Two thoughts: first, the Queen will be rooting for the English team so what does that tell Australian 'lackeys' about the need for a republic; and secondly, it is not a far step from the chants of the Barmy Army to hooliganism.

It is sport after all and if both sides cannot appluad good play on either side they shouldn't be welcome at the oval.

It is interesting why yobbos, be the English or Australian, just have to hurl abuse in public. it is attention seeking isn't it and it represents a few seconds of fame for them. They should be discouraged so everyone can enjoy the game.

Depends what kind of abuse you're talking of, Cornflower. The lyrics sung by the Barmy Army are designed to offend, though you'd need to be somewhat precious to take it seriously. The obvious challenge is to come up with a riposte even better than theirs.

The whole issue of who the queen supports I don't think rates a moment's thought in 99.9% of cricket fans - purely an academic take, unless we're talking about the constitution...which is why we have such diversions as sport in the first place. Despite all that it's a useful little wedge the poms can use to 'ave a go at the colonials - much like we rib them about the English weather. All it shows is they've got a sense of humour. Endearing, what?

There's much to be said for tradition, & in my opinion the barmy army, now firmly established and virtually a tourist attraction in their own right, are one of the best things going for both Australian & English cricket. Enjoy it!

"Someone said 'football is more important than life and death to you' and I said 'Listen, it's more important than that'."

That was Bill Shankly, and he had an excuse since he earned his living from the game. But for an non-sportsman to use sport to pontificate about republicanism, the monarchy and colonialism is simply embarrassing.

>>Ashes’ contests are about a great deal more than the game of cricket<<

Absolute bunk. They are nothing more than games of cricket, and only people with lives sadly lacking in gravitas can consider them otherwise.

The author forgets to explain to us that the entire culture of the "chant" - the manufacture of insulting lyrics, invariably set to well-known tunes, aimed at discomfiting rival fans - has a long history from the English football terraces. Its transition to the cricket arena via the Barmy Army came about via the usual route - beer - and uses exactly the same weapon: the sensitivity of the opposition to a particular taunt. They play on the insecurities and self-image of their targets; the total amount of political input is zero.

And as for:

>>The dubious weather prompted some delightful bi-play between the sets of fans<<

Bi-play, eh? That should increase the TV ratings no end.

Cricket - I have nothing against cricket as such but it bores me to tears - I don't get it. No wonder the Barmy Army drink so heavily - to fend off the boredom.

I often wonder if cricket is popular for its own sake or because the establishment that has enormous media clout favour the game. I tend to think that you can popularise anything if you control the media.

I often wish the media moguls were from the flannel-shirt brigade.
Any of you know Max Dumnesny? http://www.maxdumesny.com/guest.asp?Page=17 He is a great, hardcore competitor (my favourite) in a truly Australian sport SPEEDWAY. Quarter mile dirt track, 700 horsepower - lapping in 7 seconds - sideways at over 100 mile an hour - roar of V8 machinery - a true Aussie sport. Love it. And the kids don't act up. Family sport to boot.

Pffft. Cricket ball coming at you fast. Girls and prissy, spoilt boys' game.

Multiculturalism has its good points if we could just get the media to see that there are other sports outside their over-marketed, sportocentric world. .

Before I go I think if on OLO Bible bashing were a sport - David Boaz would be King. If bashing Bible bashers were a sport - Rainer would be a household name. And if bashing bashers of Bible bashers were a sport then they would have a mass participation sport to outdo Muslim bashing.

I think we can give the "barmey army " every thing back that they throw at us . plus they will be leaving in a few months sunburnt to the crisp and with no "ashes " sorry geezers lol

Cornflower:

"Two thoughts: first, the Queen will be rooting for the English team"

I hope not, in either sense (language of the USA or English as she is spoke everywhere else).

What Cornflower has said really goes to show (I hope) how much Americenglish has made its way into Australian English. Which really goes to show that we have closer ties in many things, including language, to the second 'English speaking empire' than we do to the remnants of the first.

I will have some concerns when we have the Sydney Harbor Bridge and jails rather than gaols.

I think the English have the best sense of humour in the world.
With shows like Fawlty Towers, Man about the house, George and Mildred, Are you being served, Some Mothers do Have Them, The Good Life, The two Ronnies, to mention a few.
Some of the best loved comedians over the past decades have been English. It is typical of their witty sense of humour that they would have a go at the Australians like this, I'm sure the Aussies will come up with some witty ditties of their own soon enough.

