English fans sing ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating!’ after the capture of Cameron Green Ashes in Edgbaston
English cricket fans chant ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating!’ after being outraged by Cameron Green’s playing in the field at Edgbaston Test
- Green took another classic catch
- Comes after WTC final controversy
- England fans were not impressed
The Ashes’ opening test remained at the cutting edge of a knife on stumps on day three after a sensational piece of fielding that English cricket fans said was ‘cheating’.
The Aussies made two vital breakthroughs under challenging batting conditions, putting England’s hopes on the line.
As dark clouds loomed over their heads, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland orchestrated a mesmerizing passage of cricket, dismantling England’s openers.
However, the Aussies drew the ire of the English public for what they felt was excessively attractive in the run-up to the layoffs.
The Australian team loudly appealed to Zak Crawley’s wicket as the ball shot into his pads twice in two balls, but did not judge any of the not-away decisions.
That led to the English public shouting: ‘Same old Aussies, always cheating.’
The highlight of the day came when Cameron Green, positioned in the gully, demonstrated his fielding skills with a remarkable catch.
With lightning reflexes, the all-rounder darted left, latched onto the ball and gripped it tightly before hitting the ground to send Ben Duckett off Scott Boland’s bowling alley.
While this was reviewed and distributed, the audience chanted again: Same old Aussies, always cheating.”
Green has made a habit of taking low, diving catches that have left opponents grumpy – and he did it again when England started their second innings at Edgbaston
Green celebrates his capture with Aussie veterans Steve Smith and David Warner late on day three of the first Ashes Test
While fans were unimpressed, Green’s exploits did not go unnoticed by British pundits such as Nine commentator Nasser Hussain, who praised the young cannon as a “brilliant” and “genius” trencher.
The incident evoked memories of a similar dive by Green during the World Test Championship final, which sparked accusations of cheating from Indian supporters.
The third umpire, after careful examination of numerous replays, confirmed that Green had indeed made a good catch, prompting boos from the stands.
England’s Ben Duckett looks dejected as he leaves the field of play after being sent off by the screams of a catch from Green
The ominous conditions made things very difficult for the England batsmen late on day three
Aussie skipper Pat Cummins celebrates after firing Crawley into the shade of tree stumps on day three
Commenting on the spectacle for Channel 7, James Brayshaw said: ‘When you watch not only [Green’s] instant reaction but also the field players around him, there was no doubt that the fingers were under the ball.’
Despite the negative reception, Green’s brilliance in the field attracted admiration from all quarters.
SEN’s Adam Collins marveled at the all-rounder’s agility, saying “I just don’t believe I’ve ever [better] fielder in that position…Green is the next level, making gully field weather sexy again.”
At the end of the match, England were 2–28 up, with a slim lead of 35 points. Ollie Pope and Joe Root, yet to make their mark on the scoreboard, faced a tough battle against the formidable Australian attack.