A Poms Ashes

Well another bad start to the day with the Aussies piling on the runs has changed into me giving the Aussies at work a bit of stick.  I keep going round the office chanting ‘Poor old Ricky’ - Ricky Ponting got out on 194 - 6 short of his double century.  I’m looking forward to us getting in now and having a bat but I know there is always the chance that we will have a collapse at some point.  Expecting England to get 500+ is asking a lot but then they have picked batters in this team so they’d better come up with the goods.

The following are some fun and disappointing comments I found on the baggygreen site here in Aus:

Hoggard to Ponting, no run, lovely ball outside off, but Ponting is looking as solid as a breezeblock. In fact, a big pile of breezeblocks all wearing t-shirts with “I’m solid”

Hoggard to Ponting, OUT, Ponting’s superb innings ends. He shuffled across his stumps looking to work to leg and was struck in front by Hoggard. A vociferous and pleading appeal was answered - finally - by Steve Bucknor and Ponting reluctantly turned and headed off, but not before he had aimed a massive swipe at the turf on his way back to the pavilion

The lack of noise could be because the Barmy Army have been split up by the killjoys who spend the rest of their time puncturing the inflatable balls which come from the stands

Matt says: “I was at the game yesterday and the crowd are quiet because there are cops and security staring down the crowd and the fans are too scared to cheer or do the Mexican wave for fear of getting ejected! They have ruined the atmosphere!”

And the Barmy Army start singing. Perhaps the silence wasn’t so bad …

Many of the Barmy Army have boycotted today’s cricket because of the treatment of their bugler, who was ejected yesterday. Paul Burnham, the leader of the Army, said “an awful lot” of members had chosen to watch from their hotels - and he also suggested that the Barmy Army tour of Australia could be scrapped.

I was fortunate enough to be at the ‘Gabba for the last Ashes in Aust and thoroughly enjoyed my two days, the atmosphere was fantastic. The Barmy Army provide an aspect of cricket no other country can. At no stage did I feel threatened or intimidated. Our politicians and sports administrators have decided that passion and atmosphere are not good for the game.

There’s a mutiny going on. The PA has been annexed by the Fanatics who are singing a version of “In the Jungle” with the lyrics “They whinge-away” and the entire stadium is booing. Colonel Andrew Miller of Tonbridge writes: “It’s loud, abysmal and far more offensive than any lone trumpeter.”