Nice guys don’t always finish second
Defeat in international sport stings; losing in a World Cup semi-final even more so. It can feel to the vanquished like their souls have been extracted with a set of tweezers. To supporters too.
Somehow, though, England’s stumble at the penultimate hurdle of the T20 World Cup does not cut quite so deep and for one good reason. Because it came against New Zealand.
If there is one side in world sport to lose to, it is the Black Caps. They are, unequivocally, the nicest team in sport.
There was one moment in the semi-final on Wednesday which summed Kane Williamson’s loveable lot up.
The game had just shifted on its axis on the back of the fateful Chris Jordan over but New Zealand still needed 34 from three overs. It remained in the balance.
When Jimmy Neesham drove the first ball of the next over from Adil Rashid past the bowler there was a straightforward single there for the taking. Except Daryl Mitchell, at the non-striker’s end, felt he had impeded Rashid so refused to take it.
The stakes at that point are worth re-emphasizing. A World Cup final place was on offer, the match situation meant every run was critical and yet, to New Zealand, it was more important to play the game the right way than to win by hook or by crook.
That is the Kiwi cricket way. If England losing the 2019 Rugby World Cup final to South Africa grated because the Springboks played such boring rugby in Japan, and to Italy in the Euros final because of the Azzurri’s cynical ‘game management’ during the tournament, exiting to New Zealand in the Abu Dhabi semi-final leaves no scars.
It just isn’t possible to bear a grudge against the Black Caps. Losing to them feels like being assaulted by a cashmere sweater.
Yet it happens to an awful lot of teams. New Zealand are ranked No.1 in both Test and one-day international cricket. Whatever happened to that business of nice guys always coming second in professional sport?
England did beat New Zealand in the final of the 50-over World Cup final at Lord’s two years ago but Williamson’s dignified reaction to that gut-wrenching super over defeat only made you fall for them even more.
New Zealand’s response since has been to become the inaugural world Test champions five months ago and now reach a T20 World Cup final. So much for that ‘show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser’ claptrap, which was trotted out again by some after Jurgen Klopp’s toys came out of the pram atWest Ham.
It is possible to point your finger at various elements which fell the Kiwis’ way in the semi-final – Jordan’s poor over, the absence of Tymal Mills who, in a matter of weeks, has become indispensable, the curse of Steve Bruce even – but New Zealand still had it all to do.
For Neesham to be the player to turn the semi-final was somehow fitting after being the nearly man in the 50-over final at Lord’s.
His message after that game – “Kids, don’t take up sport...die at 60 really fat and happy” – was a glorious summation of how empty defeat can make you feel. His response this time – “Job finished? I don’t think so” – was a pointer to their determination to win Sunday’s final.
But this being the Black Caps, they will want to win with honour too. England fans can lend them their support with consciences clear.
It isn’t possible to bear a grudge against them