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Aussies embracing the friendly World Cup

3 minute read

Just over a year after the biggest controversy to rock Australian cricket in decades, the 2019 World Cup has virtually been devoid of any behavioural issues.

DAVID WARNER of Australia plays a shot during the ICC Cricket World Cup between India and Australia at The Oval in London, England.
DAVID WARNER of Australia plays a shot during the ICC Cricket World Cup between India and Australia at The Oval in London, England. Picture: Henry Browne/Getty Images

Australia's toned down on-field aggression has reverberated globally with the 2019 World Cup devoid of any serious on-field issues or over-the-top sledging.

Desperate to turn around their on-field image and reclaim rest of the public, Australia have kept out of trouble since the fall out of the ball-tampering saga.

Last year's Test series in South Africa was among the ugliest in recent memory, having also included David Warner's stairwell incident with Quinton de Kock.

But just over a year later, no players in any country have been reported for serious offences at the World Cup, while there have been no obvious on-field stoushes.

Only two - Virat Kohli and Carlos Brathwaite - have been fined for dissent, while others have received small reprimands for minor incidents.

"I think it has been a great spirit out on the field, regardless of results," Australia's captain Aaron Finch said.

"You see a lot of smiles on people's faces, which is a good sign that the game's in really good hands at the moment, and that it is being played in the right spirit.

It comes after the 2015 edition featured several flare ups, including Brad Haddin coming under fire for the sends off he gave New Zealand batsmen in the final.

Shane Watson and Pakistani Wahab Riaz were also both fined following a quarter-final clash in 2015, albeit with the ICC criticised for being too hard on the pair.

"I'm not sure if it's been a conscious effort from individual countries, but it's certainly felt like a really, really good tournament (in 2019)," Finch said.

"I know the last one was quite an aggressive World Cup on the field, mainly from us.

"We were quite aggressive in our approach and how we went about things."

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