Give Ricky a rocky ride
Thu Aug 06 07:33AM
Our fans have given Ricky Ponting a bit of stick all series and if he is hoping for an easier ride in the fourth Ashes Test, he is going to the wrong ground!
Like Edgbaston, Headingley is one of the livelier grounds and I'm sure the Western Terrace will be in full voice when Ricky and his team-mates take to the field.
There has been some concern over the behaviour of fans and they have been warned to keep things under control, but none of the complaints have come from the Australian players who recognise it is part of the game.
We have experienced exactly the same thing on tour down there, and as the home team it is exactly what you want to see. You want the crowd to be fully behind you and put the opposition under pressure.
It's great when you have a football-like atmosphere, and as long as it stays jovial and does not get abusive, then I'm all in favour. It's what home advantage is all about.
The best thing I can say about my record at Headingley is that it is one I would like to improve on. I don't know the exact statistics but I have not had the best of times there in the past.
There is no particular reason for it, so I am keen to put things right and there is no better stage on which to do it.
We are one-nil up with two matches to play, so it doesn't take a genius to work out that one more win will be enough to secure the series.
There is no question of us playing for a draw, and it is obviously our aim to finish the job this weekend.
The carrot is dangling in front of us, and there is no greater motivation than the possibility of winning the Ashes.
Although we have got back-to-back Tests for the second time this series, we will be going in relatively fresh, as Edgbaston was pretty rare for an Ashes Test in that it did not have the tension of a close finish.
The bowlers put in a tough shift on the final day, but in general we did not expend the usual amount of physical and mental energy as we did at Cardiff, for example.
Everybody will be looking at the state of Freddie Flintoff's injury, and when you see the performances he has put in for us you can understand why.
He was not in the wickets at Edgbaston, but I don't think that had anything to do with his knee.
The wicket did not suit the taller bowlers like Fred and Stuart Broad, whereas the skiddier bowlers like Jimmy Anderson, Graham Onions and Ben Hilfenhaus had more joy.
The medical team will continue to assess Fred on a day-by-day basis, but I'm sure he will do everything he can to make a big impact over the last two games, and bow out of Test cricket in the best way possible.
No no no Colly.If I wanted a football atmosphere I'd go to a football match
From patandbarbara on Thu Aug 06 08:19AMYes Yes Yes Colly. great to see some atmosphere in cricket at last... Keep it up boys..
From stephen.murray on Thu Aug 06 08:35AMwhat is this sport to stuck up to have an atmosphere. let them sing let them boo.its all part of the panto that is sport.
From djammersod on Thu Aug 06 08:37AMI have only been to one test match and thoroughly enjoyed the aymosphere. As Colly has said it is only banter that I would expect in a match that has been contested for over a 100 years. The fans from both countries are getting on fine and Ricky is quoted as saying he enjoys it and accepts it is part of the game, so please continue Barmy Army and cheer our boys to another victory.
From risey1978 on Thu Aug 06 08:38AMIm not sure booing one of the greatest batsmen to play the game is the way forward but Im all for giving the aussies as much stick as possible at all other times!! COME ON THE ENGLAND!!!!
From merlmufc on Thu Aug 06 08:48AMhope he doesnt get himself into trouble for that title given the directive that just came out. but he said 'as long as it stays jovial and does not get abusive', which sounds about right.
nothing is more exciting than watching good cricket in a ground with an engaging atmosphere.
look what happened when they tried to 'sanitise' crowds in the last world cup in the West Indies!
From coslb on Thu Aug 06 08:58AMOld Man River
There are so many bad things about the current series that it is difficult to list them all. The biased commentary and camera work,the hyping of dim witted drunken louts into heros.The rotten umpiring from which the Australians have suffered the most and without would nt have lost the second test.The deliberate bowling at the batsman even the tail enders designed to hurt or incapacitate. Sportsmanship? Baa
From colinhasson on Thu Aug 06 09:05AMthe better the atmosphere the better our boys will play, the ashes is the biggest 5 tests in cricket and if we can't cheer an get behind England for this then when can we?? The boring supporters should stay at home with there slippers and pipe while the rest of us cheers England to Victory!!!!!
