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ICC World Cup: Yabba is Sydney Cricket Ground's permanent spectator

Updated on: 25 March,2015 08:26 AM IST  | 
Ashwin Ferro | ashwin.ferro@mid-day.com

The Sydney Cricket Ground is the only ground in the world that can never be empty at any time. That's because one man has been sculpted in bronze on one of its seats in the front row of the Victor Trumper Stand in Bay 15 foreve

ICC World Cup: Yabba is Sydney Cricket Ground's permanent spectator

Brett Lee surrounded by dancers at Sydney's George Street yesterday

The Sydney Cricket Ground is the only ground in the world that can never be empty at any time. That's because one man has been sculpted in bronze on one of its seats in the front row of the Victor Trumper Stand in Bay 15 forever.

The bronze sculpture of Stephen Harold Gascoigne (Yabba) at the Sydney Cricket Ground
The bronze sculpture of Stephen Harold Gascoigne (Yabba) at the Sydney Cricket Ground's Victor Trumper Stand yesterday 


Stephen Harold Gascoigne, better known as Yabba, is Australian cricket's most famous fan or critic or barracker as they were known back then for screaming and yelling out at players from the stands. Yabba got his name as a kid because he was a bit of a jabber-mouth.


The rabbit seller, born in 1878, it is learnt, hardly ever missed a Sheffield Shield match or a Test at the SCG. Such was his reputation among players and administrators alike that when he passed away after a heart ailment in 1942, members of the New South Wales Cricket Association actually stood in silence when they met for the first time thereafter.


Brett Lee loves Bollywood
Former Australia pacer Brett Lee has been to India numerous times not only as a cricketer but for different commercial events.

Brett Lee surrounded by dancers at Sydney
Brett Lee surrounded by dancers at Sydney's George Street yesterday. Pic/PTI 

In 2006, he recorded a duet with the legendary Asha Bhosle and three years later even acted in a cricket-themed Bollywood film, starring Harman Baweja, titled 'Victory'.

Yesterday, at an International Cricket Council event to promote the World Cup at George Street here, the 38-year-old enjoyed being in the company of some Bollywood-style dancers, who performed at the event.

"Lee told us that he liked our dance a lot. He also said that he loves Bollywood and its music and that he has met many Indian film stars," one of the dancers told mid-day.

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