Australians love their sport, and we love most of our pro sportspeople. Even Jana Pittman seems to be rising in the estimations of the average couch-bound sportsfan.
Yet over the last few days, the nation’s media organisations have asked Joe Public what he thinks about the Australian Test team. When you aggregate the results, there’s one fairly obvious conclusion: we don’t much like our international cricketers.
Of course, “click here to vote” polling is inherently unreliable, so maybe there are no conclusions to be drawn from the following polls. Besides, the Indians were holed up in their hotel while the drama unfolded. Maybe they did most of the voting.
But if there is something to learn from it, perhaps it is this: before the final wicket fell on Sunday evening, there was a latent antipathy for the Aussies lurking in the national sporting psyche. A feeling of sympathy for the Indian team’s undeserving loss, coupled with the Australians’ gauche victory dance, gave us reason to express it.
Is it success fatigue? Are we tired of tedious, one-sided cricket? On balance, do we consider the Aussies a bunch of bad winners?
The Age
Are Australian cricketers bad sports?
Yes: 76%
No: 24%
Herald Sun
Should Ricky Ponting be sacked as captain of Australia?
Yes: 67% (6958 votes)
No: 32% (3340 votes)
Daily Telegraph
Do the Australian team play in the true spirit of cricket?
Yes: 17% (1516 votes)
No: 82% (6918 votes)
Today Tonight
Do you think Ricky Ponting should be removed as Australian cricket captain?
Yes: 28%
No: 72%
Foxsports
Has Australia’s behaviour in the current Test series changed the way you will support the team?
Yes: I will no longer support this side: 61.8% (5342 votes)
Yes: but I still love the baggy green: 11.63% (1006 votes)
No: I think their behaviour was appropriate: 26.56% (2296 votes)
Internet questionnaire research is not statiscally “fair” as not a true sample of population. Hence none of polls are correct or should used as guide of the population in Australia.
Australians for India! Where can I join?
Thomas, Let me ask, who racially abused who? If the Indians had pulled off a draw this would not have happened. Singh was warned before the series, Ponting instructed to report it, if it happened. Let the spoilt sooks take their bat and ball and go home.
They remind me of the pommy soccer teams performances of hugging and making like pork chops, they look ridiculous but could qualify for acting careers later on
No we dont hate them we adore them. We love that they are the best in the world and have been for the last 10 plus years. Maybe some feel it is getting boring and no other team has been able to match them for any period of time. Jealousy is what I see.