Australian Sportsmanship Under Scrutiny

Australian century-maker Adam Voges has defended allegations of ''horrendous sportsmanship" over a low-key reaction to New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor's outstanding double century.

Not that Taylor was particularly bothered.

Former Australian limited overs fast bowler, and now commentator, Dirk Nannes slammed Australia for failing to properly acknowledge Taylor's innings when he was out just before lunch on day four for 290.

"You don't have a guy bat for a day and a half out there and just not even acknowledge it," Nannes said on ABC radio.

"That's just horrendous sportsmanship... not one person from the Australian camp went and shook his hand... it's not that hard."

Australian players seemed confused as they left the field - given the timing of Taylor's dismissal - over whether lunch would be taken.

Add in that Taylor turned and headed back to the pavilion some way from where the Australian players had gathered to congratulate substitute fielder Jon Wells, who caught Taylor.

More a lapse than a deliberate snub? Nannes wasn't buying it.

"(They're) pretty good at lapsing as an Australian team aren't they," he said.

"It's not hard to just do the simple things. It's like when you've got a kid, you teach them to say thank you when they go for a sleepover.

"Teach them to say thank you for the meal, please and thank you. That's the sort of thing that happens on a cricket field as well.

"It's not hard. Yes, you say it's a lapse, but we see it more and more. It's not a good look."

Voges took umbrage at the claim.

''To a man we all clapped every milestone he made, and I shook his hand at end of play," he said.

''I think the game has been played in wonderful spirit so far. We all clapped. It was an amazing innings."

He wasn't concerned about Nannes' criticism.

''I thought the innings [Taylor] played was outstanding. He pounced on any width that we gave him throughout the whole innings and I think he just grew into his innings wonderfully well . . . he didn't really give us a sniff."

As for Taylor, whose 290 is the third highest test score by a New Zealander, and the best in Australia by a visiting batsman, he was relaxed about it and wasn't pointing any fingers.

''When I get out I just walk off the ground as quick as I can, I don't want to stay out there any longer than I have to," he said.

''I'm sure it was a coincidence more than anything.

''I got out on the far side of the boundary and they were all congratulating him (the fielder) and I was walking off as fast I could to hopefully come and get a catch (in the over before lunch)."

New Zealand have made a habit of rushing to shake hands with Australian century makers, which has irked Australian commentators and some writers, who see it as an over-the-top, too nice reaction.

They don't expect the opposition to follow suit, and they certainly didn't - at least publicly - yesterday.

NZ Herald