, but not before both South African openers had featured in a productive 94-run stand.
Fast bowlers Andile Phehlukwayo (3-33), Dale Steyn (2-18) and Lungi Ngidi (2-26) ran through Australia’s batting after South Africa captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field.
“Exceptional with the ball and in the field, a very good day in the office,” du Plessis said about his team’s performance. “Brilliant to have Dale back. It’s good to have that x-factor in your bowling attack.
“I’d have liked us to be a little more clinical, (a victory by) maybe eight, nine wickets but we’ll take the win.”
Steyn did the early damage when he had Travis Head and D’Arcy Short dismissed in his second over while Phehlukwayo and Ngidi struck at regular intervals.
South Africa were clinical in the field with du Plessis taking a sharp two-handed catch in the slip to dismiss Short.
“Disappointed, didn’t play anywhere near our potential,” new Australia ODI captain Aaron Finch said.
“South Africa put us on the back foot early... we were a bit careless at times and were off the mark slightly.”