Australia will face India in the second World Cup semi-final at the SCG this afternoon and it is fair to say that there is not a great deal of love lost between these two teams.
All summer we have seen the likes of David Warner, Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson going toe-to-toe in the verbal stakes with their Indian opposition like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Umesha Yadav , but sadly the sledging has not been of the highest quality.
We have reminisced about the glory days of sledging in cricket over the past 24 hours and we have come up with some of the great individual sledges in the history of the ‘gentleman’s game’.
Ian Healy vs Arjuna Ranatunga
The sledging battle between Ian Healy and Arjuna Ranatunga was one of the highlights of cricket in the 1990s and Heals took great delight in constantly referring to the rotund appearance of the Sri Lankan captain.
On one particular occasion, Ranatunga had settled in for a big innings and was frustrating the Australian bowlers with his tactics before Healy came up with the perfect strategy to dismiss a hungry Ranatunga.
Shane Warne vs Darryl Cullinan
Shane Warne tormented batsmen right around the world during his legendary career, but none more so than poor South African batsmen Darryl Cullinan who could never pick the greatest leg-spinner the game has ever seen.
After dismissing Cullinan on several occasions during South Africa’s tour of Australia in 1993/1994, Warne was delighted to get another chance to bowl at his bunny, but Cullinan used this as a rare opportunity to get back at the chubby leg-spinner.
James Ormond vs Mark Waugh
James Ormond was a cult hero in English County Cricket during the 1990s and was loved by fans due to his unathletic physique, love of a smokes and desire to share in a few beers at the close of play.
Ormond was surprisingly included in the English side that toured Australia in 2001 and his place in the side was questioned by Australians batsmen Mark Waugh, but Ormond got his own back by indicating that Mark Waugh would never be as good as his brother Steve.
Glenn McGrath vs Eddo Brandes
Eddo Brandes was another cricketer who plied his trade in the 1990s that was on the overweight side and the majority of his rivals took plenty of joy at poking fun at the colourful all-rounder.
Stick thin Australian fast-bowler Glenn McGrath questioned Brandes on just how he had cultivated his impressive physique and the Zimbabweans reply had the Australian fielders in stiches.
Merv Hughes vs Graeme Gooch
Merv Hughes of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here fame was actually a very talented fast-bowler during his heyday in the 1980s and early 1990s and Hughes was always fired up when he had the opportunity to face England.
During one such Ashes test, English batsmen Graeme Gooch was having plenty of trouble handling Hughes during a typically fiery spell and the popular bowler had a few suggestions for his rival.
Steve Waugh vs Herschelle Gibbs
South Africa famously choked in the semi-final of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, but they had an earlier chance to eliminate Australia from the tournament in the Super Sixes stage.
Steve Waugh was Australia’s only chance of chasing down the 272 they needed to win and leading South African fielder Herschelle Gibbs had the opportunity to dismiss the Australian captain, but dropped a very easy catch, which led to one of the most famous retorts in cricket history.
Fred Trueman vs Raman Subba Row
Fred Trueman was known as one of cricket’s true gentleman and is still considered by many to be the greatest bowler in the history of English cricket, but he had a very quick wit and was a keen sledger.
Trueman did not enjoy fielders misfielding off his bowling and Raman Subba Row was left regretting his decision to let an edge go through his legs off Trueman’s bowling.