Australian cricket legends and fans have been riled by a decision allowing England’s Barmy Army to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s famous bay 13 section for the Boxing Day Ashes Test.
The block is one of the 100,000-seater ground’s most iconic areas and is typically packed with boisterous fans in fancy dress during the Aussie summer.
However this year bay 13, situated predictably between blocks 12 and 14, has been allocated to the thousands of England supporters travelling Down Under in a decision which has left some green and gold greats feeling ‘sick’.
Former wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist told Code Sports: ‘It’s un-Australian, I say that tongue in cheek of course. Good on them [the Barmy Army] for getting in early enough to book it, I guess.
‘It’s going to create a good, fun atmosphere and I can see the smirk on their faces as they roll in there each day knowing they’ve kept the locals out.
‘It will be interesting to see the reaction from the locals. I think they’d be disappointed to not be a part of such a historic precinct of the ground.’
Australian cricket legends and fans have been riled by a decision allowing England’s Barmy Army to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s famous bay 13 section for the Boxing Day Ashes Test
Bay 13 has played host some memorable international cricket moments. Namely, the iconic video of Aussie quick Merv Hughes being mimicked by thousands of fans behind him as he limbered up for a spell
The Ashes kicks off early on Friday morning with the first Test taking place in Perth
Bay 13 has played host to some memorable international cricket moments. Namely, the iconic video of Aussie quick Merv Hughes being mimicked by thousands of fans behind him as he limbered up for a spell.
Hughes’s former team-mate Damien Fleming said this week that ‘he’d be turning in his grave and isn’t even dead’, over the Barmy Army’s seating arrangement for the Boxing Day Test.
‘We need to arm bay 13,’ Fleming, who played 20 Tests for Australia, added. ‘We need Merv, we need people to dress up as Merv. I want Merv lookalikes dominating bay 13, make sure it happens. I’m sick, that’s… I’m sick!’
The highly-anticipated series kicks off early Friday morning in Perth with an estimated 40,000 English fans thought to be making the journey.
Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes named a 12-man squad for the first Test this morning including fast bowler Mark Wood, who picked up a hamstring injury last week.
However scans showed the 35-year-old suffered no lasting damage, meaning he will be able to feature in Perth.
Spin bowler Shoaib Bashir has also been included. England are expected to make a decision on their XI closer to the start of play later this week.
Australia, while yet to name their starting XI, have meanwhile selected an ageing squad for the series. There are places for Usman Khawaja, 39, Mitchell Starc, 35, and Nathan Lyon, 37, as well as Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped from their trip to the West Indies.
Andrew McDonald’s side will however be without both captain Pat Cummins and seamer Josh Hazlewood in Perth, both of whom are suffering with injury.
Legendary batsman Steve Smith will captain the Aussies in Cummins’ place.
