The Barmy Army

[Craig]

Originally Posted by superkingdave

It made me chuckle after lunch when Holding was commentating and they were talking about the fanatics but Mikey kept referring to them as the fantastics

One too many rums?

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Matteh

The fact they kept cheering even though England were getting pretty hammered is fairplay to them.

Yeah. I don't mind them or the noise, though I usually associate the songs and so on more with ODI cricket than test cricket. It's funny watching older test cricket clips, even into the early 90s, because of how quiet the crowd is compared to these days. I was watching the 1989 Ashes the other day, and the crowd was just dead silent until a boundary was hit or a wicket fell, in which case there was polite clapping.

ODIs from the 80s are the opposite though.

[Jungle Jumbo]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

Yeah. I don't mind them or the noise, though I usually associate the songs and so on more with ODI cricket than test cricket. It's funny watching older test cricket clips, even into the early 90s, because of how quiet the crowd is compared to these days. I was watching the 1989 Ashes the other day, and the crowd was just dead silent until a boundary was hit or a wicket fell, in which case there was polite clapping.

ODIs from the 80s are the opposite though.

Funny you should say that, I find it's completely the opposite in England. There is generally more going on in the field at a faster pace in ODIs, so there is less banter, songs, chants etc from the crowd.

[pasag]

Anyone listen on radio when they interviewed one of the Barmy Army and they dropped the F word. Awkward radio. Made me laugh stacks.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Jungle Jumbo

Funny you should say that, I find it's completely the opposite in England. There is generally more going on in the field at a faster pace in ODIs, so there is less banter, songs, chants etc from the crowd.

That may be the case now, but I don't think it used to be. If you watch older videos of cricket the crowd is always quieter and more dignified in test cricket, particularly in England, while ODI cricket is usually quite noisy. The exception to this is the West Indies, where the crowd always seems to have made a hell of a lot of noise.

[archie mac]

From the Tele a story about the Barmy Army bugler being ejected for playing his instrument, no warning straight out, and two more evicted for trying to start a Mexican Wave.

[GotSpin]

Originally Posted by archie mac

From the Tele a story about the Barmy Army bugler being ejected for playing his instrument, no warning straight out, and two more evicted for trying to start a Mexican Wave.

Have they banned the mexican wave again

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by GoT_SpIn

Have they banned the mexican wave again

It said in the paper that the police said it is illegal here (QLD), not sure if that is for the whole of the Country?

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by PhoenixFire

On Sky today, there seemed to be one excessivley drunk bloke, shouting at the top of his voice (I couldn't understand what he was saying), did anyone else hear him?

Botham?

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by archie mac

It said in the paper that the police said it is illegal here (QLD), not sure if that is for the whole of the Country?

Why is the Mexican wave illegal?

[Matt79]

Sad to see that the Barmy Army reckon they're not enjoying the test much and some of them even saying they might go home early or tell people yet to come out not to bother.

The inability for them to get seats as a block seems to have killed the mob mentality required to sing and jump up and down for 7 hours straight in searing heat, and there doesn't seem to have been much singing or chanting.

The trumpet player getting thrown out is pathetic! I thought this was a free country - the bloody fun police at Australian stadiums really give me the irrits. I have no problem with strict controls on alcohol and on racial or violent misbehaviour, but why are musical instruments banned? God knows, we wouldn't want people to be having fun at the cricket!

The quote I saw from the organiser of the BA was that "we didn't pay thousands to come out here and be treated like school-kids", and its hard to disagree with him! We're happy to have them over here spending their money, but apparently we don't want any audible support in the crowd for the Poms! (And its only really been noticeable in the past because the BA were the only buggers who showed up for days 3,4, and 5 - as if they would have been that noticeably loud as 8000 people out of a packed 40000 strong crowd)

[Matt79]

And they're not just sulking about the score - that's never worried the blighters in the past!

[Great Birtannia]

I think the problem security have with the mexican wave is that it usually involves the plastic beer cups being thrown in the air. As the day goes on they get thrown with alcohol intact and families, the eldery etc. don't appreciate being showered with beer.

The treatment of the barmy army is pretty ordinary. I don't know why they are so strict with the instruments, let them all sit together in a bay and it isn't a problem.

[Matt79]

I think the officials are mistreating them because every time they come out here, all us Aussies get quite embarressed that "aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi" is the extent of our crowds repertoire.

I personally go to the cricket to watch cricket, not sing and dance like an idiot, but you can't fault their passion or commitment.

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think part of it is also that desperate need to do something that cops seem to have in a lot of situations. With all the panic about racial abuse, violence etc at the grounds they are basically cracking down on everything and ignoring the fact that the crowds have been quite well behaved. The idea that someone would be kicked out of the ground for playing music is just stupid, and I really don't think it would have happened to anyone other than the Barmy Army.