Published: Nov 22, 2017, 09:48 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 22, 2017, 09:55 AM (IST)
The Barmy Army known for their near-religious support for England on overseas tours with songs and chants have always played crucial role in their success. George Bailey remembers a chant from his Ashes debut that he still finds difficult to forget. Bailey, standing at short-leg, had continued to tease the England side with that chant, in particular James Anderson.
‘Ooooohhhh, Jimmy Jimmy
Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Anderson… ‘
“I find the Barmy Army songs quite catchy, and they were belting out the Jimmy Anderson song,” Bailey told cricket.com.au. “It just got caught in my head, and I was singing it as he was about to face up.”
Anderson, up against a fired-up Mitchell Johnson, didn’t seem to enjoy it the banter.
“He asked whether I thought the Barmy Army would ever write a song about me. I replied I didn’t think they would, that I really liked the songs they already had in their repertoire, what they brought to the game. I also realised I had a steel-reinforced helmet on, and 40,000 people in the stands, most of whom were going to back me up. So I’ve never felt more confident in a fight,” said Bailey.
Bailey even found backing from his captain Michael Clarke, who was willing to stand up for him.
Johnson had rattled the English batsmen that summer in a way few have. He took 9 wickets in that match with his short but furious spells. England lost the opening game by 381 runs.