Ronnie Peters, I used to feel much the same about the game until I learned the meaning of "It's not cricket". Essentially it's a game of sportsmanship, cucumber sandwiches and nuance. Today there is a more aggressive and modern aspect to it, and the barmy army typify that.

But if it doesn't grow on you, well, it doesn't

...btw Ronnie I feel the same way about motor sport as you do about cricket. How can revving a motor on steroids be characterised as a 'sport'? No athletic aspect whatsoever.

Sharkfin: I agree. The English are funny. The "IT Crowd" is a new one out of Britain that is really funny. Apparently the same crowd that worked on "Father Ted" are behind it.

"Vicar of Dibley" was also pretty okay. Used to like Ronnie Barker's show "Clarence" too. I also can relate to the American show "My Name is Earl". Must be my cultural background. One attraction of these shows is that they remain within boundaries of good honest fun.

Yes I suppose the Barmy Army are funny too. Well their jokes aren’t - but their faces make up for it.

Bennie. No cricket or sprint-car racing will never “grow on" some people. It would be very monotonous, boring world if it did. Each to their own.

Re: motor sport not being athletic. The original Olympics in around 700BC were all individual pursuits of excellence? Individual sports - no teams. So maybe sprint car driving (not just "revving a motor" as you say)is more aligned to the original philosophy of Olympics than cricket. Speedway is essentially a sport of sportsmanship, meat pies, six packs, family audiences and real action. For the drivers it's about reflexes, good eyes, good control, courage, having the athletic ability to withstand enormous G forces lap after lap, the strength to control a 700hp machine, knowing how to set up a machine for different tracks and so on. Many characteristics are shared for participants in both sports. Different strokes for different blokes.

You say that Barmy Army is "modern and aggressive" and that typifies cricket. So cricket's nuance is “modern and aggressive behaviour” of the audience rather than any innate characteristic? In sprintcar racing the sport and racing itself is modern and aggressive –don’t need to rely on audience and player theatrics. Besides the sprintcars roar would drown the B.A.’s out. Also they’d be too enthralled in the action to be carrying on.

All sports have different aspects that make them interesting or mundane to individuals. I think that limited exposure to the marginal sports is what keeps them marginal.

I love cricket, and I find the Barmy Army tedious rather than offensive.

More importantly, I find it a bit tragic that it could possibly matter to anyone which cricket team our Queen supports. Presumably John Howard supports New South Wales when they are playing in the Pura Cup, but I have never heard anyone suggest that he should therefore not be Prime Minister of all of Australia. How many readers check what footy team their local candidate supports before casting their vote? How many Australian Catholics get worried about whether the Pope cheered for Germany during the FIFA World Cup? It's just not relevant.

Living close to WACA ground in East Perth where there has been a steady infux of East and South East Asian peoples whose interest in things cricket are minimal the last few days have been a revelation to me.Seeing the fans converge on a normally moribund bit of real estate in this building booming suburb the sheer quanta of England supporters and Barmy Army types is unbelievable.I sometimes wonder whether there are any Australians left in Australia.During Sheffield Shield a.k.a. Pura Cup matches at the WACA you hardly hear a murmur of applause from what crowd that is in there. On a piece of ground called Wellington Square are two cricket pitches unused,but on these evenings of this new-fangled "Daylight Saving" all you see played there is scratch matches of soccer by the afore-mentioned Asians. Quo Vadis Cricket.

HEY BARMY ARMY I THINK YOU GUYS/GIRLS ARE THE BEST THING ABOOUT THIS ASHES SERIES.I AM NEITHER ENGLISH OR AUSSIE AND IM ALSO NOT A CRICKET FAN BUT I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO WORK AT ONE OF THE OUTLETS AT THE SCG ON WHAT WE HAVE NAMED "BARMY ARMY "HILL.YOU LOT HAVE MADE IT A PLEASURE TO WORK THERE,OK MAYBE THIS HASNT BEEN A SUCCESSFUL TOUR FOR YOU BUT HEY THERES PLENTY MORE TO COME.I JUST THINK YOU GUYS DESERVE A STANDING OVATION FOR SUPPORTING YOUR TEAM AND KEEPING US ALL SMILING.CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOMETIME.I EVEN KNOW THE WORDS TO ALL YOUR SONGS NOW.GO THE BARMY ARMY :=)