KEY POINTS:
First it was Darren Lockyer, now another Australian captain has picked up a gong, despite losing.
Michael Clarke was awarded man of the match after Friday night's second Chappell-Hadlee one-day international, despite being in charge of a side that was second best for the entirety of the game.
It again raises the questions of whether, one, man-of-the-match awards should ever go to a member of the losing side, and, two, whether they are really just thinly disguised popularity contests.
Clarke was the game's top scorer, making a measured 98 in the unfamiliar role as opener and helping Australia recover from a perilous 63-3 after 18 overs to post 225.
But his was not the match-winning hand. That honour belonged to Grant Elliott, whose unbeaten 61 saw New Zealand home.
The New Zealand camp were clearly bemused by the snub but Daniel Vettori wisely kept his counsel.
After being asked what he thought of the decision he took a long pause, no doubt assessing the chances of another flashpoint controversy in the wake of the Brad Haddin affair, got a sly grin on his face and said: "He was the top scorer and the man of the match normally goes to the top scorer".
The decision to award Clarke the day's top honour is not as outrageous as it was during the recent Rugby League World Cup in Australia.
In the final, home skipper Lockyer was man of the match, despite being the first Australian skipper to lose a cup decider since the 1970s and despite blowing a try that would have seen his side out to an almost impregnable 16-0 lead.
Clarke, to his credit, admitted some culpability in Australia's defeat also.
"We were 20 or 30 runs short and I take responsibility for that. If I turn my innings into 130, it's a different game."
Perhaps, during some of the bleakest days in Australian sporting history, hometown officials have to ensure they at least win something.
