Former Australian opener David Warner launched a scathing criticism of the team’s batting after their 176-run defeat to South Africa in the series-deciding third Test in Cape Town on Saturday, describing the performance as ‘utterly disgraceful’ and ‘un-Australian’.
Australia, chasing 288 for victory, collapsed to 62 for eight on the fifth morning before being bowled out, handing South Africa the series win. Warner, who was part of the Australian team less than three years ago, said the batters had repeatedly failed to support the bowling attack throughout the series.
“I’m just upset, it’s terrible, it’s un-Australian. There’s no fight whatsoever, it’s disgraceful,” Warner said on Fox Cricket.
“Chasing 288, you’re winning a Test match, you could
win a series, it’s on the line, and this is the way that they’re playing. I think it’s deplorable but the batters have let the bowlers down the whole series.”
Warner also singled out Matt Renshaw, who had shown resistance with a century in Durban, but described the wider batting effort as unacceptable.
Australia captain Pat Cummins was asked about Warner’s remarks after the defeat. “I don’t even know what to make of that,” he responded.
Warner was not the only former Australian player to criticise the batting display. Mark Waugh called the collapse “terrible”, while former batter Simon Katich said the problems had been developing for some time.
“This has been brewing for a while,” Katich said on SEN radio.
He also referred to their two-day defeat at the MCG last year, the loss to Bangladesh in Darwin in August and their first-innings total of 99 in Gqeberha.
“If you constantly keep making excuses for players they will latch onto them,” Katich said. “If you’re going to allow that mediocrity to grow, this is the sort of performance you get.”
