Ashes series: Record Adelaide Oval sporting crowd of 55,317 came on second Test opening day

IN the Ashes cauldron at Adelaide Oval, expatriate Englishman Craig Cook, didn’t find many mad dogs ... but plenty of old ones in the Barmy Army — who were part of a record Oval sporting crowd.

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I JOINED the army on Saturday, the Barmy Army, to see if, as their song suggests, they really are “bonkers and mad and the loyalest cricket supporters the world has ever had”.

Adelaide Oval is their spiritual home and more than 8000 England cricket fans couldn’t have felt more welcomed on a typical English summer’s day ... of rain, drizzle and more rain.

Despite the conditions, a record Adelaide Oval sporting crowd of 55,317 came through the turnstiles.

While grey was the colour of the first-session skies, it is also the colour of the hair of the 13 Barmy Army original members, reuniting at the ground where it all began 23 years ago.

These blokes are in their late 40s and early 50s but were just kids on a backpacking tour of Australia when they sang their songs and chants, which have become stuff of legend, on the Oval hill in January 1995.

Things were a little more subdued yesterday, due mainly to too many “bevvies” and a 3.30am finish at Army HQ at the Adelaide Casino on Friday night.

Journalist Craig Cook in full cry with original Barmy Army members Terry Page, Gavin Martin, Gareth Evans, Adam Carroll, Dave Fagan and David Peacock at the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. Photo: Calum Robertson

That meant the guys were happy for a slow start to the day/night pink ball Test and took their time to take their seats – age really is catching up with them – in front of the famous old scoreboard.

“We’re here to party, not to sleep,” said Dave “The General” Peacock, clearly carrying a hangover.

Rule No. 1 to be a Barmy Army legend is to have a nickname and, as de facto leader, Peacock has the most commanding. So there I was, an England fan despite 36 years in Australia, sitting with “Yorkshire Gav”, “Gazza”, “Streaky”, and “Leafy” – so a nickname for me was necessary.

I would have been happy with “Captain”, but was given the monicker “Chippy” because I’m a Yorkeshireman, too, and we love our hot chips.

It was better, though, than Dave “Seam Up” Fagan, so named because “he’s really shit” at bowling.

Ashes fans show colourful rivalry

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Things were also subdued further on the hill, dominated by The Fanatics, the Australian supporters group.

With few runs and no wickets, the loudest cheer was reserved for former AFL star Warwick Capper, who popped up briefly on someone’s shoulders much to the delight of the Aussie crowd, many wearing “Stick it up the Poms” T-shirts. Whingeing Pom is a term of affection for many people, but it was a fair and accurate description of the Barmy Army as the cold, windy and wet weather caused several interruptions in play.

Several are now official whingeing Australians, having previously emigrated Down Under. Some of the Army’s well-known humour was in evidence when the lads broke out with Here Comes the Sun during the first downpour, but for the second rain flurry they scurried as fast as ageing legs could take them under cover.

But they’ll be back today, belting out their songs despite their weary heads, ageing bodies and generous girths.

Originally published as Ashes series: Record Adelaide Oval sporting crowd of 55,317 came on second Test opening day