affable aussies? no thanks

A taunting Warne - that's more like it.

By Nick Miller

So, apparently Australia are mean again.

After the accusations from just about every past Test player that they were too chummy with the English in 2005, Ricky and the boys went out of their way to prove there was no more Mr Nice Aussie in Brisbane.

This included such charming acts as Justin Langer celebrating before he had caught Andrew Flintoff in the second innings, Shane Warne chucking the ball at Kevin Pietersen on the same day, and of course Ponting's attempt to humiliate the English by not enforcing the follow-on.

And as an England fan, I heartily welcome this return to form.

The only thing that took some of the glorious gloss off the win in 2005 was the fact that those Aussies appeared almost human.

What on earth is the world coming to when a positively affable Antipodeon voice comes on the radio, only for you to discover it is Adam Gilchrist? Or Warne heartily applauding Flintoff's brilliant innings at Edgbaston? Or Brett Lee checking to see if batsman were OK after damn near braining them? You wouldn't catch Dennis Lillee doing that.

Surely all England fans want Australia to not only lose, but lose badly and humiliatingly. I know I do. I don't want gracious, 'England out-played us' friendliness from Punter - I want them to be the worst possible, whining losers.

They provided us with a couple of nuggets to be going on with in 2005(Ponting's hissy fit, McGrath's customary 5-0 'prediction'), but discovering a gracious Aussie is a bit like finding out George Bush has a monthly standing order to Oxfam. It gives you a reason not to hate them.

And if they carry on like this for the rest of the series, I for one will have no problem despising every last fibre of their being.

For the wider interests of cricket, it is of course preferable if the best team in the world were not tremendously hateful, but this is the Ashes - for an England fan, there is no place for wider interests.