Ashes Aside, Australia Still Kings Of Marginal Sports

‘DURING the last Ashes series in 2002, we wrote about the tiresome claims of Australians – faithfully echoed by our own (largely Australian-owned) media – that theirs is a nation of sporting champions.

We easily demolished this fantasy, pointing out that Australians, like the Americans with their so-called “World Series” baseball, are careful to concentrate on sports that nobody else plays – or at least, nobody English.

We pointed out that cricket is a peripheral pastime in this country, and that when Shane Warne – one of the best players of all-time – played for Hampshire he got paid for a whole season what a top Premiership footballer would earn in a week. The only time most Englishmen watch cricket is when the Australians come to town, and then it’s a bit like watching the Harlem globetrotters – lots of clever tricks, but of no real importance.

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Posted: 27th, December 2010 | In: Key Posts, Sports | Comments (3)