Shane Warne Says Australia's New Buzzword "Elite Honesty" Makes Him "Want To Vomit"

Veteran Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne believes actions and not words should be the focus as the Australian cricket team aims to turn things around for itself. Moreover, he feels that a new set of buzzwords -- including "elite honesty" -- make "you want to vomit". Australia coach Justin Langer, appointed after the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa exposed a win-at-all-costs mentality, has cited the phrase "elite honesty" as the way forward for Australian cricket.

"Elite honesty" was reportedly one phrase plastered on the walls of the team's changing room ahead of their one-day clash with South Africa in Perth on Sunday, with fans poking fun at it on social media.

And Warne is not one to mince words. "Forget all the words, forget the verbal diarrhoea and all that sort of stuff," he said on Fox Sports. "That's just rubbish, that sort of stuff. Seriously, it makes you want to vomit. At the end of the day, cricket is a simple game and it's a performance-based game. You've got to perform on the field. All these words and everything -- it's all about actions. And I think it's got to be the basics."

He added that the captain and vice-captain lead the way and "the rest come after you".

"You inspire from within with your performances and the way you perform on the field.

"None of this writing words, 200-page documents, just get out and play better."

Australia have endured a tough time on and off the field since Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned for their role in attempting to alter the ball with sandpaper in a Test against South Africa in March.

Then-coach Darren Lehmann quit soon after while Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland has since left and chairman David Peever fell on his sword last week.

In attempting to explain the meaning of "elite honesty" last week, Langer said: "It's the Australian way as I know it. You can lie to everyone else, but you can't lie to yourself. So that's elite honesty to yourself. And also the Aussie way as I know it is to look a bloke in the eye, look your sister or you mum in the eyes, and tell them the truth and be happy to get some truth back, so that's elite honesty."

(With AFP inputs)

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