PERTH: Australia鈥檚 barren run in limited-overs cricket continued on Sunday as South Africa recorded a six-wicket victory in the first one-day international.
And the latest defeat was slammed by legendary former Baggy Green Shane Warne.
Speaking after Australia were bowled out for 152 in 38.1 overs in their first international at home since the infamous ball tampering incident during a test match in Cape Town in March, the spin king said the current climate in the Australia camp wanted to 鈥渕ake him vomit.鈥�
He criticized Cricket Australia鈥檚 new 鈥渂uzz words,鈥� saying that they are nothing more than 鈥渧erbal diarrhea.鈥�
Photos of a number of slogans painted on the changing room walls at the team鈥檚 Perth training complex, including one saying 鈥渆lite honesty鈥�, were mocked on social media.
Warne said: 鈥淔orget all the words, forget the verbal diarrhea and all that sort of stuff. That鈥檚 just rubbish.
鈥淪eriously, it makes you want to vomit. At the end of the day, cricket is a simple game and it鈥檚 a performance-based game.鈥�
The defeat to South Africa is Australia鈥檚 seventh in a row and the Baggy Greens have now lost 17 of their past 19 ODI matches.
Chasing a measly 153 to win, South Africa openers Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks both missed out on half centuries before South Africa reached the target for the loss of just four wickets with more than 20 overs to spare.
Marcus Stoinis grabbed 3-16, but not before both South African openers had featured in a productive 94-run stand.
Fast bowlers Andile Phehlukwayo (3-33), Dale Steyn (2-18) and Lungi Ngidi (2-26) ran through Australia鈥檚 batting after South Africa captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field.
鈥淓xceptional with the ball and in the field, a very good day in the office,鈥� du Plessis said about his team鈥檚 performance. 鈥淏rilliant to have Dale back. It鈥檚 good to have that x-factor in your bowling attack.
鈥淚鈥檇 have liked us to be a little more clinical, (a victory by) maybe eight, nine wickets but we鈥檒l take the win.鈥�
Steyn did the early damage when he had Travis Head and D鈥橝rcy Short dismissed in his second over while Phehlukwayo and Ngidi struck at regular intervals.
South Africa were clinical in the field with du Plessis taking a sharp two-handed catch in the slip to dismiss Short.
鈥淒isappointed, didn鈥檛 play anywhere near our potential,鈥� new Australia ODI captain Aaron Finch said.
鈥淪outh Africa put us on the back foot early... we were a bit careless at times and were off the mark slightly.鈥