But we’re nice guys, claims Aussie skipper

– Australian captain Steve Smith (right) defended his side yesterday as “nice guys” after he was slapped with a dissent charge amid continuing fallout over umpire abuse during the second Test against New Zealand.

Australia won the Test by seven wickets to move to the top of the world rankings, but celebrations were marred by Smith being hauled before the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee to explain his actions.

He was charged with dissent in connection with the same obscenity-laden rant that cost Josh Hazlewood 15% of his match fee.

Christchurch

The ICC docked Smith’s 30% of his match fee.

But the Australian captain talked up his team as “nice guys” who play the game hard and push the boundaries but don’t mean to offend.

The abuse levelled at the umpires during their seven wicket win in Christchurch to sweep the series against New Zealand was the latest in a string of incidents involving Australia.

Two of the more notable episodes are the notorious 1981 underarm delivery when New Zealand needed six off the last ball to tie an ODI, and in 2013, when then captain Michael Clarke warned England’s Jimmy Anderson to prepare for a broken arm.

“I don’t think we’re not nice guys. We play a good, hard, aggressive brand of cricket,” Smith said, admitting he and Hazlewood were wrong in how they approached the umpires after Australia were denied an lbw decision against Kane Williamson.

“I thought I was well within my rights to go up to the umpire and ask him why we didn’t use the real time snicko,” he said referring to the technology used to determine if the ball had hit the bat.

“That’s deemed to be dissent and I’ll cop that on the chin and I need to be better as a leader, I need to set the example and that was not good enough.’’

Despite the on-field dissent, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who retired from international cricket at the end of the Test, maintained there was a good relationship between the two sides.

“This series has been played in great spirits, I think, and the one back in Australia. I think Steve Smith has been a catalyst for that,” he said.

“He plays the game for the right reasons as well.’’ – AFP