Furious cricket fans have slammed Cooper Connolly online following his underwhelming performance at the crease for Australia in their semi-final defeat against India in the Champions Trophy.
Connolly – who recently made his Test debut versus Sri Lanka – was drafted into the XI as a straight swap for injured opener Matt Short in Dubai.
The 21-year-old didn’t seize his opportunity, dismissed for a duck after facing nine balls.
And it didn’t take long for supporters to loudly question on social media why Connolly – who previously had never opened the batting in List A fixtures – faced the new ball with Travis Head.
‘Can someone explain to me what Cooper Connolly has done to be anywhere near national selection? If they are giving out baggy greens I’ll take one too,’ said one.
Another posted on X: ‘That nine balls which Cooper Connolly played there is easily the worst I’ve ever seen.
Furious cricket fans have slammed Cooper Connolly (pictured) following his underwhelming performance at the crease for Australia in their semi-final defeat against India in the Champions Trophy
Cooper Connolly was drafted into the XI as a straight swap for injured opener Matt Short but the 21-year-old didn’t seize his opportunity, dismissed for a duck (pictured)
This cricket fan labelled Cooper Connolly’s short innings ‘easily the worst I’ve ever seen’
A second offered to take a baggy green if selectors continue to hand them out to the likes of Cooper Connolly
A third pointed out Cooper Connolly’s poor return at the crease in comparison to retired star Michael Klinger
A third weighed in with: ‘Before opening for Australia in a semi-final, Cooper Connolly’s highest one day score was 42. [Retired star] Michael Klinger averaged 49 with 18 hundreds in List A cricket and never played an ODI.
‘Cooper Connolly has scored 127 runs total in professional one day cricket.’
Meanwhile, stand-in skipper Steve Smith lamented what could have been after India chased down a target of 265 with 11 balls remaining in the UAE to progress to the tournament final.
While always in the game, Australia were never in command of it, losing wickets at key times in their own innings, and not taking them at those stages during India’s run chase.
‘We had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300,’ conceded Smith.
‘We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings.
‘If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit, we are probably getting up to 290 – 300 and putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard.
‘On that surface (300) would have been a really good total….but India played well, they outplayed us and they deserve the victory.’
Australia will now turn their attention to the World Test Championship against South Africa at Lord’s in June, then a Test and T20 series in the West Indies, followed by the Ashes.
