Flies and Cricket go hand in hand in Australia

By Bipin Dani

MUMBAI, India (TheSportsNEXT) December 3, 2012: Australian opener Ed Cowan was distracted with flies and had to pull out while facing bowlers on several occasions in the Perth Test match.

He was seen cleaning his helmet every once in a while.

"There is no issue here", Lerato Malekutu, the South Africa team manager said in her e-mail from Perth, but the bowler, Vernon Philander didn't seem to be happy with it.

"Vernon was only upset because he kept on having to abort his run up. He was happy to have that problem removed. It is really no different from drinks being sent out to the players", Michael Owen-Smith, the Executive Consultant, CSA, said from Johannesburg.

The batsman had to ask for a can of Aeroguard, the repellent.

"Flies have been a traditional issue in Australian cricket and use of fly-repellents is part and parcel of the game to ensure batsmen are not distracted by having flies suddenly fly in front of their face or even land on their face just as a bowler delivers the ball", Peter Young, the Strategic Communications Advisor, Cricket Australia, informs.

"I have spoken to our umpiring department and they advise that it is not necessary to obtain umpire permission to spray insect repellent on a batsman’s helmet. It is one of those matters of common sense, I am told, such as batsman asking for replacement batting gloves", he adds further.

"Indeed, one insect repellent manufacturer used Max Walker in its advertising back in the days when he was a Test cricketer in a popular television advertisement that had a slogan, “Ave a good weekend Mr Walker” that became a popular one-liner in popular language".

"I was thinking of a famous humorous incident that happened during the infamous Bodyline series of 80 years ago. The England captain, Douglas Jardine, was not very popular with Australian crowds. At one stage, he was seen at the Sydney Cricket Ground waving his hands around in front of his face to try to shoo the flies away".

"Flies are a detested pest in Australia. They are a particular irritation for cricket players as they have a habit of buzzing in cricketer’s faces when they are about to face the bowling".

"A famous Australian spectator known by his nickname as “Yabba”, saw Jardine waving the flies away and called out in his famously loud and carrying voice: “Hey, Jardine, leave our flies alone”.

"Yabba is commemorated with a statue at the SCG which sits where he used to sit", Peter Young added further.

Flies in Australia have puzzled former India captain, Bishan Singh Bedi. "When India was fielding during their match against NSW in Sydney in November 1977, Bedi returned to the Dressing Room, looking very sick. When I asked him why, he replied, "I think I've swallowed a fly!", Kersi Meher-Homji has written in his new book "Cricket Conflicts and Controversies (2012)".

"Flies are everywhere in Australia during summer", the historian says.