THE Barmy Army had plenty to sing about at the Gabba on Thursday. Too bad no-one could hear them.
In a move every bit as devious – and successful – as the Bodyline tactics employed by England’s bowlers in 1932-33, Cricket Australia scattered the 4000 touring supporters around the ground, making their fearsome “wall of sound” about as frightening as a wet Marmite sandwich.
Returning from lunch at the Pineapple Hotel, Barmy Army co-founder Dave Peacock described CA’s ticketing policy as “disappointing”.
KEEPER:Paine under unusual scrutiny
After what Peacock and his mates did to Mitchell Johnson in England two years ago, he was lucky they were allowed into the country.
But what the Gabba was missing in synchronised singing, it more than made up for with sartorial splendour.
Setting the big trend for the season it appears that the sombrero, once a Day One staple, is now old hat, so to speak. Instead, the well-dressed cricket fan this summer will be seen in fluorescent-coloured bucket hats (not to be confused with the give-away KFC bucket hats which really are buckets).
These can worn au naturel or accessorised with a neck-flap, ala Foreign Legion, elegantly setting off an equally colourful Aussie motif Hawaiian-style short-sleeved shirt worn open over a t-shirt, board shorts and footwear of choice.
As always, if there is one thing a red-blooded male cricket fan loves more than dressing as a female head of state (I counted three Her Majesty The Queens before I even got into the ground), it is wearing the same thing as their mates.
Most eye-catching on the day were the old favourites of a collective noun of Richie Benauds, David Boons and Beefeaters.
Onesies are still big. Best In Stand on Thursday had to be those worn by a group celebrating the 32nd birthday of local man Rick Baker.
“We thought we’d be funny and chose to wear onesies, but Rick got to choose which one we wore,” said one of Rick’s mates, lining up for beers in a tight purple, hot pants outfit with a large motif of a cat eating a pizza on the front.
Put that down as a win to Rick.
Sharing the podium were a husband and wife team dressed as green and gold Crayola crayons.
While they bought their outfits on the internet, others preferred to go DYI.
Members of Barker Creek Cricket Club, near Bendigo, Victoria, not only had their own t-shirts made up, they listed all their names on the back – so if Belly, Trev, Hooter, Doggy, Glob or any of the others gets lost over the next few days they’ll be easy to find.
Neil Burns, 54, and his son Ben, 24, resplendent in polo shirts emblazoned with the words ‘Dads and Lads Tour’, flew out from Halifax, Yorkshire, at 4am Monday and arrived in Brisbane 6pm Tuesday. They will be at the Gabba until end of play Friday, then watch the Rugby League World Cup semi-final between Australia and Fiji at Suncorp Stadium that night. Saturday morning they fly to Abu Dhabi to cheer on Englishman Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s F1 Grand Prix, then head home Monday in time for work the next morning. Cost: best part of $ 30,000.
Was it worth it?
With the sun shining, England’s no-name batters staging a gutsy fightback after an early wicket and the pitch giving the Aussie quicks little joy, that’s a stupid question.
The Barmy Army should write a song about it.
Sport | news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site
