New Zealand are the easy victims of world cricket and should cancel the forthcoming Pakistan tour to save embarrassment, local media said on Wednesday after a humiliating nine-wicket one-day international loss to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka lead the five-match one-day series 3-0 after winning at a canter on Tuesday in Auckland, having taken fewer than 30 overs to surpass New Zealand’s 181 all out.
“More humiliation” was the headline in Wellington’s Dominion newspaper over a picture of a dejected New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming walking off Eden Park after the game.
“Walloped! But they still get another go,” said the New Zealand Herald, surprised that no team changes were planned. Christchurch’s Press asked if the situation could get worse and decided it could.
“Yes, it can for the New Zealand cricketers and probably will when Pakistan arrives next week and speedster Shoaib Ahktar - now back to full fitness - starts launching his bullets as part of a world-class bowling attack on the under-achieving kiwi batsmen,” the Press said.
The Dominion, warning that New Zealand faced a whitewash in the Sri Lanka series, called for the cancellation of the rest of the season’s cricket, including the Pakistan tour.
“To save continued embarrassment it is not being outrageous to suggest New Zealand Cricket should cancel the rest of the summer’s international programme before Pakistan next week,” the Dominion said.
“It was the New Zealanders’ 10th loss in 11 one-dayers and there was no hint of an end to the slaughter.” New Zealand were now the easybeats of world cricket and you had to be a masochist to watch them, the newspaper said.
Coach David Trist rejected the notion that the forthcoming Pakistan tour should be cancelled, telling Radio New Zealand: “That’s totally unreasonable and unrealistic.”
Trist admitted the New Zealand public was desperate for a win and said his team needed to regain confidence and understand that it was good enough to beat Sri Lanka. “Within the New Zealand team there are disappointing performances but many of them are good enough to match anything that the Sri Lankans can throw at us,” he said.
LOSS OF CONFIDENCE
Captain Fleming said the latest drubbing reflected a total loss of confidence that left him “questioning everything I stand for in the game”.
“Our defeat today reeked of tentative decision-making…We are completely lacking in confidence. We didn’t get anything going today and when we were batting and there was a wicket it wasn’t just jitters in the team, it was shock waves,” he said.
The New Zealand Herald drew parallels with the sinking of the Titanic as it discussed the New Zealand team’s decision to make no changes after the latest loss.
“And the band played on,” it said. “The selectors were not even moved to reshuffle the deck-chairs after yesterday’s embarrassing nine-wicket loss to Sri Lanka.”
New Zealand will take the same squad of 13 players to Hamilton for the fourth match of the series on Thursday.
Roger Twose will return to the starting line-up if his thumb, sprained in a mid-pitch collision with team mate Craig McMillan during Saturday’s loss in Wellington, has healed sufficiently.
If fit, Twose will replace Sinclair, chairman of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee said.
Hadlee said the selectors would review the team again after Thursday’s game but saw little opportunity for wholesale changes in the face of large numbers of injuries.
“We have played 31 players this summer, 18 of those selections forced due to injury or non-availability,” Hadlee said in a statement.
“The panel believes the best players have been selected but they have not performed up to their ability.”
Alf Allah Chunmbay Di Booti
Mere Maan Vich Murshad Lai Huu..
Naffi Asbaat Da Paani Mallaya
Har Raggay HarJai Huu
[Sultan Bahuu]
The Day She Left…
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