Editorial: Sportsmanship nearly as good as winning

ew Zealand cricketers applaude Australia's Mitchell Johnson as he walks to the crease to bat for the last time on day 5 of the second Trans-Tasman Test match between Australia and New Zealand. Photo / AAP

Black Caps’ good manners show up churlishness of Aussie refusal to recognise Ross Taylor’s great knock.

In a week when we have lost one of our model sportsmen and marked the retirement of another, it is thrilling to see a good spirit catching on.

It is most evident in the Black Caps under Brendon McCullum. Their gesture to the retiring Australian fast bowler, Mitchell Johnson, during the test in Perth this week, lining up to clap him to the crease for his final innings, was wonderful to see.

It did not look forced or contrived, just a group of sportsmen showing their admiration for an opponent.

Johnson seemed to appreciate it, though he had been snippy about the Kiwis' "nice" qualities just a week or two before. "Strange, when someone keeps telling the world how nice they are," he had tweeted. "You wouldn't need to say anything if it's true."

The Black Caps do not say this, of course, others do, notably England's cricket public when the team toured there this year.

But Johnson had a point. It is hard to be modest about modesty and other nice qualities in our sporting teams. So it helps to acknowledge that our rugby players have not been known for a generous spirit, especially after a loss. Jonah Lomu was an exception.

Australia plays cricket as we do rugby, ruthlessly. It is a culture to be admired in its way, though not when no fieldsman has the instinct to shake Ross Taylor's hand as he departed after an innings of 290.

Sportsmanship is glorious, nearly as good as winning.