Former England captain David Gower has stoked the fires ahead of this summer’s Ashes by describing Australia as a country with no culture and their cricketers of having an “animal mentality”.
Gower’s comments come ahead of a busy fixture list between the two old rivals, which begins with a Champions Trophy clash at Edgbaston on Saturday and continues with five Tests, two Twenty20 internationals and five more one-day internationals in the coming months.
The two nations then do battle again on Australian soil from November to February.
Asked if England’s long-standing rivalry with Australia was a clash of cultures, Gower told the Radio Times: “I’m tempted to say, how can you have a clash of cultures when you’re playing against a country with no culture? That would almost be sledging.”
Gower, who played 117 Tests for England from 1978 to 1992 and captained his side to victory in the 1985 Ashes series, continued on the subject of sledging by saying:
“If you’re on the boundary you have to be very, very thick-skinned, because the Aussie crowd will try you with absolutely anything.
“The trouble is, if they’ve had 10 cans of lager, their ability to come up with something akin to Oscar Wilde diminishes. A lot of it therefore tends to be very stereotypical. But it’s feral; if they sense weakness, they’ll come at you.
“It’s the same with sledging on the field. There’s a certain animal mentality, and if they sense a bit of weakness, they’ll try it on more.
“The great thing is just to smile, because the smile completely confuses them. But the best way to keep an Australian bowler quiet is simply to make runs. If you’re 120 not out, they tend not to say much.”
On England’s chances of success over the Australians, the 54-year-old Gower said: “My glass is more than half full this year. Australia have lost the Ponting-Hussey axis that was vital to them.
“Michael Clarke is a super player, but so much rests on his shoulders. We’ve got every right to be optimistic, but no right to be overconfident.”
MervUK
Guest
Its got to the point now where the Aussies are so poor that the ashes are a non event, we should go down under and play the kiwis again instead....
Vikramsinh
Guest
How about pak. Legiii in aus team
Freddie
Guest
A tolerant culture - sheesh, you convicts really don't get it do you!
Aakash ATGM Bhat
Roar Rookie
We will win the ashes and this will shut all the english mouths once it for all. English team is full of south africans,dutch,irish players. what kinda culture is that?
buddha9
Guest
one of the products of neo-liberalism -- no one produces anything concrete so everyone is an agent trying to get between the player/writer./ musician and deal and thereby sucking out their claimed15% commission -- there's a 100 times more agents in London that sunny days
Rob
Guest
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie comes from a Max Boyce song (he's Welsh) Oggi, Oggi, Oggi oh, oh oh Oggi is a meat pie or Cornish pastie. So, not even original. As for the culture, there is plenty in Australia - the fridge is full of yogurt.
James
Guest
if he tried out for the australian team tomorrow id give him a shot against most of the current lot. he couldnt really do worse.
JGK
Roar Guru
75 thousandths of a double agent?
Chui
Guest
Is he still playing?
Chui
Guest
Yes the Aussie, Aussie Aussie chanting is boring, but so is the Barmy Army, Barmy Army, Barmy Army........ The are not immune from dull repitition. Even the songs with some creativity are repeated ad nauseum. I'd rather watch the cricket.
Tim
Guest
Can I ask what a 15% agent is?
vikramsinh
Guest
IS THERE ANY ONE IN AUS TEAM, WHO CAN ANSWER "Gower" WITH BAT OR BALL?
MervUK
Guest
Umesh maybe, but Ishant...
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Just on the most recent debacle against India, The Indians let it rip. Young Umesh is a bit of a handful, as he indicated when he toured Aus. Also Ishant, after bowling rubbish for 5 years seems to have found a better length. A little bit of respec' boys.
Mango Jack
Guest
I think you just proved Gower's point, Silver.
Col
Guest
"Post of the Year" contender....gold.
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
"Only man to score centuries and still get dropped." I take it you haven't heard of Brad Hodge then......
Riccardo
Guest
May I just say jus, on the evidence of that performance, that "their batting is dodgey at best. Any Kiwi Provincial side or English County team should beat them." Did you happen to notice the thrashing dished out to the hosts of the imminent Champions Trophy? This is tongue-in-cheek of course; excuse my point scoring. James is right; it's only a practice match. If anything, my post only goes to show how beatable the Hosts will be in their backyard. They are an outstanding Test squad but the shorter form of the game remains a bit of a lottery. The team to watch will be South Africa but they can implode under pressure too.
Don Corleone
Guest
Lord Gower has to remember that his ancestors brutilised, raped and pillaged this country and it's occupants...then set it up as a penal colony. What does he really expect? Then again, English 'culture' these days pretty much comprises of Geordie Shore, Big Brother UK and One Direction.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
Hearing remarks like this from a TV commentator from England makes me forever grateful to my ancestors for their criminal acts that got them sent on a one way pleasure cruise to lovely Hobart and the resort at Port Arthur. As much as places like America and England will talk about culture, history etc I know where I would rather be from. The climate, the people, the small population, the open spaces, the relative safety are all reasons to be thankful for being a QLDer and Australian. David Gower can have his tiny little nothing island with its constant rain, pale faced whiners, over crowded population, old dreadry buildings, annoying accents etc etc