Taunting the opposition players

More popularly called as sledging in cricket..

I came across a few classic examples on another forum:

Rod Marsh & Ian Botham - When Botham took guard in an Ashes match, Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words: "So how's your wife and my kids?" Bothams reply was my wifes fine but the kids are retarded.

Daryll Cullinan & Shane Warne - As Cullinan was on his way to the wicket, Warne told him he had been waiting for two years for another chance to humiliate him. "Looks like you spent it eating," Cullinan retorted.

Merv Hughes & Javed Miandad - During 1991 Adelaide Test, Javed called Merv a fat bus conductor. A few balls latter Merv dismissed Javed. "Tickets please", Merv called out as he ran past the departing batsman.

Merv Hughes & Viv Richards - During a test match in the West Indies, Hughes didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after deliveries. "This is my island, my culture. Don't you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman: "In my culture we just say **** off."

Ricky Ponting & Shaun Pollock - After going past the outside edge with a couple of deliveries, Pollock told Ponting: "It's red, round and weighs about five ounces." Unfortunately for Pollock, the next ball was hammered out of the ground. Ponting to Pollock: "You know what it looks like, now go find it."

Ian Healy & Arjuna Ranatunga - When Arjuna Ranatunga called for a runner on a particularly hot night during a one dayer in Sydney... "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat ****!"

* Mark Waugh to James Ormond coming out to bat in an Ashes match: ?Mate, what are you doing out here, there?s no way you?re good enough to play for England.? Ormond: ?Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family.? (Mark's twin brother Steve was captain of the team.)

There have also been instances of teammates sledging each other. One very famous incident involved Fred Trueman and Raman Subba Row. England were playing Pakistan and, at what turned out to be a crucial moment later on, Trueman managed to get an outside edge off a Pakistani batsman after the batsman had been frustrating them on a hot sweaty day. The ball went right through the hands of Raman Subba Rao who was standing in first slip and through his legs. After the over Raman heads over to the bowler and says, "Sorry Fred, I should've closed my legs." Fred Trueman, who didn't find any of this amusing, quipped back, "No, you bastard, your mother should have."

Sunil Gavaskar had decided to relinquish his opening position and come in at no 4 for that test. But, Malcolm Marshall fired out Anshuman Gaekwad and Dilip Vengsarkar for ducks, setting the stage for Gavaskar to walk in at 0/2. And he thought there would be less pressure! Viv Richards says "Man, it don't matter where you come in to bat, the score is still zero." Gavaskar made 236 not out.

Yet another Australian witticism with this time porky Sri Lankan batsman Arjuna Ranatunga the victim. Shane Warne, trying to tempt the batsman out of his crease mused what it took to get the plump character to get out of his crease and drive. Wicketkeeper Ian Healy piped up, "Put a Mars Bar on a good length. That should do it."


New Zealand vs South Africa: Daryll Cullinan was batting, attempting a comeback from a complete bamboozling from Warne in earlier games. Cullinan played the first ball from Chris Harris very carefully back down the pitch, and keeper Parore yelled out "Well bowled Warnie!"

 

I heard of one between McGrath and a Zimbabwe batsman, however it cant not be reproduced here !!

 

Forget opposition players: late in a game during a time out, Michael Jordan huddled his team together and said "whatever you do, don't pass the ball to that mother******," pointing to Bill Cartwright.

 

To Andy Goram not long after he had been diagnosed with Schizophrenia


"There's only two Andy Gorams, two Andy Gorams".

 

Best one I've ever heard was between McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
'Hey Sarwan, what does Lara's **** taste like?'
'Dunno, ask your wife.'
McGrath went nuts.

Also Graham Gooch on Gatting's dismissal by Warne:
'If it was a cheese roll it never would've got past him.'

pwned by Richie:
Bill Lawry - I think Pakistan's problem is they've got to relax.
Richie Benaud - I don't agree. I think Pakistan have got to learn how to bat, bowl and field. It's a simple game.