Cup song ends on a final sour note

[pasag]

Cup song ends on a final sour note

TRIUMPHANT captain Ricky Ponting was allegedly "shouldered" by a Barbados police officer as the Australians celebrated their World Cup victory on Kensington Oval.

A week after the Australians created history by winning their third consecutive World Cup, details have emerged of the incident when the squad tried to perform their victory song a few hours after their 53-run win over Sri Lanka.

It is believed the players were on the centre wicket when local police, two of whom were carrying machine guns, ordered them from the playing field.

The officer in charge, who was described by eyewitnesses as overly aggressive and forceful, was not prepared to listen when Ponting asked that his team be left for two minutes to sing the song. The officer demanded the team and its support staff leave the ground immediately.

The officer then allegedly used his shoulder to bump into Ponting and became more agitated. When the players stepped forward to protect their skipper, they were warned they were at risk of being arrested.

It is believed all-rounder Andrew Symonds intervened and helped defuse the situation by suggesting the team call it a night.

The Australian team's two security officials, who were high-ranking Caribbean police officers, ordered the policeman who caused the trouble to "stand down".

Ponting could not be contacted yesterday, but Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young confirmed the police had ordered the players off the field.

"It was around about the time when the players were due to go back to their hotel, but they wanted to sing their team song, as is their habit after big tournaments, at centre wicket," Young said.

"However, the police were at the end of their shift and they told the players to move on. They did and went back to the team hotel where they sang the song by the pool. Glenn McGrath led the song."

Sergeant Rock of the Barbados police yesterday denied any knowledge of a disturbance between police and the Australian team. "That is news to me," he said. "I haven't heard anything about that."

The incident was the last in a line of World Cup public relations disasters that led to many observers calling it the worst sporting event ever staged. As well as the murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, who was cremated at a private ceremony near Cape Town on Friday, there were scheduling problems and administrative difficulties, as well as many lopsided matches.

Another alleged incident involved Symonds and some teammates at a nightclub. A tourist dressed in an Australian supporter's shirt grabbed Symonds in a headlock while a friend stood by with a camera.

It appeared as if the pair wanted Symonds to react in a way that would create controversy, but the all-rounder instead left the club...

It's like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Not confirmed yet, mind.

[Perm]

Some very mature behaviour there from Andrew Symonds, he has obviously learnt a lot since Cardiff 2005.

[marc71178]

I reckon it was Sharad Pawar in disguise...

[PhoenixFire]

What sort of nutter would put Andrew Symonds in a headlock.

[nightprowler10]

Dire.

[Jono]

Lol @ Symonds defusing the situation, plus the nightclub incident (if they are both true). So totally out of character.

Good though.

$10 bucks though that when the players went to stand up to the cops Watson was at the back of the pack.

[pup11]

WTF? Obviously the cop wasn't an Aussie fan but it was pathetic behaviour on the part of that stupid cop, but great to see Roy behaving in such a mature way.


But its just a shame that Aussies were not allowed to complete their team song on field.

[steds]

What sort of ***** have a victory song?

[pasag]

Originally Posted by steds

What sort of ***** have a victory song?

Not much difference to this tbh.

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Jono

Lol @ Symonds defusing the situation, plus the nightclub incident (if they are both true). So totally out of character.

Yeah, exactly what I thought. Quite hilarious IMO.

[Smudge]

Sergeant Rock

Cool name.

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by pasag

Not much difference to this tbh.

I thought it was entirely different, TBH. England sang that song as a motivational tool to help them win, Australia had a designated song to sing when they win and not before. Doesn't make much difference TBH, each to his own.

[pasag]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

I thought it was entirely different, TBH. England sang that song as a motivational tool to help them win, Australia had a designated song to sing when they win and not before. Doesn't make much difference TBH, each to his own.

Meh, the point being that there's singing going on whether it's before or after. Happens after every single AFL game. The side which wins goes back to their rooms and sings the team song like this.

[Langeveldt]

the worst sporting event ever staged?

In terms of human tragedy, second only after the Munich Olympic games.. In terms of spirit of the event, definitely the worst.. Will only be beaten by the next World Cup one feels..

[amokk1]

"It is believed all-rounder Andrew Symonds intervened and helped defuse the situation by suggesting the team call it a night"

^^^ haha