From leenewby on Thu Aug 06 09:17AMI was at Edgbaston on Friday when Ricky Ponting surpassed Allan Border as the highest Australian runscorer in history. The Barmy Army (and the rest of the stadium) were all on their feet applauding what is such a tremendous acheivement. Get of the fans backs would you!!! The thing about the Barmy Army is that they know a good cricket shot or a top spell of bowling when they see it and they applaud it when it is deserved, no matter who it is. They are there to have fun!
At the same time, what is wrong with making the No 1 test team in the world feel a little uncomfortable when the walk out to the crease??
No matter what sport it is, there is always going to be some who go over the top but lets stop tarring us all with the same brush!From chrisswain63 on Thu Aug 06 09:23AMThe game has sunk to the depths of football.I certainly have had enough of the antics of the the so called supporters their language and behaviour is a disgrace.Cheating by the players is now considered the norm. The bad umpiring has effected the result of at least the 2nd test Add this to the growing number of South Africans that are playing within the County set up (and England team) I am giving up caring about the game.
From michael.harper17 on Thu Aug 06 09:24AMit is a few years since I last went to a test match (Oval match, can't remember the year but Caddick and tufnell wereplaying). We sat near a bunch of guys who had just returned from the Barmy Army tour. The banter was great fun, a few beers were drunk and much merry tanting. It was all good natured and, importantly, those who were a bit older and not keen to get carried along with the frivolity were treated with respect. From what I have seen on the TV, things have not changed. I have not been at a test match for a long time having left the country. However, I would be keen to know if the atmosphere is the same.
From jcurtisoliver on Thu Aug 06 10:09AMI was fearful that 20/20 would see the kind of poor behaviour now accepted at football matches. However this fear was unfounded and I hope cricket will continue to avoid major problems. What does Paul mean by 'football like atmoshere'. If he means enthusiatic support for both the home side and the spirit of the game that's fine, but I would hate to see spectators segregated by fences and having to be escorted in and out of cricket grounds. I don't want to see players surronding, even chasing, umpires around the pitch! I'm pleased the authorites are concerned about the poor behaviour of a minority of (probably) drunkun 'fans'. It was by ignoring these minor incidents that football became as it is now. Shame Paul did not condemn the booing of Ponting - he is a great player and does not deserve such disrespect.
From jonas131415 on Thu Aug 06 10:19AMHave a look at some of the venomous, illiterate drivel you get on many of the football postings and hope to god we never do develop a football atmosphere in cricket.
From bretorne on Thu Aug 06 10:28AMI am more of a traditionalist when it comes to how spectators should behave , I don't mind it being noisy and excited , especially if there is a lot happening . But some of the behaviour is now appalling and for many is a day at the test is just a good excuse for s drink fueled day out
From billy.mckain on Thu Aug 06 10:29AMI was at the match on Sunday when Ricky Ponting was booed like a pantomime villain and it seemed to be mostly good natured. Brett Lee also got some abuse when he came round to deliver some drinks to Hilfenhaus on the boundary and again took it all in good spirits. We don't often have a lead over Australia so we let's enjoy it and give them some stick while it's our turn.
From davephillimore on Thu Aug 06 11:04AMHave any of you been in a cricket ground in the last few years? A lot is far from 'banter'. It is filthy, xenophobic drink fuelled abuse, and its symptomatic of a wider lack of respect in our society. That is not 'supporting your team', nor is it aceeptable. Cheering, applause, WITTY banter, is fine. Drink fuelled abuse is not. Ban drink like they do in football grounds. It would be a start.
From markrose260 on Thu Aug 06 12:06PMBooing by away fans is as much a sign of respect and fear. You know that you have to do all you can to assist your team dislodge such a stubborn batsman. Ponting is no stranger to bending the rules, more so than anyone. Over zealous appeals that he knows are a sham are just one trick that you see him pull in the field. Sledging bordering on abuse. We all know what he is capable of with a bat and his mouth and England fans respect that, hence the booing. Also it is possible to respect someone and dislike them too.
