Black Cap Daryl Mitchell batting. Photo: photosport
Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell's comments after the Test series loss to Australia have been misconstrued according to his team mates.
Australia won the second Test by three wickets in Christchurch on Monday to take a 2-0 series clean sweep.
Mitchell told media after the Test that there was more to cricket than wins and losses prompting criticism from former players including Jeremy Coney and Ian Smith.
"We've always said as Black Caps, we're not defined by the outcomes," Mitchell said.
"We're defined by how we play cricket and hopefully how we inspire our country to play the game ... we are really proud of the efforts throughout the Test."
Coney and Smith both found Mitchell's comments hard to digest.
"Give me a break. (You do it) to win," Coney said on radio.
"Winning is actually the key to it all.
"You don't have to be a sportsman for that, either.
"Any position that you do, you have to do it well in order to remain doing it for a start. If you do it poorly, you're out.
"So don't tell me that outcomes have got nothing to do with international sport. We kind of get what he's meaning. But actually, young kids will follow the New Zealand side when they win."
Jeremy Coney batting for New Zealand. Photo: Photosport
Smith supported Coney's comments and said: "I'm going to take two or three deep breaths here and then still say, I don't believe I just heard a New Zealand cricketer say 'We're not defined by the outcomes', of a Test match against Australia."
Pace bowler Matt Henry, who was named player of the series against Australia, has backed Mitchell.
"We knew what Daryl was trying to say it's never easy facing the media straight after a loss like that but if you look at Daryl as a player and how well he has done he's one of the most competitive guys I know, he's put our team in so many winning situations over the years.
"We want to play the best cricket we possibly can and we're out there trying to win those moments unfortunately yesterday we had a partnership between (Alex) Carey and (Mitch) Marsh that we just couldn't quite break and it was disappointing not to get over the line but at the same time there are some positives to take out of the game."