The sun is scorching, beating down on the turf with merciless fury. There is no wind and the air is still. A heart-stopping silence deafens the Galle International Cricket Stadium as the ball meets the willow of the bat, soars through the air…and is caught by an English fielder. The crowd erupts and the loudest of all cheers comes our way.
Everywhere we go the people want to know
Who we are, where we come from
Shall we tell them?
We are the England, the mighty mighty England
We are the ARMY! The Barmy Barmy Army!
The Barmy Army, recognized as the greatest supporters in world cricket, is at an all time high. Almost 2000 members have travelled to Sri Lanka for the Test match series between Sri Lanka and England, and they’re determined to make every minute count. The English easily outnumber the locals at the stadium; as one snarky islander remarks to another, when they miss yet another batsman being bowled out by the English team courtesy of a tubby Englishman, “mey suddo hinda apita match eka balannath ne”(these foreigners are blocking our view also).
They even skipped the last English test match against Pakistan in the UAE so they could afford the Sri Lanka tour. As Kat Peterson, gorgeous and bravely withstanding the heat in a bright red and green saree puts it, “No place like Sri Lanka.” No place like Sri Lanka indeed- this is the Barmy Army’s fourth visit to the country. Their love affair with the island began in 2001, luring them back in 2003, 2007 and now this year too.
The Barmy Army was founded by Paul Burnham, Gareth Evans and David Peacock in 1995, somewhere in Australia. Paul explains how the group came to be. “A bunch of us were in Australia for the 94/95 Ashes tour. ..Well a bunch of us is an understatement. A very, very large group of English supporters had travelled to watch the match independently. At the beginning most of us didn’t know each other, obviously, but by the end everyone sort of came together and got to know each other really well. And us English-we’re pretty boisterous.
Them Australians, no enthusiasm for their team at all!”(At this point being the biased Sri Lankan cricket supporter I am, I grin evilly and agree) “We’re a lot like you Sri Lankans in that respect. Passion for cricket is something we all share, and we’re very loud about it. So after this tour the Barmy Army came to be. It’s been pretty much an institution in itself ever since.”
The Barmy Army is now the UK’s largest and most successful organization aimed at helping cricket fans watch and support the England cricket team play all over the world. They organize cricket tours, provide match day tickets and run a very successful membership scheme.
They merchandise-walk across the pavilion at English matches, and you are bombarded by their signature red and white Barmy Army t-shirts, crazy headgear, and accessories which lends to the general atmosphere of….well, barmy-ness.
The atmosphere at the stadium is one you might associate with carnivals-singing, dancing, and a lot of beer chugging is at hand. There are sunbathers, raucous groups of cheerleaders scattered across the pavilion and men in capes which would have made Superman proud. They even have a special song for Sri Lanka-much too long and generally insulting to be published; but all in good humour, they assure us.
John Andrew and Richard Pearson are two friends celebrating their 50th birthdays together in the island, and it’s their first match abroad as well! They’re thrilled to be here and make no secret about it, “it’s such a gorgeous, gorgeous country. The cricket is amazing and so are the people,” John smiles. Kristy Garret is slightly better versed in her cricket tours abroad. Having been to Bangladesh, she is all smiles as she recounts her stay on the island in one word, “bliss.”
Neil Doody is on his second visit to Sri Lanka. He is sweltering and red-faced under the harsh southern sun, but maintains that Sri Lanka is, “the best place ever.” He, like many of his fellow Englishmen, is passionate about cricket, and tells us that one in ten English cricket supporters travelling abroad are members of the Barmy Army. He’s on a high after an interesting start to a day, a ‘tuk-tuk’ race near his guesthouse! “Only in Sri Lanka. Madness,” he grins.
Madness is clearly on the agenda. They’re not called the Barmy Army for nothing! I spot a gentleman in a blazer, who I suspect is part of the Blazer Boys; a trio of young boys who travel with the Army and make it a point to attend all matches in blazers, come rain or scorching sun. Other Barmy Army celebrities include Jimmy Saville, the man who leads the raucous crowds in collective cheers and spontaneous singing, and The Queen (no, not the real one!)
The group’s trip to Sri Lanka has not been without a few hitches. Ticket prices for the series were drastically increased shortly before by the authorities. Paul is baffled and slightly irritated. “They charged us three pounds earlier for a day, and now it’s 25 pounds. I mean, I understand times change, inflation and all that. And obviously it’s a very marketable event and Sri Lanka is a beautiful destination - I would’ve done the same thing. But I just wish they told us six months earlier-instead of randomly springing it on us!”
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| Kat Peterson:“No place like Sri Lanka” |
In fact, many of the supporters watched the match from atop the Galle Fort. Shaded by massive umbrellas and guzzling thambili bought at Rs 150 from vendors looking to make a quick buck, they seem happy enough. It’s the spirit of the game and the atmosphere that matters to these guys, and they’re a happy-go-lucky lot, mingling with the locals and bargaining for fish around the fort.
The Barmy Army is not just about the good old times either. They work closely with many charities and also do their bit to promote and develop cricket. Their ‘charity nights’ are a major part of this fundraising initiative - the Sri Lankan was set for March 29 and what’s the bet they had an amazing time.
These guys sure know how to party. It’s that energy, passion and the exhilarating madness they bring into cricket stadiums across the world that’s made them a welcome addition to the party wherever they go.
Their team may lose and the Barmy Army might take ‘gentlemen’ out of the gentlemen’s game; but the level of cricket euphoria one encounters on meeting them will inspire you. It can even leave you with a strange urge to dance across the ground waving your hat with a red cape fluttering behind - be warned. |
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