Confessing Evangelical

Entertaining piece here about "sledging": the practice, in cricket, of the bowler and close-in fielders attempting to unsettle the batsman using verbal ... um ... banter. For want of a better word. (Though "swearing" would seem to fit the bill much of the time).

The sledge originated in Australia, and one famous practitioner was Merv Hughes (pictured, complete with his fabled facial hair). The article describes how:

Hughes used to take particular delight in abusing shy, reticent, polite and decent individuals, which is why Graeme Hick came in for special treatment. One such episode so upset [legendary umpire] Dickie Bird in a Test match here at Lord's that Dickie was moved to intervene. "Mervyn! Mervyn!" cried Dickie. "Why are you saying those terrible things to that nice Mr Hick? What has he ever done to you?"

But one more inventive sledger was an English county player, Gordon Parsons of Leicestershire:

Parsons' favourite inquiry when he beat the bat would be: "I'll bowl you a piano next ball. See if you can play that."

However, Parsons was once on the receiving end of some "reverse sledging" at the hands of Viv Richards:

[Parson had] just taken a wicket against Somerset at Leicester when Viv Richards strode in and Parsons greeted him with a first-ball bouncer. The ball was still sailing towards a neighbouring shoe factory - where it punctured a skylight and came to rest on a lathe - when the umpire called: "That's your one for the over, bowler." Richards was horrified. "No, no! Umpire! Hey man! Please! He can bowl as many as he wants!"

If cricket's not your thing, then try this amusing article on those riders in the Tour de France who are never going to cause Lance Armstrong much discomfort: those "competing" for the Lanterne Rouge, the last man home on the Tour. (But then again, do any riders on the Tour cause Lance Armstrong much discomfort at the moment? The man's a machine...)