‘Rolf Harris is one of yours’: Barmy Army lets rip at Australian fans
Australia’s spinner Nathan Lyon called for the assistance of security after being jeered by a British fan at Edgbaston. And the antics didn’t end there.
Australia’s spinner Nathan Lyon called for the assistance of security after being jeered by a British fan at Edgbaston during the first Ashes Test on Saturday.
A team security official was involved in removing the man from his prime position near the players’ box, but it was unclear if he was escorted from the ground, or just moved to a different position in the ground.
It is understood the man was yelling at Lyon, comparing him unfavourably to the English spinner, Moeen Ali.
The man is believed to have screamed at Lyon, getting up very close, and telling him he was a “shite Moeen Ali”.
Later officials said “there was nothing in it” and wouldn’t comment.
The incident occurred at a different area of the ground to where the boisterous Barmy Army, in the infamous Hollies stand, would goad rows of Australian fans, dressed in matching yellow and green shirts and hats, by singing about a convicted sex offender.
“Rolf Harris he is one of yours”, they sang.
Sitting in the Hollies stand at Edgbaston, the most sought after ticket in test cricket, is for the bravest of battle hardened spectators.
The ability to bat away blow up beach balls, a shark, an ice cream cone and, ahem, a blow up doll, is an unwritten code of the entry ticket. The biggest boos were for security guards who took away one of the balls when it looked close to being at the boundary. The biggest cheers, for one who threw it back.
Humour, a thick skin and selective hearing is a must for an afternoon of alcohol-fuelled ribaldry is guaranteed.
On Saturday during the second day of the first Ashes test there were raucous renditions of “The Great Escape” and a pig being chased by a team of butchers with pretend meat cleavers. Of course there were Where’s Wally characters, a Batman, and various groups of men dressed in boaters and striped blazers juggling trays of four large beers.
Controversy is never far away from the Barmy Army – close to celebrating three decades of supporting the England team – and their constancy to needle, all day long, is infamous.
Three years on they continue to boo Steve Smith and David Warner for their roles in the ball tampering scandal of 2018 but their song sheet is often more creative. Remember the ditty about Mark Waugh and Shane Warne and the bookmaker to the tune of My Old Man’s a Dustman?
“Mark Waugh is an Aussie, he wears a baggy hat, When he saw the bookie’s cash, he said I’m having some of that. Shared it out with ‘Warnie’, and they went and had some beers, And when the ACB (Australian Cricket Board) found out, they covered it up for years.”
Any morning session is not exempt from the shenanigans, but of course the jeering, cheering, singing and debauchery worsened as the hours wore on.
At various points of play it was uncertain how the players in the middle felt about being reduced to a mere sideshow of the Hollies theatre.
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