- Joined
- Sep 11, 2023
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Sledging a guy after he's struck 140 and you dropped him on 70 is an odd way to go about things. Siraj has form of course.
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Tempers have threatened to boil over at Adelaide Oval after star Travis Head was given a fiery send off by Indian rival Mohammed Siraj.
Siraj, the man to drop Head while in the 70s earlier on Saturday on the way to his century, gave the Aussie a mouthful as he departed the crease for a well-made 140.
The Indian star could be seen telling Head to “get off” – among a few other words – while aggressively gesturing to the stands.
As a result, Siraj was widely booed by the Adelaide crowd as Head’s faithful home crowd got on their feet to acknowledge the Aussie’s knock.
“Don’t think we can repeat that one!” Fox Cricket’s David Warner said of the Siraj send off replay.
“Look at the aggression!
“Setting the tone for the rest of the series. I’m loving it.”
Siraj had earlier been belted for a four and a six in the over before he managed to get one through Head.
Replays showed the Aussie hometown hero didn’t enjoy the send off he received.
“It’s added a little bit of spice,” commentator Harsha Bhogle said.
“Might have been words in the other direction too, you know.
“I think there were two in the game.”
Commentator Kerry O’Keeffe didn’t think the send off was warranted by Siraj, given the innings Head played. He later described the Indian star’s actions as a “villainous performance”.
“I don’t know whether a send off is valid when a guy’s got 140!” he said.
“He’s a proud competitor Siraj, isn’t he?
“He threatened to do this throughout the First Test.
“Umpires may have had a word (about his behaviour).
“Two competitors having a real crack at each other – I don’t know whether he had much grounds for that Siraj given Head was 140.
“However, he loves to be in the contest does Mohammed Siraj.”
Siraj is no stranger to controversy in Australia, after he was targeted by the crowd in Sydney during India’s last Test tour.
Play had to be stopped in that 2021 Test match after Siraj claimed he was racially abused.
After the Head dismissal on Saturday, Siraj once again cemented himself as public enemy number one this Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour in a move that could backfire, Warner has warned.
“It was quite verbal there,” he said.
“There is a flow on from that as well – still got the Gabba, Sydney, Melbourne (Tests to come).
“He had trouble last time.
“That’s what happens in Australia – if you want to start dishing it out, you’ve got 40,000-odd people that are going to be behind the guys.
“Wouldn’t be a Border-Gavaskar Trophy without (the aggression) would there?”
Warner said he wanted to see Siraj focus on cleaning up the Australian tail, rather than going after Head.
“130 behind – I think your batters might want to go ‘hey, just calm it down a little bit. We’ve got to go out there soon potentially in the hardest conditions and that ball still looks like it’s doing a bit off the wicket and it’s swinging a tad. So just calm down’,” he said.
The Siraj flare up only sparked the Adelaide crowd to life, as fans cheered every boundary he conceded.
Siraj ended up taking the final Australian wicket shortly after the dinner break, to finish with 4-98 as the home side held a 157-run lead on day two.
Speaking to Fox Cricket at stumps, Head revealed his side of the incident.
“I said, ‘Well bowled,’ but he thought otherwise when he pointed me towards the sheds. He got a little bite back from me,” Head recalled.
“Slightly disappointed with the way that transpired.
“It is what it is. If they want to react like that, and if that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”
www.foxsports.com.au
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‘Disappointed’: Aussie hero reveals truth behind baffling send-off that ignited Adelaide crowd
Tempers have threatened to boil over at Adelaide Oval after star Travis Head was given a fiery send off by Indian rival Mohammed Siraj.
Siraj, the man to drop Head while in the 70s earlier on Saturday on the way to his century, gave the Aussie a mouthful as he departed the crease for a well-made 140.
The Indian star could be seen telling Head to “get off” – among a few other words – while aggressively gesturing to the stands.
As a result, Siraj was widely booed by the Adelaide crowd as Head’s faithful home crowd got on their feet to acknowledge the Aussie’s knock.
“Don’t think we can repeat that one!” Fox Cricket’s David Warner said of the Siraj send off replay.
“Look at the aggression!
“Setting the tone for the rest of the series. I’m loving it.”
Siraj had earlier been belted for a four and a six in the over before he managed to get one through Head.
Replays showed the Aussie hometown hero didn’t enjoy the send off he received.
“It’s added a little bit of spice,” commentator Harsha Bhogle said.
“Might have been words in the other direction too, you know.
“I think there were two in the game.”
Commentator Kerry O’Keeffe didn’t think the send off was warranted by Siraj, given the innings Head played. He later described the Indian star’s actions as a “villainous performance”.
“I don’t know whether a send off is valid when a guy’s got 140!” he said.
“He’s a proud competitor Siraj, isn’t he?
“He threatened to do this throughout the First Test.
“Umpires may have had a word (about his behaviour).
“Two competitors having a real crack at each other – I don’t know whether he had much grounds for that Siraj given Head was 140.
“However, he loves to be in the contest does Mohammed Siraj.”
Siraj is no stranger to controversy in Australia, after he was targeted by the crowd in Sydney during India’s last Test tour.
Play had to be stopped in that 2021 Test match after Siraj claimed he was racially abused.
After the Head dismissal on Saturday, Siraj once again cemented himself as public enemy number one this Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour in a move that could backfire, Warner has warned.
“It was quite verbal there,” he said.
“There is a flow on from that as well – still got the Gabba, Sydney, Melbourne (Tests to come).
“He had trouble last time.
“That’s what happens in Australia – if you want to start dishing it out, you’ve got 40,000-odd people that are going to be behind the guys.
“Wouldn’t be a Border-Gavaskar Trophy without (the aggression) would there?”
Warner said he wanted to see Siraj focus on cleaning up the Australian tail, rather than going after Head.
“130 behind – I think your batters might want to go ‘hey, just calm it down a little bit. We’ve got to go out there soon potentially in the hardest conditions and that ball still looks like it’s doing a bit off the wicket and it’s swinging a tad. So just calm down’,” he said.
The Siraj flare up only sparked the Adelaide crowd to life, as fans cheered every boundary he conceded.
Siraj ended up taking the final Australian wicket shortly after the dinner break, to finish with 4-98 as the home side held a 157-run lead on day two.
Speaking to Fox Cricket at stumps, Head revealed his side of the incident.
“I said, ‘Well bowled,’ but he thought otherwise when he pointed me towards the sheds. He got a little bite back from me,” Head recalled.
“Slightly disappointed with the way that transpired.
“It is what it is. If they want to react like that, and if that’s how they want to represent themselves, then so be it.”
‘Old school’ secret behind Head resurgence; Smith’s strange weakness: Talking Pts
‘Old school’ secret behind Head resurgence; Smith’s strange weakness: Talking Pts
www.foxsports.com.au
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