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    Nixon’s sledging tips

    By Will last year, at the start of March Leave a comment on this post

    Photo of Paul Nixon celebrating

    Paul “Badger” Nixon, who I’ve yet to see play, is the subject of a recent post at SMH’s The Tonk. Or rather, Badger’s sledging is the focus. They’ve reprinted some of his best, as originally found at The Sunday Times last week.

    To Matthew Hayden (whom Nixon claimed expressed nothing but contempt for him): “Hey, Matty, this could be your last knock for Australia, mate. Hey, mate, don’t throw it all away, not in your last knock for your country.”

    To Andrew Symonds: “Ah, Symo, great to see you, mate. How’s everyone, the family? I know you, Symo. If you edge me and I take the catch, I’m going to send you a copy of the scorecard to your home, every day for a year.”

    To Ricky Ponting: “Ricky, I don’t think you’re that good at picking up a slow ball.” And believing it’s better to get the skipper’s mind off the game, get him out of the present, he adds: “What about the team for next week, Ricky - picked it yet? I saw those jazzy shoes you had made for yourself - very cool.”

    To Michael Clarke, who had changed the sticker on his bat: “That old sticker, Michael, it was always lucky for you. The new one’s not going to bring you the same luck, wait and you see.” When Clarke replied that Nixon was nothing but a club cricketer, Nixon shot back: “How’s it going to feel, Michael, to be caught by a club cricketer? You know what, you’re going to make a club cricketer’s day.”

    Not a patch on other sledges but brilliantly irritating.

    Tags: , |

    12 Responses to “Nixon’s sledging tips”

  • Tom (Aus) wrote:
    March 1st, 2007 at 10.13 pm

    I liked the Clarke comment: “How’s it going to feel, Michael, to be caught by a club cricketer? You know what, you’re going to make a club cricketer’s day.”

  • Wraye wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 12.18 am

    Nix is from Leics CCC, my home town so hands off! If he can stich up the opposition (Ozzies) well, fair play to him. We all know the Ozzies love to give a bit of chin music so what’s the big deal about Nixon giving a bit back, eh?

  • Scott wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 12.40 am

    Um, is that what he was saying? I gotta say, it’s pretty lame.

    Of course, my experience of sledging is based on Third grade country cricket, far away from match referees or other such impediments to the sledger’s arts.

    I actually found the most effective sledges to be comedy. It’s hard to concentrate on the next ball if you are suppressing a laugh.

  • Tony.T wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 1.21 am

    With Scott. As far as lame sledges go, they are the lamest.

    Nixon should be embarrassed to have them published.

  • Leithj wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 2.13 am

    Can’t sledge. Can’t play.

  • SpryCorpse wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 9.37 am

    As an ex-keeper myself I’m well aware that ‘keepers have a power to irritate. But I take my hat off to Nixon. They are some cool, insane irritations!
    You can tell just from watching him on the screen that he’d be a right pain to have buzzing away in your ear. Good on him!

  • Kathy wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 10.46 am

    Lame is as lame does. Nixon cracks me up, and that was a great profile of him in the Sunday Times. He’s just thrilled to be there and giving all he’s got, and I have to say some of what are supposed to be the greatest sledges in cricket aren’t all that funny either.

  • Michael wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 9.58 pm

    I’ll give it to him; in a day and age where people resort to “lame” swearing and bullying, some deliciously tactful sledging there. Quite a fun read that.

    Funny though the four players published are four top class players who averaged between 51 and 83 in the Ashes. Only Hussey is missing. The point is Australia thrashed England harder than any English Test side in history. HISTORY.

    And Nixon still can’t play.

    But he got the gift of gab.

  • Michael wrote:
    March 2nd, 2007 at 10.00 pm

    I’ll add:

    1,610 runs and 6 hundreds between those four players in the Ashes. Who’s really having the last laugh?

  • Weekly Links 4th March 2007 wrote:
    March 4th, 2007 at 9.13 am

    [...] How to sledge by Paul Nixon. [...]

  • marcus wrote:
    March 4th, 2007 at 11.49 pm

    Dennis Lillee bowls a bouncer to Kim Hughes, which Hughes barely ducks.

    LILLEE: Did I get you?

    HUGHES: No, I’m alright.

    LILLEE: Then I’ll get you next time, you b@%tard!

  • Readers Question: Do you sledge? wrote:
    March 17th, 2007 at 10.52 am

    [...] with Paul Nixon taking English sledging to a new level and a big jump in harrowdrive subscribers this week I [...]

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