@ Forth Umpire – I watched my cricket in India when I was much younger, so I don’t recall taunting. I am sure it happens across the world, though. All I will say is that I watched matches with Australians and other supporters (in Antigua) and the only ones I heard it from was the English. Everyone else, while boisterous, stayed away from whining incessantly and hurling accusations.

And re: the Dilhara incident – I am not sure why it happened. What if he just couldn’t get the ball out normally? That happens – we’ve all seen it. Just not on the last ball!

Somebody uses foul language, somebody else hurls insults, somebody else hurls bricks, and yet someone else wastes a fully roasted chicken on Pat Symcox. To each their own. Some think questioning a batsman’s parentage is fine, but you should appeal politely. Others think you should keep your mouth shut, but it’s okay to appeal three times in succession, at increasing volume, for the same incident.

As for the specific incident, what Dilhara did was within the laws of cricket. So was Bodyline, and many other things that are frowned upon.

I’m sure the anthropologists have looked at this somewhere. One man’s meat and all that.

The English fans are a far cry from the “tea with lemon and cucumber sandwich” crowd. You may even have needed some of your karate skills