The Barmy Army

After victory at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday, in which Cook (148) and man-of the-Match Kevin Pietersen scored 227, England look set to retain the Ashes, taking a convincing 1-0 lead in the series. But the English players are not celebrating – yet. Instead, they are leaving that to the ever-loyal 'Barmy Army', who follow the English cricket team around the world, regardless of whether they win, lose, or draw.

The 'Barmy Army' has consistently outnumbered Australia supporters at all matches this season, and English Captain Andrew Strauss believes they have a ‘demoralising effect’ on the Australian’s with their constant, but good-natured ‘argy-bargy’.

A popular tune for the 'Barmy Army' this summer has been their version of the legendary rock group Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart, with thousands of fans chanting ‘Swan, Swan will tear you apart – again’. Swan took 5-91 in the second test in Adelaide.

Australian supporters meanwhile, while having far less to cheer about, can only come up with the ‘crude and unimaginative’ (the words of an English supporter), ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi’. Not since Glen McGrath have the Fanatics (Australia’s version of the Barmy Army) coined an ‘original’ chant since they used to sing ‘oh aah Glen McGrath, oh aah Glen McGrath’ as the lanky paceman was running into bowl.

It seems the sun has set on the age of Australian sporting dominance over the English. Even the Barmy Army finds it hard to come up with a chant that doesn’t mention our great players of yesteryear. And their rendition of Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger is looking like an ominous (and accurate) portrayal of Australia’s summer of cricket so far.

Slip inside Ricky Ponting's mind
He's trying to find
Some new players to play

He wants to play his older team
But that's just a dream
They're too old to play

He said he'd start a revolution in his head
But he's been through all the players A to Z
Now there's just a summertime of doom
If he loses the Ashes race
He is going to lose his place
Losing three would simply tear his heart out

So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

Where did all those old players go
Now everyone knows
You've nearly had your day

You'll have to leave the team in the hands
Of Michael Clarke and
He'll throw it all away

He said he'd start a revolution in his head
But he's been through all the players A to Z
Now there's just a summertime of doom
If he loses the Ashes race
He is going to lose his place
Losing three would simply tear his heart out

So Ricky can wait
Shane Warne is too late
And there's no Glenn McGrath
Gilchrist's had his day
And don't look back to Langer
He cannot play

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