Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has slammed the new approach of the national team, declaring "we're not going to win s***" by softening a tradition of aggressive cricket.
After a cultural review launched in the wake of the Cape Town ball tampering scandal, Australian cricket emerged with a new mission statement: "Compete with us, smile with us, fight on with us, dream with us."
The statement has been widely mocked by former players and Clarke - who famously told Jimmy Anderson during an Ashes Test to "get ready for a broken f***ing arm" - warned that it could spark a major downturn in results.
"You don’t need to be best mates with everyone. Australian cricket, I think, needs to stop worry about being liked and start worrying about being respected," Clarke said on Macquarie Sports Radio.
"Play tough Australian cricket. Because whether we like it or not, that’s in our blood.
"If you try and walk away from it, we might be the most liked team in the world, we’re not going to win s***. We won’t win a game. Boys and girls want to win."
Clarke launched an impassioned defence of banned star David Warner, the primary scapegoat in the Cape Town disaster who has been banned from leadership positions in the Australian team.
Without specifically naming suspended captain Steve Smith, Clarke said team leadership had failed to handle Warner - the vice-captain before his downfall - and his unique attributes properly.
‘"It’s his style, he’s very upfront, in your face. What you see with David Warner is what you get," Clarke said.
"Your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness. To me I always loved having him in the team I was captaining because he brought that aggression that I wanted. In saying that there was always a line, he knew that. We had a number of conversations one on one about that line he couldn’t overstep.
"There needs to be someone in that leadership, generally it should be your captain, that can control that. If that gets the best out of Warner, which I think it does, then you have to allow him to take it as far as you want and then say, 'Rightio, back you come, pull your head in, that’s enough, no further'.
"He [Warner] brings that positive approach to the Australian cricket team. You can't ask him to bring that and then on the other hand blame him or ask him to be a ***** cat when it comes to giving it.
"David Warner gives it to certain blokes on the field because he wants them to give it to him when he's batting. It's like a turn-on, it makes him play better.
"The people that praise David Warner ... they know him. You've got to accept David for who he is and what he brings to the team."
Clarke lamented that of all the players set to take the field this summer, Indian captain Virat Kohli appeared to be the best exponent of Australia's famed style of ultra-aggressive cricket.
"Virat Kohli's class, absolute class," Clarke said.
"I love the way he plays. I love his intent, I love his aggression and most of all, I love his passion.
"He loves playing for India and loves beating Australia - and that's so Australian.
"That's how I got taught. That's how I grew up, watching Warney, Matty Hayden, Border, Chappell. Watching those guys, they taught you that when you walk on to that field, you fight for every single run or wicket you can get for your country, because it's so important.
"I think Virat Kohli does that. I think that's why we [the Australian public] hate him, because he does exactly what we do.
"And at the moment, he's better than us at it, unfortunately."
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/cr...-cricket/6100d883-764c-4174-9ae4-885dc0b5a59f
After a cultural review launched in the wake of the Cape Town ball tampering scandal, Australian cricket emerged with a new mission statement: "Compete with us, smile with us, fight on with us, dream with us."
The statement has been widely mocked by former players and Clarke - who famously told Jimmy Anderson during an Ashes Test to "get ready for a broken f***ing arm" - warned that it could spark a major downturn in results.
"You don’t need to be best mates with everyone. Australian cricket, I think, needs to stop worry about being liked and start worrying about being respected," Clarke said on Macquarie Sports Radio.
"Play tough Australian cricket. Because whether we like it or not, that’s in our blood.
"If you try and walk away from it, we might be the most liked team in the world, we’re not going to win s***. We won’t win a game. Boys and girls want to win."
Clarke launched an impassioned defence of banned star David Warner, the primary scapegoat in the Cape Town disaster who has been banned from leadership positions in the Australian team.
Without specifically naming suspended captain Steve Smith, Clarke said team leadership had failed to handle Warner - the vice-captain before his downfall - and his unique attributes properly.
‘"It’s his style, he’s very upfront, in your face. What you see with David Warner is what you get," Clarke said.
"Your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness. To me I always loved having him in the team I was captaining because he brought that aggression that I wanted. In saying that there was always a line, he knew that. We had a number of conversations one on one about that line he couldn’t overstep.
"There needs to be someone in that leadership, generally it should be your captain, that can control that. If that gets the best out of Warner, which I think it does, then you have to allow him to take it as far as you want and then say, 'Rightio, back you come, pull your head in, that’s enough, no further'.
"He [Warner] brings that positive approach to the Australian cricket team. You can't ask him to bring that and then on the other hand blame him or ask him to be a ***** cat when it comes to giving it.
"David Warner gives it to certain blokes on the field because he wants them to give it to him when he's batting. It's like a turn-on, it makes him play better.
"The people that praise David Warner ... they know him. You've got to accept David for who he is and what he brings to the team."
Clarke lamented that of all the players set to take the field this summer, Indian captain Virat Kohli appeared to be the best exponent of Australia's famed style of ultra-aggressive cricket.
"Virat Kohli's class, absolute class," Clarke said.
"I love the way he plays. I love his intent, I love his aggression and most of all, I love his passion.
"He loves playing for India and loves beating Australia - and that's so Australian.
"That's how I got taught. That's how I grew up, watching Warney, Matty Hayden, Border, Chappell. Watching those guys, they taught you that when you walk on to that field, you fight for every single run or wicket you can get for your country, because it's so important.
"I think Virat Kohli does that. I think that's why we [the Australian public] hate him, because he does exactly what we do.
"And at the moment, he's better than us at it, unfortunately."
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/cr...-cricket/6100d883-764c-4174-9ae4-885dc0b5a59f
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