One item on the menu England stars are avoiding in while in Australia
England cricketers are hoping to win their first Ashes series Down Under for a long time and they’re taking things to bizarre heights.
Superstitions in sport are nothing new.
England cricketers however are taking them to new heights while down under for the Ashes series by steering clear of one item on the menu.
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The food in question … duck.
Players such as skipper Ben Stokes, 34, and Joe Root, 34, will hope steering clear of duck — cricket-speak for zero — ensures they can rack up the runs.
“It’s given me the heebie-jeebies just thinking about Root having duck in Australia. It won’t happen,” England star Jos Buttler said.
“No one will have duck on the day. I’m not sure I’d even eat duck during that whole series.
“It obviously makes no difference whatsoever. It just gets so in your head. Onion rings are another one. Polos, too. If you’re an Australian chef, you’d put the duck special on for free.”
England hope their fast bowlers will help them win the Ashes for the first time on Australian soil since 2010/11.
In doing so they’re going to have to prepare themselves for mental warfare not only from the Australian XI, but also the fans in the stands.
That’s the warning from England legend Mark Butcher who played in four Ashes series during which he hit three centuries against the Aussies.
The former Surrey batsman recalled of his first trip Down Under in 1998.
“I remember on my first Ashes tour getting off the plane in Australia, you’d be collecting your baggage from the carousel and I remember them just taking every single piece of kit out of the coffin,” Butcher said.
“They’re spraying your bats and spraying the soles of your shoes and basically treating you like criminals from the second you arrive.
“And that was when you went ‘okay, this is how it’s going to be!’”
- with The Sun
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Originally published as One item on the menu England stars are avoiding in while in Australia
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