From azy1975 on Thu Aug 06 12:10PMim all for the barmy army giving the convicts some stick
From spliffy47 on Thu Aug 06 12:34PMoh my sweet jesus this is possibly the biggest heap of @#$% you ever talked about you dumb english tool. Ricky is possibly the best batsmen ever to play the game your a fart compared to him please give up with this blog you are patethic
From valenciabdevine on Thu Aug 06 12:42PMIt's all part of sport so as long as it doesn't get too bad why stop it ? I remember I was at a football match Ireland vs Norway, the crowd started booing Norway when they got the ball, a few minutes of this and the crowd was asked to stop...so we started to boo Ireland instead was a great moment to be part of and isn't something that should be stopped.
From gaz19920000 on Thu Aug 06 12:50PMi am a rugby and cricket supporter and whilst respect is something i like about rugby and the cheap behaviour at football is not something i like, the atmospehere at places like edgbaston and headingly is excellent. the barmy army clearly respect the achievements of the opposition e.g applauding ponting. i didnt like the booing, it was probably one step too far but to go overboard and ban the trumpet (inc the playing of waltzing matilda etc)and reduce the barmy army ticket allocation is just pathetic. i love that in cricket you can have the pavilion gents enjoying it over wine and the western stand enjoying over 15 beers and competitions to see who can build the longest plastic pint pot chain. pc brigade ....get over yourself. for a change were giving as good as we get down in oz. enjoy life...! come on england!!
From richardjohnpope on Thu Aug 06 12:51PMSo valenciabdevine, you think that Ricky Ponting, who has bent the rules in the past, complained at whatever he wants and whenever he wants, is better than a man who is England's 20/20 captain and the first Englishmen to score a double hundred in Oz since 1936 is a fart? Right...
I think sometimes they went overboard with the booing and made it a bit sticky for the Barmy Army, but it's all fun and since we have such gloom and doom in the real world, why would you want to stop as all having a jolly and hilarious time with the Aussies - it's what they do to everyone else and don't go trying to ruin a good game, because that would destroy the Ashes and cricket as we know it, by making them silent. Test Cricket has come under lots of scrutiny lately, and many believe it's dull and a turn-off for alot of supporters of the ODI and 20/20 formats. If you make it even duller in many parts of the matches, you might as well be burning test cricket...
From thomaskwok95 on Thu Aug 06 01:29PMI was at Edgbaston on Friday when Ponting broke the record, I like most of the fans got to my feet and applauded this special acheivement.
I went to watch a days cricket knowing that at Edgbaston the croud gets loud and behind the players, thats one of the reasons i went to Edgbaston, its all part of the Ashes!!!! ( it wouldnt be the same if all games were as quite as Lords)
From cattimbury on Thu Aug 06 01:38PMIf you want a sterile atmosphere of occasional very light applause for all, where 50% of the crowd are asleep, go to Lords.
From crazylegend86 on Thu Aug 06 02:53PMHowever, I love the Ashes atmosphere, and don't doubt for a second that our lads get it all back and more in Australia.
From crazylegend86 on Thu Aug 06 02:54PMI am sad to see that Collingwood thinks that Booing the opposition captain as he walks out to bat is acceptable. It is not. Getting behind our team is fine. But booing a great batsman is not done. It is not cricket (I hope even in Durham!).
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From daanstephens on Thu Aug 06 09:37PMbeen to lords lovely ground go there every year boring atmosphere,going to headingley tommorow go there every year cant wait GREAT ATMOSPHERE!!!!! lets get stuck in cricket has got some right old farts
From wheelsjay on Thu Aug 06 10:07PMi m an indian so obviouly i support india.but i luv the way the english fans boo the aussies,,itts like a party atmosphere.i can never forgey the test between india and aus in dec 2007 when aus cheated.so keep going all the english fans
From ryanmsd_90 on Fri Aug 07 04:36AMi really cant understand the fuss. do these simple minded folk think our players dont get stick when they play in aus or pakistan etc. of course they do. non of it is mallicious its just fans trying to upset the opposition. surely thats a compliment. good luck today boys and keep up the good work
From philippark555 on Fri Aug 07 09:18AM
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