- PM drops easily when playing backyard cricket
- Mr Albanese played with Australian stars
- Howler continues to curse at the sport Prime Minister plays
Not many would compare Anthony Albanese to John Howard, but perhaps that needs to be reconsidered after the former’s exploits on the cricket field.
Albanese took advantage of the former Prime Minister’s infamously shocking bowling by dropping a simple catch during a charity cricket match at Kirribilli House on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister certainly looked professional in his white attire, but his arresting form was anything but; the easy fall left his guests politely trying to stifle fits of laughter at his misfortune.
As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough for the proud South Sydney fan, standing just meters away from him was Rabbitohs and NSW hooker Damien Cook.
Cook was just one household name to watch the Prime Minister’s howler, while Matildas star Cortnee Vine, tennis grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt, sprinter Matt Shirvington and lightning fast bowler Brett Lee were all certainly unimpressed by the leadership of the country.
Mr Albanese channeled John Howard’s infamous shocking bowling on Wednesday
The Prime Minister took a simple catch during a charity cricket match at Kirribilli House
It continues the curse of Australian Prime Ministers on the sporting field. Mr Albanese’s blunder was perhaps not as bad as Mr Howard’s while bowling in Pakistan in 2005, where he barely got the ball on the field.
Fellow former Prime Minister Bob Hawke had some trouble with the bat in 1984, taking a punch to the face and smashing his glasses in a match against journalists.
But nothing worse than Scott Morrison crashing a seven-year-old child with a crash tackle during last year’s election campaign.
What made things even trickier for Mr Morrison was that he was playing football, and his brutal strike was much more suited to the rugby field.
At Kirribilli, NSW Premier Chris Minns fueled speculation that he could be a good fit for federal politics, playing some excellent shots to clearly beat the Prime Minister on his home deck.
Some of Australia’s biggest sports stars played in the charity match and were heard laughing at the Prime Minister’s expense after he botched the catch
Mr Albanese’s blunder may not have been as bad as Mr Howard’s bowling in Pakistan in 2005, where he barely got the ball on the pitch
Onlookers suggested that Mr Albanese had forewarned his visitors that he was not much of a cricketer and took his dropped catch quite well.
He asked for a degree of leniency with bat in hand, reminding Cook of Rabbitoh’s ‘life member’ status before confronting him.
The ‘Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie’s First XI Backyard Cricket’ competition raised money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney and Batyr Australia.