Monkey on his back

Pardon me, but I had to record this. Just as I entered the main gates of the Adelaide Oval on the second morning of this final Test I happened to read the word 'monkey'. Obviously in the aftermath of 'Bollyline' that was the last word anyone expected to see inside the confines of Cricket Australia's grounds. But there it was printed in acrylic green, on the backside of a yellow tee-shirt, worn by a 25-something Australian spectator.

Without hesitation I tapped the gentleman on his shoulder and inquired if it wasn't a touch brave in the prevailing circumstances, what with Harbhajan Singh's appeal against alleged racist abuse of Andrew Symonds coming up in a few days. He didn't agree, adding that it was a moniker he had had for years. In normal circumstances, it would not seem out of place amid other nicknames like 'banana boat', 'duck', or even 'giggy'. Lucky for this eager fan that he didn't have to carry that monkey on his back through the normal stands, as he was safely ensconced inside a corporate box.