rapa
04-27-2007, 10:27 AM
http://bp0.blogger.com/_VFnTUjTu4T0/RjB15QSB_3I/AAAAAAAAAG8/lGKiyNHiHrg/s320/Picture20.jpg (http://bp0.blogger.com/_VFnTUjTu4T0/RjB15QSB_3I/AAAAAAAAAG8/lGKiyNHiHrg/s1600-h/Picture20.jpg)
Reuters reported this article on Wednesday titled "Indian fans back Sri Lanka for World Cup win (http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKBOM3469320070425)" where it discuss the enthusiasm among Indian cricket fans to support Sri Lanka, in the up coming Cricket World Cup final.
Quote:
"Being a sub-continental team I would be rooting for Sri Lanka as I identify with the players and it's close to us," Pankaj, a cricket fan in his twenties in New Delhi, told Reuters on Wednesday.
End Quote
It's very clear now a days the cricketing world has divided into two groups, by a clear line in between them. The "Aussie fans" camp, and the "Anti Aussies (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2830000/newsid_2830100/2830137.stm)".
"Any one but Australia!" is a common slogan among cricket fans all around the world these days.
Australia's dominance in International cricket during last 10 years, has gathered a whole lot of fans around them (Including non-Australians) and more interestingly, they have created "cricketing enemies" all over the world.
Every time they trash another team in an ODI series, Aussies become "targets" of the fans in that country. The recent defeats South Africa suffered in the hands of Australians, has created much anger among South African fans, and they also want to see some one else other than the Aussies, to lift this world cup. Surely the only hope now they are left with is Sri Lanka!
In the Sri Lanka Vs Ireland super 8 match, a fan displayed a banner saying "Go India, Go Pakistan, Go Sri Lanka!. Any one but Australia"
This again is a great example how unpopular the Aussies are among other cricketing nations. Some one may say, "It's because of they are jealous about Aussie form".
But is that the case really? I don't think so. It's more than the jealousy. I think, the common perception about Australian cricketers (Especially in the sub continent) is that "they are a bunch of bigheaded assholes". The way, Ponting and the clan behave in the ground, and in front of the media has given them this negative image. And also the frustration going into the cricket fans, when you see your team get beaten by Australia in such a shameful manner, has also some thing to do with this image.
The news from West Indies also is that, they want to see Sri Lanka win the world cup, despite all the good cricketing relationships they have had with Australia for nearly a century.
Even in the media, the common perception prior to the world cup was "if there's any team that could challenge Australia in this world cup, it should be Sri Lanka, or South Africa". Now, South Africa gone home after being defeated twice in the tournament by the Aussies, the only remaining hope of "anti Aussie" cricket fans is Sri Lanka.
I'm sure, millions around the world will rest their well wishes with the Mahela and the team when Sri Lanka meet Australia in the final on Saturday. This is the second time these two teams meet in a world cup final, and the last time they've met Sri Lanka crowned the World Champions. Since then, Australia has managed to be in the finals of next 2 world cups and winning them, making other 2 South Asian giants, Pakistan and India the runners up in 1999 and 2003. So this is the 4th Cricket World Cup in a row, featuring "Australia Vs South Asia". So all of the sub continent hope that Sri Lanka will do what Pakistan and India couldn't do in 1999 and 2003. And rest of the "Anti Aussie" cricket communities in South Africa, West Indies and rest of the world, will also rest their hopes on the Island nations success on Saturday.
Quote from Reuters
Romit Sen, a teenager from New Delhi, said he was proud to see a sub-continent side in the last stages of the cup.
"It's a matter of pride for us that a sub-continental team can give a fight to the so-called cricketing champions," he said.
P.S.
The picture assosiate with this post is a local Sri Lankan newspaper ad to encourage the Sri Lankan team, by "MAS Holdings Ltd" the official clothing partner of Sri Lanka cricket. The title says "Yakata Baya Nam..." (If Afraid of the Devil...). And we all know who's the "Devil" :-)
You can view all the News Paper Ads, in the series here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34113840@N00/).
Reuters reported this article on Wednesday titled "Indian fans back Sri Lanka for World Cup win (http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKBOM3469320070425)" where it discuss the enthusiasm among Indian cricket fans to support Sri Lanka, in the up coming Cricket World Cup final.
Quote:
"Being a sub-continental team I would be rooting for Sri Lanka as I identify with the players and it's close to us," Pankaj, a cricket fan in his twenties in New Delhi, told Reuters on Wednesday.
End Quote
It's very clear now a days the cricketing world has divided into two groups, by a clear line in between them. The "Aussie fans" camp, and the "Anti Aussies (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2830000/newsid_2830100/2830137.stm)".
"Any one but Australia!" is a common slogan among cricket fans all around the world these days.
Australia's dominance in International cricket during last 10 years, has gathered a whole lot of fans around them (Including non-Australians) and more interestingly, they have created "cricketing enemies" all over the world.
Every time they trash another team in an ODI series, Aussies become "targets" of the fans in that country. The recent defeats South Africa suffered in the hands of Australians, has created much anger among South African fans, and they also want to see some one else other than the Aussies, to lift this world cup. Surely the only hope now they are left with is Sri Lanka!
In the Sri Lanka Vs Ireland super 8 match, a fan displayed a banner saying "Go India, Go Pakistan, Go Sri Lanka!. Any one but Australia"
This again is a great example how unpopular the Aussies are among other cricketing nations. Some one may say, "It's because of they are jealous about Aussie form".
But is that the case really? I don't think so. It's more than the jealousy. I think, the common perception about Australian cricketers (Especially in the sub continent) is that "they are a bunch of bigheaded assholes". The way, Ponting and the clan behave in the ground, and in front of the media has given them this negative image. And also the frustration going into the cricket fans, when you see your team get beaten by Australia in such a shameful manner, has also some thing to do with this image.
The news from West Indies also is that, they want to see Sri Lanka win the world cup, despite all the good cricketing relationships they have had with Australia for nearly a century.
Even in the media, the common perception prior to the world cup was "if there's any team that could challenge Australia in this world cup, it should be Sri Lanka, or South Africa". Now, South Africa gone home after being defeated twice in the tournament by the Aussies, the only remaining hope of "anti Aussie" cricket fans is Sri Lanka.
I'm sure, millions around the world will rest their well wishes with the Mahela and the team when Sri Lanka meet Australia in the final on Saturday. This is the second time these two teams meet in a world cup final, and the last time they've met Sri Lanka crowned the World Champions. Since then, Australia has managed to be in the finals of next 2 world cups and winning them, making other 2 South Asian giants, Pakistan and India the runners up in 1999 and 2003. So this is the 4th Cricket World Cup in a row, featuring "Australia Vs South Asia". So all of the sub continent hope that Sri Lanka will do what Pakistan and India couldn't do in 1999 and 2003. And rest of the "Anti Aussie" cricket communities in South Africa, West Indies and rest of the world, will also rest their hopes on the Island nations success on Saturday.
Quote from Reuters
Romit Sen, a teenager from New Delhi, said he was proud to see a sub-continent side in the last stages of the cup.
"It's a matter of pride for us that a sub-continental team can give a fight to the so-called cricketing champions," he said.
P.S.
The picture assosiate with this post is a local Sri Lankan newspaper ad to encourage the Sri Lankan team, by "MAS Holdings Ltd" the official clothing partner of Sri Lanka cricket. The title says "Yakata Baya Nam..." (If Afraid of the Devil...). And we all know who's the "Devil" :-)
You can view all the News Paper Ads, in the series here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34113840@N00/).