Never a dull moment where the Barmy Army is concerned

LEFT SIDE: "Where the left side, the left side, the left side and were here."

MIDDLE: "Where the middle, the middle, the middle and were here."

RIGHT SIDE: "Where the right side, the right side, the right side and were here."

ALL TOGETHER: "You're the Sri Lankans, the Sri Lankans, the Sri Lankans and you're over there."

According to the Barmy Army melody (and it is not a hard one) you either support England or you don't. Broken into three bays upon Yabba's Hill, Sydney Cricket Ground, the Barmy Army do their best to upset opposing fans, and during the England v Sri Lanka game, this Australian journalist learnt a lot about the English spirit.

Spending time with the Barmy Army is a multitude of melody mixed with generous serves of humour. Being able to take a joke is important when around the Barmy Army. This I soon discovered after enquires were made about my favourite player and my response of Steve Waugh brought about a smile and a knowing look between members that made me think perhaps there was a better answer.

Soon I was serenaded with a few Steve Waugh songs - Waugh: what is he good for and one about the current Test skipper not making the plane to Jamaica and going into obscurity just like Mark.

I assumed they would be cheeky and to the point. And I also assumed they would be good fun. I wanted the fun and was not sure whether my thick skin could handle the criticism but luckily today Australia was not playing. (For if the green and gold¹s were playing my skin would be thinner and the insults would bring a defensive nature about myself.)

Although, these boys and girls can sling mud better than any supporter group I have known, they also respect and support their own to the death. Steve Harmison bowled a shocking first over; dot, wide, wide, wide, dot, dot, no ball, dot, wide, three and six. Not the most impressive over from a promising young bowler but what impressed me was the support given by the Army. Coming back to his fielding position in front of the Army they clapped and chanted OeStevo¹ as if the lanky quick had just taken a wicket.

But being in the Barmy Army means you must also be cheeky.

A few bays over to the left a contingent of Sri Lankan supporters have amassed. Today they have brought with them drums, cymbals and horns to join in with their clapping and singing as the Sri Lankans do good things.

At every run, the horn blare, the cymbals crash and the drums are beaten - for this the Barmy Army really have no comeback. But wait, they start up a ruckus chant of "You¹ve only got one song" and take off their shoes and bang them above their heads to imitate the Sri Lankans. The Sri Lankans play louder with the entire orchestra joining in. Generous laughter ripples from the surrounding England supporters and one journalist as I laugh at them.

I find myself laughing a lot. They poke fun at everyone including themselves, and me, but they have an affable nature and it¹s not done in a malicious way at all.

It¹s fun and done with good taste - they mean nothing by it. Today the point of their chants is Sri Lanka, next week it may be Australia and in a couple of months it will be the entire world - well those unfortunates who will go up against England and the Barmy Army at the World Cup.

And today the aim is also directed at the Sydney Cricket Ground itself.

According to the Barmy Army - it is curry day. When they were here for the Test, the SCG did not sell curry. But today because England is playing Sri Lanka curry is on sale. So the first commandment is to eat all the curry so the Sri Lankans are forced to eat pies and chips.

With only a small number remaining they may well fall short of the target. In addition to eating all the curry, the Army has made up a tune to go hand in hand with Curry Day. Soon OeThe 12 days of Christmas¹ becomes OeThe 12 curries of Sydney¹.

The song written on a piece of paper at the pub this morning by two of the members is soon rushed to a local Internet café where 200 copies are made and then distributed to Army troops. The song is sung with gusto as England tries to keep the total as low as possible.

The Barmy Army though is more than a bunch of English people who get together to sing songs and annoy the fellow spectators. During the week, the lads went up against the Kings Cross World Bar side in a match of cricket.

With three balls to spare from a 30-over-a-side match played at Centennial Park, the Barmy Army XXI beat a World Bar XIX with all the money raised from the match going towards the Leukemia Foundation - it also gave England their second win against Australia this tour.

The time spent with the Barmy Army was fun and entertaining. They love cricket and enjoy a joke along with a beer whether it is on the left, right or in the middle.