da imperador bet： 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 Britscheered Nasser Hussains men on to a famous win
Alex Lowe03-Feb-2003
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 Britscheered Nasser Hussains men on to a famous win.England played magnificently and deserved the victory, but there is no doubtthe team fed off the volume and unstilting support of the Barmy Army, justas we fed off them.And after the deafening final day in Melbourne, the Barmy Army had backedthe team into a position where, for the first time in the series, Englandhad all the momentum.Barmy Army chief Paul Leafy Burnham said after the Sydney win that he hadnever before seen or heard the England fans in such good voice.The crowd definitely riled them up in Melbourne and the momentum had pickedup. We played all the cricket in Sydney, he said.The whole Hill area was standing up. Watching from the back, it was as goodas Ive ever seen.Everyone had a smile on their face and even the police changed theirattitude.It just gets bigger and bigger and better and better. Melbourne was asunbelievable noise again.There were record crowds here and the number of Barmy Army is also gettingbigger and the noise we generate is the best Ive ever seen.Dean Headley, Allan Mullaly, Darren Gough, all heroes of Englands 1998victory at the MCG, praised the support of the Barmy Army for lifting theside just as Australia began to get on top.Deano ran in to claim six wickets, Gough finished it off and the both theteam and the fans celebrated wildly.After Sydney it was the same. Even Steve Waugh, who had just saved his Testcareer with an historic, and brilliant, century praised the Barmy Army forthe 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 theEngland team, said Leafy.The Australia tour was marred occasionally by the dispersment of the Englandfans, 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 areserved 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 theseries when Nasser decided to bowl. Its a shame that there was no realnoise in Brisbane that day.We are probably the only group of supporters in the world who would stillcheer 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. Butit 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 everychance 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 tourto bring everyone together as the Barmy Army grew and grew.The New Years Day party brought 2000 revellers to Coogee, a chance to bringeveryone together, to sing the songs and to raise over Aus $20,000 forcharity.Thats why we had the party in Sydney with Dermot Reeve. It was a crazy dayto have a party but we thought everyone could get together and sing thesongs which happened.But it wasnt really until day four here that it all got together in theground.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 Theydidnt help. They pinched the songs, printed some questionable literatureand 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 Ivealways believed we do need our own area. The whole idea is to get everyonetogether, make as much noise as you can so the players hear it.