Aussies get foul-mouthed Headingley reception from rowdy England fans

If Alex Carey expected a warm reception at Headingley on Thursday after the Lord’s stumping that split cricket, he was not disappointed. When the Australian wicketkeeper walked to the middle at Jonny Bairstow’s home ground a Western Terrace that had been preparing for his arrival at the various bars behind the infamous stand for five hours delivered their verdict.

It was not a favourable one. A throaty chorus of “W***er, w***er, w***er,” rang out as his ring entrance music. Before he had taken guard it had morphed into “Same old Aussies always cheating”.

Then, sung with feeling, a throaty “Stand up if you hate Carey.” From its start point in the human zoo, the invitation spread around the ground until it appeared that a majority of the sold-out first-day crowd were on their feet.

Mess with Yorkshire’s ginger ninja in such an underhand manner and Yorkshire folk aren’t going to take it quietly. It just wasn’t cricket but then again to many neither were Carey’s actions in the Second Test.

The outpouring of anger since had given the first day at Headingley a powderkeg feel. Truth be told, it took a while for the fuse to burn through. The old bearpit had a surprisingly mellow feel for the first chunk of the day. 

This was the Ashes – the hottest ticket of the sporting summer – and people were happy enough just to be there. There was enough happening out in the middle to keep anyone occupied. Mark Wood hurling down 95mph bullets, Mitchell Marsh playing Ozball and catches being taken and shelled in equal measure –  it was frenetic, gripping stuff.  

When the odd lull came there were always the pint glass towers or the inflatable volleyballs to amuse the crowd. Zak Crawley received a playful boo when he stamped on an escaped balloon that had blown into the England slip cordon but for the most part it was all quiet on the Western Terrace. 

Then came Carey’s entrance. There was a hint of humour laced in with the vitriol – “Shoes off if you hate Carey,” was a variation on the theme but for an hour after tea as England ripped through Australia’s lower order Headingley turned distinctly hostile.

Pat Cummins, the unrepentant Australia captain, was serenaded in similarly uncomplimentary fashion when he came out to bat. For two balls he and Carey formed an inviting axis of evil for the Aussie baiters until Wood’s pace trapped Cummins in front and the whole stadium went up for the appeal.

Cummins was booed off back to the pavilion with hundreds of spectators helpfully pointing the way to assist him. That left Carey to try to wag the tail – easier said than done with Wood rebooted and roaring in. When he was clonked on the head by a rapid bouncer there was precious little sympathy on show around the ground. 

The left-hander backed away next ball and holed out in the deep to guttural cheers. Headingley’s send-off was predictably poisonous. It was all part of the Ashes pantomime and nothing the pair would not have anticipated but they will have been left in no doubt what the ground felt about the Lord’s low blow.

When his turn came in England’s reply Bairstow made a meal of sarcastically grounding his bat in his crease between deliveries. The Terrace lapped up the ham acting enthusiastically. There will be more of the same no doubt when he resumes. And more of the same for Australia’s villains of the piece.