The second Ashes Test in Brisbane concluded not just with a commanding Australian victory but with a verbal sparring match that has ignited a wider conversation about language and insult. The central figures were stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith and England's pace bowler Jofra Archer, with legendary commentator Ricky Ponting adding a remark that carries a deeply offensive connotation in certain Australian circles.
The Gabba Confrontation
As Australia stormed towards an eight-wicket win at the Gabba on Sunday night, a tense moment unfolded between bat and ball. Steve Smith hit Jofra Archer for a boundary, prompting an angry retort from the fast bowler. "You only play those shots when there's not much on the score, mate," Archer told the Australian batsman.
Never one to back down, Smith fired back with a withering sledge of his own: "[You only] Bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champion." The exchange provided dramatic theatre as Smith soon after sealed the win, and a 2-0 series lead for Australia, by smashing a six.
Ponting's Controversial Commentary
Watching from the Channel Seven commentary box, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting voiced his approval of the heated moment. "I like it, I like it," Ponting began. He then took aim at Archer's timing, saying, "Jofra's finally come to life. Six days into the series when the second Test match is gone, he starts chirping."
Ponting concluded with a sarcastic jab: "Too late for that, champ." While intended as a backhanded compliment, the word 'champ' is now viewed by many Australians as either patronising or something far worse.
The Double Meaning of 'Champ'
In a startling linguistic twist, the term 'champ' has evolved in Australian prison slang to become a highly derogatory insult. Within the prison system, it is shorthand for a paedophile or someone who performs fellatio on another male inmate. Using the word in the wrong context can lead to serious violence.
This darker meaning was highlighted in the popular Australian TV drama Mr Inbetween, where a new inmate is violently assaulted for unknowingly calling another prisoner 'champ'. The term's offensive power is also recognised in Australian sports. In a recent TikTok video, NRL players from the Manly team reacted with visible irritation and demands for explanation when a staff member jokingly called them 'champ'.
American-born AFL star Mason Cox also noted its potency, asking in a social media video, "You want to know the one word in the Australian language that will upset anyone?"
Smith Has the Last Laugh
Despite the furore over language, the cricketing action saw Steve Smith emerge utterly dominant. He responded to Archer's subsequent bouncer by dispatching it for the match-winning six. When questioned about the exchange in the post-match press conference, Smith remained coy. "He was just bowling good pace," Smith said. "I'm not really too sure what he said and I'm not sure what I said, either. It's not really any of your business either. We'll leave it out there."
The incident underscores how sledging remains a potent, if controversial, part of Ashes cricket, and how a seemingly innocuous word can carry a weight of meaning far beyond the boundary rope.
