Why do we sledge the Aussies more than the South Africans?

Australia played just their second ODI at the beautiful Manuka oval on Wednesday night. It was a great chance for Canberrans to enjoy some fantastic weather while getting behind the mighty Australian cricket team against the big fast bowlers and immaculate stroke-players of the Proteas.

So why did I, and several people around me, find more enjoyment sledging the Aussies than the Saffas?

I rolled in to the ground after work at about 5:00pm, just as Finch was hitting his 100th run.

The crowd were up and about. For once, there was a bit of a top order performance from our Aussies. The punters were just starting to hit their straps and were belting out songs – albeit one of two, two-word-songs.

David Miller who was doing long-on to long-on was copping a bit of a spray, but nothing too sinister.

“Get on the rope Miller! Saving one or saving four!”

But when the Aussies came out to bowl, that’s when they, and I, really fired up.

Don’t get me wrong, they weren’t sledging the hard working fast bowlers that were toiling away hitting speeds up to 145 kilometres per hour. The likes of Starc, Hazlewood and Marsh were spared.

They weren’t getting stuck into the blokes who just had a decent go with the bat either. Finch, Warner and Smith also remained unscathed.

They even left unknown prospect Kane Richardson alone. Probably because they could relate to an untested, untried prospect. Life’s hard enough. Why sledge the bloke too?

But the blokes who did cop it are those with the big question marks over their heads regarding their selection. And believe it or not, they end up being the slightly less likeable blokes, too.

I’m speaking of course of Matt Wade and my number one, Shane Watson.

Watching live you notice little things that you wouldn’t see on tele. These little things can either paint a player in a really good light, or a really bad one.

Steve Smith buzzed around the boundary all day, happy to sign autographs for the kids in between balls but never let anything through.

And that made Matt Wade’s inability to catch a long throw from the boundary glaringly obvious, or Shane Watson’s sluggish pace in between wickets. Moving in the field, running in to bowl. Watson’s lack of speed, in general.

This made it really, really easy to sledge these boys.

For you, I’ve prepared a selection of my favourite sledges overheard at the cricket on Wednesday night – some may have been committed by me.

– While Watson is warming up before his first ball: “Bowler’s Name?”

– After Watson’s first over: “Great spell Watto!”

– When Wade attempted a soccer-style run-out: “Feet like hands and hands like feet Wado!”

– While Wade was staring into the crowd trying to figure out who’s sledging him: “Game’s that way champ!”

– When Watson failed to bowl a dot ball for two overs: “It’s called Off-Stump Shane, FIND IT!”

– When Watson slowed down to a measly 112 kilometres per hour: “Maybe try the Medium’s Watto!”

Are we the reason Watson went for 47 off 6 and almost put the game back in South Africa’s hands? I hope not.

But Matt and Shane, if you’re reading this, please don’t feel hurt.

You’re still streaks ahead of me and everyone else in the crowd. The two of you would have been left well alone if Glenn Maxwell had made the team.

P.S. Glenn, my 4s team are short for a T20 on Sunday, I know it’s your format and you don’t really have a lot on so just flick me an e-mail if you’re interested mate.