Sydney Test Report
Photo © Barmy Army There have been many great days, many great Test matches for the Barmy Army, but none compared with the fifth Test in Sydney, where 8,000 proud Brits cheered Nasser Hussains men on to a famous win
Alex Lowe
03-Feb-2003
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Photo © Barmy Army |
England played magnificently and deserved the victory, but there is no doubt
the team fed off the volume and unstilting support of the Barmy Army, just
as we fed off them.
And after the deafening final day in Melbourne, the Barmy Army had backed
the team into a position where, for the first time in the series, England
had all the momentum.
Barmy Army chief Paul Leafy Burnham said after the Sydney win that he had
never before seen or heard the England fans in such good voice.
The crowd definitely riled them up in Melbourne and the momentum had picked
up. We played all the cricket in Sydney, he said.
The whole Hill area was standing up. Watching from the back, it was as good
as Ive ever seen.
Everyone had a smile on their face and even the police changed their
attitude.
It just gets bigger and bigger and better and better. Melbourne was as
unbelievable noise again.
There were record crowds here and the number of Barmy Army is also getting
bigger and the noise we generate is the best Ive ever seen.
Dean Headley, Allan Mullaly, Darren Gough, all heroes of Englands 1998
victory at the MCG, praised the support of the Barmy Army for lifting the
side just as Australia began to get on top.
Deano ran in to claim six wickets, Gough finished it off and the both the
team and the fans celebrated wildly.
After Sydney it was the same. Even Steve Waugh, who had just saved his Test
career with an historic, and brilliant, century praised the Barmy Army for
the support.
What he would give for a bit more than Aussie Aussie Aussie.!
I think its important to compare the noise with the performance of the
England team, said Leafy.
The Australia tour was marred occasionally by the dispersment of the England
fans, which made it difficult to make an impact from day one of the Test,
and importantly, day one of the series.
But it just added further weight to Leafys calls that the Barmy Amry need a
reserved area.
It always seems to be the first day, said Leafy.
The first day of the series was so important. Look at the first day of the
series when Nasser decided to bowl. Its a shame that there was no real
noise in Brisbane that day.
We are probably the only group of supporters in the world who would still
cheer on the team despite everybody thinking that it was the wrong decision.
Even the players looked as if they thought it was the wrong decision. But
it still wasnt fair to him because he didnt have the crowd behind him.
It just didnt seem he was getting backed. Youve got to give someone every
chance if they come up with a decision like that and I dont think it was.
Its very difficult to get everyone together on the first day.
But Leafy and his trusted sidekick Katy worked tirelessly through the tour
to bring everyone together as the Barmy Army grew and grew.
The New Years Day party brought 2000 revellers to Coogee, a chance to bring
everyone together, to sing the songs and to raise over Aus $20,000 for
charity.
Thats why we had the party in Sydney with Dermot Reeve. It was a crazy day
to have a party but we thought everyone could get together and sing the
songs which happened.
But it wasnt really until day four here that it all got together in the
ground.
we had a problem with the rent-a-crowd who came along.
We need our own area where we can get everyone together. In Sydney They
didnt help. They pinched the songs, printed some questionable literature
and invaded our little area again.
They were definitely put there to compete with the Barmy Army.
The experience in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney just reinforced what Ive
always believed we do need our own area. The whole idea is to get everyone
together, make as much noise as you can so the players hear it.