Greatest sledges of all time
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...dges-of-all-time/story-e6frey59-1111112539844
7. When English all-rounder Ian Botham came to the crease in an Ashes Test, Aussie keeper Rod Marsh greeted him with the following pleasantry: So hows your wife and my kids.
1. After beating the bat on a number of occasions Shaun Pollock told Ricky Ponting, Its red, its round and weighs about 5 ounces. Ponting hit the next ball out of the ground. He jibed, You know what it looks like, go and find it. This sledge has also been attributed to Viv Richards in an '80's English County game.
2. Its fair to say that Ian Healy and indeed the entire Australian team - had an icy relationship with pudgy Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga. One extremely hot night in Sydney Ranatunga called for a runner. The television microphones clearly picked up Healy saying, You dont get a runner for being an overweight and unfit fat *******. On another occasion, Shane Warne was trying to lure the led-footed and extremely plump Ranatunga down the pitch. Warne expressed his anguish at not being able to do so. Healy interjected, Put a Mars Bar on a good length. That should do it.
3. As Daryll Cullinan an infamous Shane Warne bunny - came to the crease, the King of Spin taunted him by saying hed been waiting two years to have another crack him. Cullinan retorted, Looks like you spent it eating.
4. During the Lords Test of 1989, Merv Hughes was in the middle of a devastating spell that had English batsman Robin Smith mesmerised. After beating the bat for the up-teenth time Big Merv quipped, Mate, you cant bat. Smith promptly smashed the next ball to the boundary and responded, Hey Merv, wed make a fine pair. I cant bat and you cant bowl.
5. English player James Ormond had just come to the crease and was greeted by a tirade of abuse from Mark Waugh: Mate, what are you doing here? There is no way youre good enough to play for England. Ormond responded, Maybe not, but at least Im the best player in my family.
6. During the 1991 Adelaide Test, Javed Miandad commented that Merv Hughes looked like a fat bus conductor. Big Merv dismissed the Pakistani soon after, running passed the batsman yelling, Tickets please!
8. Merv Hughes was in the middle of a typically hostile spell in the West Indies. He didnt say a word, but continually stared down Windies great Viv Richards at the end of his run up. Viv retorted, "This is my island, my culture. Dont you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl. Again, Merv didnt reply. But after dismissing Richards he proudly gave the great man a lesson in Australian way of life: "In my culture we just say f*** off."
9. The Poms have always been famous for mocking their own players, with this a particularly good example. After the beer-bellied Mike Gatting was bowled by Shane Warnes ball of the century on the Ashes tour of 1993, his team mate Graham Gooch uttered, If it had been a cheese roll it would never have got past him.
10. Likewise, 60s legend Freddie Truman didnt mind getting stuck into his own English team mates. After watching an outside edge go right through second slips legs, Freddie was obviously angry, but didnt say a word. At the end of the over, the fielder Raman Subba Row came up to Truman and apologised: Sorry Fred, I should have kept my legs together. Truman responded, So should your mother.
11. Dennis Lillee once commented that the arrogant natured Yorkshireman Geoff Boycott was, The only fellow Ive met who fell in love with himself at an early age and has remained faithful ever since.
12. The Father of Cricket WG Grace was once bowled first ball in an exhibition match. They have come to watch me bat, not you bowl, he said, before replacing the bails and resuming his innings.
