Sledging: The funny, bad and ugly

As Cricket Australia instructs its players to refrain from sledging during the Ashes, MiD DAY brings you some examples of verbal battles involving the Aussies, who got as much as they gave

Sledging: The funny, bad and ugly

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Sledging: The funny, bad and ugly

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As Cricket Australia instructs its players to refrain from sledging during the Ashes, MiD DAY brings you some examples of verbal battles involving the Aussies, who got as much as they gaveu00a0

You can't f**k*n bat, Smithy!!
Australia under Allan Border gave England a hard time during the 1989 Ashes. When middle order batsman Robin Smith played and missed a Merv Hughes delivery, the burly bowler is believed to have said: "You can't f**k**g bat." Smith provided a great response with a sizzling four. The verbal response was even greater: "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can't f**k**g bat & you can't f**k**g bowl."

At least I'm the best player in my family
Something forced Mark Waugh to say a few words to James Ormond when the English player came out to bat during an Ashes contest in 2001: "Mate, what are youdoing out here? There's no way you are good enough to play for England," Waugh said. Ormond was in no mood to ignore the jibe. "Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family," he said.

Go deflate yourself, you balloon
Shane Warne and Darryl Cullinan loved to have a go at each other whenever Australia and South Africa clashed. When Warne got too hot for the South African batsman, he said: "Go and deflate yourself, you balloon."

If you could bowl as well as you talk...
Ravi Shastri was as combative as they come. When he tried to steal a single during his double century against the Aussies at Sydney in 1991-92, Mike Whitney who was fielding as substitute, blurted: "If you leave the crease, I will break your f**k**g head." Shastri hit back: "If you could bowl as well as you could talk, you wouldn't be 12th man."

Get out Boony, else I'll kill you!
The West Indian quickies were never known to say much but that does not mean they didn't have a sense of humour. When David Boonu00a0 played and missed a couple of times, Malcolm Marshall yelled: "Now David, are you going to get out now or am I going to have to bowl around the wicket and kill you?"

No substitute for weight problem
Arjuna Ranatunga never enjoyed a cordial relationship with his opponents. More so when it came to the Aussies. Before Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup win, they experienced a volatile summer Down Under in 1995-96. When Ranatunga called for a runner in one of the games on that tour, senior player Ian Healy voiced his valued opinion: "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c**t!!!"

Warney no good
Shane Warne got a taste of his own medicine when he failed to win over the Indian batsmen in the 2000-01 series. After yet another spell, one of the Indian players mustered up courage to say: "Hey Shane, you bowling sh*t. They won't even play you in the Hampshire playing XI."