Scott Morrison lives John Howard’s worst nightmare

Scott Morrison has ventured into the territory that still gives John Howard nightmares during a photo opportunity in Brisbane.

Scott Morrison has come out just in front of John Howard. Photo: Supplied

Fortunately for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the bar for politicians bowling a cricket ball is set as low as an underarm delivery.

Morrison on Wednesday rolled his arm over during an appearance at a local cricket field in Brisbane that played out in front of the cameras.

The 53-year-old has now learned the golden rule of Australian politics — you do not work with children, or cricket balls.

During the photo opportunity, Morrison was sending the Kookaburra down the pitch to a local junior cricketer on a Brookfield Showgrounds oval in Brisbane’s west.

His first delivery landed off the pitch in an off-side wide that hinted at a possible John Howard-like disaster.

Fortunately for Morrison, the next two deliveries showed he knows how to play our national summer sport.

His right-arm around the wicket slow-medium pies were enough for him to prove legitimate cricketing credentials with one delivery pitching nicely outside the off stump and another sailing down leg side.

The clips will give former Prime Minister John Howard traumatic flashbacks.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison flicks a cricket ball after bowling at the Brookfield Showgrounds in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled.

The former Member for Bennelong shot himself in the foot in spectacular fashion when he bowled some of the worst deliveries ever bowled during a media opportunity at a cricket field as part of his tour of Pakistan.

Visiting earthquake ravaged Pakistan in 2005, Australian military personnel invited Howard to bowl a few balls to local children.

What happened next has gone into cricket and Australian politics folklore.

Howard bowled three balls with none making it to the batsman and bouncing several times.

In 2015, while speaking at King’s College, Howard explained that it was difficult to bowl.

Scott Morrison has come out just in front of John Howard. Photo: Supplied

“They had a ball that was basically the inside of a tennis ball with some white tape around it,’’ he said at the time.

“And of course I had a go and it stuck in my hand and of course it played for ever and a day afterwards.”

Howard said it was one of the big regrets of his political career.

“I’ve often been asked ‘what was the biggest mistake I made as Prime Minister?,’” Howard said. “And I said, ‘allowing the Pakistani army to talk me into bowling’.”

But The Daily Telegraph revealed Sergeant Michael Gunn took the blame for the moment, admitting his culpability to the former PM.

“Sir, it’s an absolute honour to be up here, it really is,” said Sergeant Michael Gunn.

“ … I must be held a little bit responsible for the bowling incident, as I taped up the ball.

“There may or may not have been (too much tape) stuck to sir’s hand.”

Originally published as Scott Morrison lives John Howard’s worst nightmare