Cricket legend Allan Border slams Aussie team for being too comradely with opponents and chooses Steve Smith for the Ashes: ‘Let Mr Nice Guy be to New Zealand’
- Alan Border wants Australia to develop a tougher lead
- Felt Aussies have been too friendly with India in recent series
- Singled out Steve Smith, praising Indian pace bowlers
Cricket legend Allan Border wants Australia – and Steve Smith in particular – to return to the tougher lead they had when he was in charge of the Test side as the Ashes series against England looms.
The 67-year-old Border beat celebrities such as Ian Botham, Mike Gatting and David Gower on the 1989 tour of the UK and it paid off, with the tourists winning back the urn after a 4-0 win over six Tests.
Nicknamed “Captain Grumpy” because of his aggressive nature, Border acknowledged that his tough style doesn’t sit well with some cricket fans, but he believes Pat Cummins’ men are too friendly.
“You can have that friendly rivalry without being over the top [Steve] Smith…in India he gave his thumbs up every time he got a good ball,” he said Code sports.
“I thought that was a bit over the top. You’re entering a competition out there.
Cricket legend Allan Border wants Australia to develop a tougher lead ahead of the Ashes series against England (pictured, with the urn in 1989)
Border was shocked to see Steve Smith (pictured) acknowledge good deliveries from Indian bowlers during the recent subcontinent series
“I would play with a harder edge. We [Aussies] playing a certain style of cricket. Tough but fair cricket.’
Border also selected trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, labeling them a ‘Mr Nice Guy’ XI.
“The Kiwis, they’re the ones who play the good two shoes…but then they try to beat you up,” he added.
England coach Brendon McCullum is on the same wavelength as Border, having achieved limited success against Australia at Test level in his playing time when he represented New Zealand.
“I always felt like we were wrecking against them, rather than going toe-to-toe with them, and going toe-to-toe with a good side is where the magic happens,” he said .
“I think we have the quality in our team, and they in theirs, to make it a heavyweight game, so I’m excited about that. Australians are formidable competitors.
Aussie skipper Pat Cummins has a very different captaincy style to Border, who was famous for his aggression on and off the pitch
“That’s why you want to play the game. You want to be tested against the best and that’s what awaits us in the coming months.”
The first Ashes Test is on June 16 in Edgbaston – and in preparation Australia will take on India in the ICC World Test Championship.
Play kicks off at The Oval in London on June 7, with the winner officially crowned the world’s top test country.