The Barmy Army, England's travelling cricket supporters, have faced criticism from Australian media during the current Ashes tour. An article in South Australia's The Advertiser labelled the group 'harmful to cricket', accusing them of 'English boorishness bordering on hooliganism' and suggesting their behaviour could incite violence.
Writer Christopher Bantick described the Barmy Army as 'lager louts with money' and claimed their 'yobboism' was 'breathtakingly arrogant'. The criticism follows an incident in Brisbane where trumpeter Bill Cooper was ejected from the ground for playing his instrument.
However, not all observers agree with the harsh assessment. Some have noted that Australian fans have looked on with 'bemusement' rather than anger at the singing and chanting, and that the Barmy Army have generally been well-behaved and good fun during the tour.
The cultural clash highlights differences in fan behaviour between the two nations. Terrace-style football supporting is common in Britain, while Australian crowds tend to be more reserved. Despite the criticism, many believe the two sets of fans can coexist if the Barmy Army stay on the right side of the line.
