Cricket is no longer the laid-back sport it once was.
It's more edgier and in-your-face (hooray cricket!).
But unlike baseball, where you could punch a guy (or guys) in the nose and be okay with it, cricket players like to keep the overtly physical stuff out (or else they get banned for a long time).
That leaves room for verbal chatter (or sledging, as it's called) directed at the opposition.
This being cricket, much of what's said can be quite witty.
Bellow is exhibit A.
A bit of background before you read.
The Dutch are one of the lowest ranked teams.
Australia are one of the best.
Matthew Hayden, the Australian player spoken to here, was one of the better, if boring, batsmen in the team.
Adam Gilchrist (or Gilly), the other Australian player named, is considered one of the greatest wicketkeeper batsmen (akin to a catcher in baseball) ever to play the game.
Gilchrist's batting was also fun to watch.
"...The funniest line comes from the Dutch wicketkeeper Jeroen Smits at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. "We haven't flown halfway around the world to watch you," he told Hayden. "Get a single and get Gilly on strike because you are crap."
It's more edgier and in-your-face (hooray cricket!).
But unlike baseball, where you could punch a guy (or guys) in the nose and be okay with it, cricket players like to keep the overtly physical stuff out (or else they get banned for a long time).
That leaves room for verbal chatter (or sledging, as it's called) directed at the opposition.
This being cricket, much of what's said can be quite witty.
Bellow is exhibit A.
A bit of background before you read.
The Dutch are one of the lowest ranked teams.
Australia are one of the best.
Matthew Hayden, the Australian player spoken to here, was one of the better, if boring, batsmen in the team.
Adam Gilchrist (or Gilly), the other Australian player named, is considered one of the greatest wicketkeeper batsmen (akin to a catcher in baseball) ever to play the game.
Gilchrist's batting was also fun to watch.
"...The funniest line comes from the Dutch wicketkeeper Jeroen Smits at the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. "We haven't flown halfway around the world to watch you," he told Hayden. "Get a single and get Gilly on strike because you are crap."
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