Angry Aussie Ashes stars Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne confront fan in the stands after he hit them with one-word sledge: ‘What did you say, mate?’
- Ashes series has been heated
- There have been repeated fan incidents
- Aussie players have had enough
Video has emerged of more fan abuse in a heated Ashes series, with Aussie players Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne confronting a heckler during the fifth Test at The Oval.
Footage shows the Aussie players returning to the dressing sheds on day three of the final Ashes Test, which hangs in the balance heading into the final day of play.
It shows an agitated fan relentlessly abusing every member of the Aussie side until Khawaja and Labuschagne stop to call him out.
The exchange went like this:
Unnamed man: ‘Boring! Boring! Boring! Boring!’
Labuschagne: ‘What did you say, mate?’
Usman: ‘Calm down, calm down.’
Labuschagne: ‘Hey, hey, oi! *whistles*’
Unnamed man: ‘I apologise’
Labuschagne: ‘You were just about to go at everybody else.’
It had been a difficult day in the field for the Australians and Labuschagne was in no mood for more fan heckling
The unnamed heckler chanted ‘boring’ at the Aussie cricket team, leading Labuschagne to return serve before being ushered away by teammate Khawaja
Khawaja then ushered his teammate up the stairs and the heckler stopped his tirade against the rest of the players.
It is the latest incident of poor fan behaviour in the Ashes series, which also saw several Lord’s members suspended for abusing Aussie cricketers.
During the second Ashes test, Australian cricketer Khawaja confronted and pointed out MCC members he wanted ejected from Lord’s after their hostile behavior towards the Australian team.
He was seen remonstrating with England fans in the Long Room and asked security to remove specific individuals who had reportedly booed and called the Aussies cheats.
While that incident involved English supporters and Lord’s members, there has been some suggestion the latest heckler may have been Australian.
‘Sounds Aussie to me,’ Barmy Army trumpet player Simon Finch posted.
‘Bit of debate whether old mate is Pom or Aussie. Regardless, weird behaviour considering Aus are 2-1 up.’ McCormick posted.
‘Apologies if he is Aussie, point stands – They’re not there to play t20 cricket for the crowds pleasure. ‘Boring’ is barely an insult but don’t melt to water when called out.’
Some cricket fans slammed the unknown heckler for failing to understand Test cricket.
‘Another borish day tripper with no interest in cricket. Imagine going to watch some of the best players in the world at an elite sporting event and claiming you’re bored. It’s been another brilliant test. What do people want?’ asked one fan.
Khawaja was involved in another incident of poor fan behaviour when Lord’s members ruthlessly abused the Aussie cricket players including chanting ‘cheat’ at them
It has been a heated Ashes series on and off the pitch, with fans of both nations crossing the line on occasion
The latest incident was triggered by slow over rates which have seen the English side – including retiring pace bowler Stuart Broad – fined on two occasions
Others thought fans had every right to feel aggrieved because of constantly slow over rates during the Ashes series.
‘He was right – going at 3 an over and a slow over-rate to grind the game to a halt is boring and a rip off,’ another fan posted.
‘Fans should be seeing 90 overs a day and they are getting short changed by 10+ overs a day when Australia are in the field. It’s not as if it’s an accident either.’
Both Australia and England were docked 40 per cent of their match fee and penalised two World Test Championship points each for slow over rates in the first Test at Edgbaston.
England players were then docked their entire match fee at Lord’s for slow over rates.
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