How bearpit of Edgbaston became England’s fortress and the place Australia fear
Boisterous and raucous, the home of the Barmy Army could play a key role in the Ashes opener
It is the difference between a net and the middle, the treadmill and the open road; competitive sport is not made for laboratory-like conditions. Instead it is prone to outside influences, and cricket, with its pitch and its weather, or its idiosyncratic boundary dimensions, varies more than most.
Another fluctuating element is the crowd. Edgbaston, where England’s men start their Ashes campaign tomorrow, most notably its Eric Hollies Stand, is known to produce one of the most vibrant atmospheres in cricket.
Whether correlation, causation, or otherwise, this boisterous atmosphere has coincided with an unrivalled run of form for England. It is more than 10 years since they lost a Test match at Edgbaston and the last time they were beaten by Australia there, in any format, was the 2001 Ashes Test. England, in fact, are unbeaten in their past 11 matches at the venue. Even the ground’s Twitter handle, “Fortress Edgbaston”, is in on the act.
“The one thing that really stands out for Edgbaston is that it can get very loud, very raucous,” says Ian Bell, a veteran of seven Ashes series and a Warwickshire player for two decades. “Out of all the grounds that we have, Edgbaston can be quite an intimidating atmosphere for away teams.
“I know, having spoken to some of the Aussies in the past, that it is the one ground that they seem to cop it a little bit more in terms of
abuse from the boundary. You really get the feel that when the crowd gets going behind England, it makes it very intimidating for them, but brilliant for England.”
Chris Millard, managing director of the Barmy Army, England’s most vocal supporters’ club and the cause of much of that noise, agrees with Bell, and highlights the advantages. “We definitely think we are the 12th man,” Millard says. “Anything we can do to help the England team succeed, that’s our duty really.
“Edgbaston is the home of the Barmy Army and has been for many years. It really is the best atmosphere in the world, we think. When the Eric Hollies is going, it is quite intense. You see people crack under pressure as well. Like Mitchell Johnson in the last Ashes tour. Even though he got us back in Australia, he really did feel it here.”
‘You see people crack under the pressure, like Mitchell Johnson in the last Ashes tour’
Before this year’s World Cup, Australia coach Justin Langer issued a stark warning to his players. “It’s the biggest lesson of my sporting career. Don’t mess with the Barmy Army, their songs are humiliating,” he stated, matter-of-factly.
The crowd engagement offers a love-hate relationship for touring players. The taunts can be vicious, and intended to pile pressure on an individual, but Millard insists that they do not stray into the malicious.
“We try never to step over the line,” he says. “We don’t advocate the booing [received by Steve Smith and David Warner following the ball-tampering incident] or anything like that. We think we can be witty and funny without that. It’s always about supporting the England team, and if we can get under the nerves of the Aussies then we sure will.”
There is also an element of tit-for-tat to this boisterous exchange, because the Australians have their own Edgbaston equivalent – the Gabba, in Brisbane. But, says Robert Craddock, a sports journalist at the Brisbane Courier-mail, “it is worse… because Australia has not lost there in 30 years. As tough as it is, Australia has still won twice at Edgbaston in this time. History taunts sportsmen.
“But you can almost see England rise at Edgbaston, in the same way Australian sides rise at the Gabba. The crowd plays a part in that for sure. The key for both teams is to start well and silence the crowds early – both home teams are great front-runners when they get on top.”
In 2013, after an Ashes in England in which Stuart Broad had decided not to walk after a hearty nick to first slip at Trent Bridge, the Courier-mail decided it would not refer to him by name in its coverage. The crowds at the Gabba followed suit, referring to Broad in their chants as “the 27-year-old English medium pace bowler”.
“A villain is always going to be a popular figure at Australian stadiums,” says Christopher Dore, the Courier-mail’s editor at the time. “But it’s usually respectful. Kevin Pietersen did claim years later that the focus on Broad during that first Test definitely had an impact on England.
“I would say that what we did at the Courier-mail was unusual. And in many respects the English appreciated the spirit of it more than the Australians; certainly I would say the visiting media seemed to get the joke more so than ours.”
Taunting an opposing player is not always straightforward. That a
player is even targeted amounts to an endorsement that they are good enough to warrant it.
“Australian crowds appreciate quality cricket from all sides, but they also love the theatre,” Dore says. “There is an Australian tradition to boo the best player on the other side in football for example, but perhaps turn around at the end of play and support them. We only cared about Broad because he was so good. But, of course, we wanted to unsettle and distract him.”
There is also the added consideration that some players thrive on the attention, however negative it might be. “After day one of that Test where Broad ripped through the Australian top order I was quite worried!” Dore says.
It is an effect that Millard is also acutely aware of. “David Warner has probably produced his best cricket when we’ve been all red-faced angry at him, screaming and shouting all the abuse in the world,” he says. “So, we are considering the silent treatment for once, to see if that works. Because it does make a difference. People either crack or they rise to it.”
“The common factor between the Gabba and Edgbaston is that the home teams just love playing at the venues,” Craddock says. The results suggest so. At Lord’s, by contrast, England have lost the past three matches, across all formats, they have played against Australia.
“It does lack atmosphere when there is a Test match there,” Millard says. “Lord’s is the only ground in the world where the Barmy Army are not allocated tickets, where the group is not allowed in. Which is really sad.
“We appreciate Lord’s for what it is, but when we were allowed into Lord’s for the first time during the World Cup, we felt that we played a little role in the final, making it into the spectacle that it was.
“There definitely could be an argument for saying that we should be playing at grounds where the atmosphere is absolutely booming.
‘‘But it’s the Home of Cricket, isn’t it? It’s so iconic, it’s such a venue. It’s not going to change overnight. But for sheer playing returns I’m not sure it would be right up there.”
England, at Edgbaston tomorrow, will be hoping for that slice of home advantage.
Millard is confident. So is Dore. “I think you guys are in trouble!” says the Australian. “World Cup hangover. Very good Australian bowling attack. Dukes ball. All your bowlers too old... Can’t wait!”