Aussie cricket great blasts New Zealand over sporting gesture towards Virat Kohli
Simon O'Donnell wasn't impressed by what he saw from the Black Caps players.
Former Aussie cricketer Simon O'Donnell has taken exception to a sporting gesture produced by the New Zealand team during Virat Kohli's historic century at the World Cup on Wednesday night. Kohli made the 50th century of his ODI career, breaking the previous record held by Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar.
The former captain blasted 117 as India won by 70 runs to march into Sunday night's final, where they will take on the winner of Australia and South Africa. New Zealand put up a gallant fight in their run chase, but Daryl Mitchell's superb knock of 134 went in vain.
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The Kiwis were as much in awe of Kohli's historic feat as the rest of the cricket world, with captain Kane Williamson shaking his opponent's hand as he walked off the field. But according to O'Donnell, the Black Caps were far too nice in their approach and should've been more ruthless.
A number of the Kiwi players were seen offering Kohli assistance when he went down with cramp, and one even picked up the Indian star's bat for him. But the sporting scenes didn't sit well with O'Donnell.
“I had a problem a couple of times last night. Virat Kohli gets cramp, they’re heading for 400 and blokes go over and help him,” he said on SEN radio on Thursday. “Why would you go and help Virat Kohli when he had a cramp? When they’re heading for 400. In a World Cup semi-final. Spirit of the game is playing within the laws. Virat Kohli is tearing your country apart and you want to go over and give him a hand.”
The 60-year-old, who played six Tests and 87 one-day internationals for Australia, said the Kiwis should've made Kohli pick up his own bat. "Under no circumstances should you have gone within 20 metres of Virat Kohli when he had a cramp," he declared. "He threw his bat away and one of the Kiwis went and picked it up. 'Go and pick your own bat up while you’ve got a sore hamstring and a cramp. Stop hitting us for sixes and fours’.
“That’s not a big deal. That’s not outside the spirit of the game. It’s being competitive and saying, ‘Ok, he’s being physically challenged, why are we assisting him to stay physically ok to belt the crap out of us?’
“I don’t get it, I just don’t get it. Stuff helping him out, he’s made 50 one-day hundreds, why help him make the 50th against you in a World Cup semi-final? Give me a spell.”
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Mitchell also suffered cramps after going past 100, but continued to plunder runs during a 181-run partnership with Williamson and a 75-run stand with Glenn Phillips. Mohammed Shami was the hero with the ball for India, finishing with figures of 7-57 - third five-wicket haul in the tournament.
“They’re the best team in the world and they’re all playing their best cricket, so that’s tough,” Williamson said after New Zealand were knocked out. “I think we see in cricket, often it’s surrounded with failure and how you deal with it. The way they’ve played throughout this tournament has been incredible.”
Williamson said of Kohli: “If you play 50 games, some people would call that a great career, but to get 50 hundreds. There’s a lot of attention and that comes with a lot of his success, but actually it was always about pushing his team forward. So he’s the best isn’t he? And he seems to be getting better, which is a worry for opposition all around the world. It’s incredible really.”
with agencies
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